Whose desk is this?

People working in the IT field have been stereotyped as geeks. And geeks have this image of being the polar opposite of cool. Wearing overly casual clothing, thick-rimmed eye glasses, and the mussed hair which could really use the help of a comb. They are also said to have a workspace clattered with their stuff, both for work and other interests - like Star Trek collectors' items.

I wonder if people who stereotyped IT professionals knew some of the latter in person.

I remember one time when we ate out during lunch. There was one woman who correctly guessed that we are IT people, but what stuck was her comment that she was able to tell who we are just by looking at us. I KNOW we did NOT look like the way I described above. Yes, we were in casual clothes, but it was office casual. We were neat and presentable. And my hair was definitely well kept - I'm never without my comb.

As for the untidy workplace, I can't work if my desk is very clattered and dirty. I'm sure there are others like me who also prefer to work in a clean environment. The photo above shows my desk when I'm very busy. And that's as clattered as it can be.