Cube Farm

I'm moving into my new "office" today. I use quotations because my "office" has only two walls. It's a cubicle in disguise. Sure it's got natural light through the window behind me, but you can't actually see out. The window is a tease, taunting me with sweet warming rays, but remaining opaque enough to deprive me of listlessly staring at the world.

I've got two desks, and my back to the corner so I can see ninjas approach. I've got two monitors (for those of you keeping score at home, that's one fewer than I had before.) I've got 36 square feet of space. But that's about a third of my previous stretch-out room. I mean, I can't even park my bike.

Funny, I remember all this happening before. A great case of deja vu. The year was 2002, the scene: Kiva Networking. (Cue flashback.) As part of a round of cutbacks, my office slipped away, and in its place came four foot high gray slabs of cloth paneling. New neighbors, more noise, less money. I don't foresee the same bad-movie ending, but then again, those who don't understand history are doomed to repeat it. Just ask the president...