I walked by an auto shop the other day. It was a normal looking place. The same magazines were on the table, the same uncomfortable chairs. The TV was probably tuned to some lame talk show, or something like that. They might have had a coffee pot out. The place had that slight tinge of grease. They had some posters on the wall of products or services that they offered. There might have been a pamphlet holder or two. It looked like most of your normal auto shops. What drew my attention was the painting of the mountains on the wall.
You've been to a place like this before. They're some sort of a rough and tough business, which is generally stereotyped by the male workers. They've got all the things for the business, with a slight attempt at making the place look like a home. They have attempted to home-ify the office. Why do they feel obligated to put those pen-converted-to-a-flower-in-a-flower-pot-filled-with-beans thingies out? Do I really need the fake plants around the office to make me feel like you're going to change my oil any better? What's with the crocheted thing on the table? The wall hangings are nice, for a retirement home.
I'm not saying that you need to put up pictures of naked ladies, or some scantily clad woman attempting to express her desire for some radial tires. I'd just like the normal car stuff. If you're going attempt to home-ify your office, here are some things I'd like for you to see in there:
- Poopy Diapers
- Carpet
- Slightly uncomfortable, but clean, couch
- Sugar cookie scented candle
If you're going to do it, let's do it right. Bust out additional things that make it feel like home. Ditch the dumb magazines, and change the channel to Fox, ESPN, TNT, or Comedy Central. Let's make this an enjoyable experience at least for the 20 minutes that I'm going to sit there while you work on my car.