I came across this book, excerpted here via NPR's "Talk of the Nation," in a major bookstore the other day. I'm adding it to the "I really want to..." shelf. The prologue, which you can find at the link, is only part of the reason why I'm interested.

The book flap asks, "What does the stuff on your desk say about you?"  To which I responded, "That depends on which desk."  A smart answer, to be sure, but it did make me think.  If someone who didn't know me walked into either my office or the corner of my bedroom which I affectionately call my "office," what could they possibly learn about me?

Knowing nothing about the psychology of personality, what I can say for (and about, I suppose) myself is that I'm remarkably consistent: on both desks you'll find an assortment of papers and a Post-It note with a list of books I want to read. Next to both desks you'll find a pile of books--in my office, that would be the pile of books about which I'm receiving threatening messages from the library; in my "office," that would be books related to the current chapter of my dissertation that I'm writing. In both office spaces you'll find the same framed photo (provided at home I'm sitting at my desk) in the same exact frame.  At various times on both desks you'll find a coffee cup: at work always for coffee, at home always for tea. And on both desks, a computer--a desktop at work, my laptop at home.

What that could say is that (a) my reading habits often annoy my University's libray system; (b) I'm slightly addicted to warm beverages; (c) I'm horrible at picking out another picture frame.

Or maybe something else. Here's to figuring out the "else," eventually.