Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Advice for being creative in non-creative environment????
lunabeetlegirl
01-13-2005, 10:18 PM
This is my second week at my first design job... There is only one other designer here. I sit in a gray cubicle. Noone here thinks like me. It's sooo quiet and... GRAY... ARGH! How do I come up with good ideas like this?
Advice please! Anyone??? HELP
/emoticons/eyecrazy.gif
work
'Some People don't know, don't know what is wrong, so there knee deep, knee deep in sorrow'
morea
01-13-2005, 10:26 PM
Print lots of colorful - and especially STRANGE things and hang them EVERYWHERE.
Here are some examples of things I have done. (Yes, really.)
Draw little eyes on paper. Cut them out and glue them to your stapler. Name him. Talk to him. And when other people visit your cubicle, demand that THEY say hi to him. This works well with other office supplies, too.
Develop bizarre conspiracy theories. I actually made up a brochure about how corn was an evil alien substance that was bent on taking over the world and destroying humanity. It circulated the office for a while and people asked me if I was mentally ill. I'm not sure that I convinced them otherwise... I didn't try very hard.
Tell stupid jokes. What's green and looks like a bucket? A green bucket. What's brown and sticky? A stick. Things like that. And use lots of puns. People love to hate puns.
Finally, spin around in your chair until you think you could throw up. Don't ACTUALLY throw up - people don't like that. But after all the blood has rushed to - or out of - your head, take a pencil and start brainstorming. It works.
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
morea
01-13-2005, 10:35 PM
it really works though!!! People think that you are a harmless eccentric, which is great.
one time my boss gave me a hard time, so I crawled under my desk and told him that he was mean and I wasn't coming out until he went away.
He went away.
He looked confused, too.
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
/emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif
My god thats funny
/emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif /emoticons/rofl.gif
I wish I had something clever to put here.......
morea
01-13-2005, 10:38 PM
I am proud to say that I am NOT normal /emoticons/biggrin.gif
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
D-Zine
01-13-2005, 10:38 PM
Morea is on a roll today! You are simply cracking me the fk up!! I lurveee the whole brochure thing you mentioned! Classic!!!
Cat - it's GOT to be a good time I would think! Can I come visit? lol
Power to the Oldschoolers
morea
01-13-2005, 10:40 PM
we've got a guest room, DZ!
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
How do yu figure out what other people think of you? Would be a very rich person if that was possible
'Some People don't know, don't know what is wrong, so there knee deep, knee deep in sorrow'
morea
01-13-2005, 10:46 PM
generally, they tell you.
After the 'corn' incident I actually got called into a meeting with management. It went something like this:
Mgr: 'Uh... some people are concerned about your obsession with corn. You know that it's really just a vegetable and that it can't take over the world, right?'
Me: 'Yes. It was a joke.'
Mgr: 'Oh, ok. That's very funny. I'll let people know that they don't need to be concerned with your mental health.'
Me: 'Well, at least not as it pertains to CORN.'
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
morea
01-13-2005, 10:47 PM
and don't question me, for I am wise beyond my years. http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/emoticons/turn.gif
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
People tell alot of things. LOL
'Some People don't know, don't know what is wrong, so there knee deep, knee deep in sorrow'
morea
01-13-2005, 10:49 PM
people are CRAZY!!! But that keeps the world interesting. http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/emoticons/burger.gif http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/emoticons/cheers.gif
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
D-Zine
01-13-2005, 11:09 PM
Guest room....ohh sounds like time for a visit to me!
Oh yeah and usually when people think you are insane its kinda easy to tell! /emoticons/lol.gif
Power to the Oldschoolers
morea
01-13-2005, 11:10 PM
yeah... the way they sort of edge away from you and look terrified when you stand in the doorway of their cubicle and refuse to move to let them out...
<sigh> Good times!
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
morea
01-13-2005, 11:12 PM
I think that tomorrow I will insist that everyone at work call me by a different name.
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
D-Zine
01-13-2005, 11:18 PM
HAAAAAAAAA!! HAA!!
hell somedays I do that just because I get tired of hearing them call my name to fix sh!t!!!
lol
Power to the Oldschoolers
Neuro
01-13-2005, 11:18 PM
That or when you put someone on hold sing the background hold music yourself and then ask them if they liked it. Ok, I have been hanging around her too much! ha! Believe me it is more than a blast being around her. She can really freak ppl out sometimes and that is a riot to watch. Ppl never know how to deal with being uncomfortable about something. They always act like I should do something about it. Hell no! What fun would that be!!?
"Thats just my opinion, I could be wrong." - Dennis Miller
morea
01-13-2005, 11:20 PM
/emoticons/lol.gif I also like to say things at random and look expectantly at people as though waiting for them to respond.
For example... 'taco?'
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
Neuro
01-13-2005, 11:25 PM
And things that sound cool like MERGE!
"Thats just my opinion, I could be wrong." - Dennis Miller
morea
01-13-2005, 11:26 PM
and 'knob', which is more fun if pronounced phonetically - 'kuh-nob' /emoticons/biggrin.gif
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
Neuro
01-13-2005, 11:27 PM
Back to the taco thing. When Morea used to work with me I helped a coworker cover her entire cube with Tacos. I don't know who they thought was more nuts. Me for finding that many pictures of tacos or her for squeeling with delight when she saw them all! ha! Ah...the good ole days!
"Thats just my opinion, I could be wrong." - Dennis Miller
morea
01-13-2005, 11:30 PM
PICTURES of tacos, not actual tacos! /emoticons/lol.gif
I still have them, too.
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
morea
01-13-2005, 11:30 PM
btw, is ANY of this helping?
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
Neuro
01-13-2005, 11:32 PM
Actually tacos would have been funnier!
Yeah, the poor person who started this must be wonder how the heck we ever got work done! ha!
"Thats just my opinion, I could be wrong." - Dennis Miller
morea
01-13-2005, 11:33 PM
damn, have I scared away another one?! http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/emoticons/shakehead.gif
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
Patrick Shannon
01-14-2005, 01:43 AM
I think I can relate to this thread since I sit around four white walls, two desks bunched together that 'simulate' a corner desk (yes, the boss actually did this to us...the chair won't even push all the way into the desk) and two noisy ass copiers about two feet away from me.
Vodka can be your friend in these situations, and there is no limit to your creativity when under the influence. ;)
Patrick Shannon
'Dear valued customer, go home and die. Signed, your friendly graphic artist.'
http://www.patrickshannon.com/mwwc_sm.gif
My War With Culture (http://www.mywarwithculture.com)
Political incorrectness reinvented.
Unit.Seven
01-14-2005, 02:32 AM
mac said...
work
...and I-Tunes, plus a good pair of comfortable ear covering not ear crushing headphones...I find the biggest problem is the inane (sp?)banter of people I have nothng in common with...
lunabeetlegirl
01-14-2005, 04:51 AM
Thanks-- actually, yes, you helped! It really did help me to be able to just read everyone's comments and know that there ARE people like me out there, just not in any nearby cubicles... I think I'm ok now. For now...
Although for some reason it seems that I am required to design only with PRIMARY COLORS. And apparently a webpage is just not complete without some sort of animated graphic...
Silly me, trying to make stuff actually look GOOD, what was I thinking? /emoticons/dry.gif
D-Zine
01-14-2005, 06:52 AM
ROFL! I missed alot of thsi thread today but that was great! I have to come visit...lol
Power to the Oldschoolers
morea
10-05-2006, 10:56 PM
bump. This thread rocks.
generally, they tell you.
After the 'corn' incident I actually got called into a meeting with management. It went something like this:
Mgr: 'Uh... some people are concerned about your obsession with corn. You know that it's really just a vegetable and that it can't take over the world, right?'
Me: 'Yes. It was a joke.'
Mgr: 'Oh, ok. That's very funny. I'll let people know that they don't need to be concerned with your mental health.'
Me: 'Well, at least not as it pertains to CORN.'
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
Morea, please, please tell me you made it through this meeting with a straight face. You are my new heroine, btw!
morea
10-05-2006, 11:09 PM
I did. My poor boss, he was so confused. :D
He is the same boss who once gave me a hard time... until I crawled under my desk and told him to go away because he was being mean.
He went away. And he looked really confused THEN, too. :p
budafist
10-08-2006, 05:10 AM
Morea, I wish you worked at my work. We'd have lots of fun. :D