Ode to my new office chair.

My old job was obsessed with ergonomics. On my first day I was forced to watch a training video (circa 1985) to explain proper ergonomic working environments. There was an ergonomic committee. They would meet repeatedly to design workspaces to fit the body in the most comfortable position. I had a great office chair and a nice little desk.

I started my new job in January and was quite dismayed not to find the same attention put toward my personal body comfort at this office. Indeed, I am still stationed at the same “temporary” faux-wood folding table as I was on day one. And my office chair was atrocious. Within working there for less than a week I had shooting pains in my back and neck, made an emergency masseuse appointment (which did not help) and started going to yoga twice a week. I also bought a contour pillow to try and counteract the effects of my terrible chair.

I thought I was being overly dramatic and that it was just a chair is a chair is a chair until last Friday. I traded chairs with a co-worker who has inherited an Aeron chair like I had at my old job. She said it was too big for her anyway and I jumped at the chance for a nicer chair. Then she sat in my chair, and everyone else gave it a shot and told me how terrible it was. How uncomfortable and un-cusiony it was. At least it wasn’t all in my head. But, I still have the new comfy chair now. And I am happy about that.

Your mesh seat conforms to me,
My curved spine curves with your back,
And I glide so easy on your wheelies,
No longer am I on the easy track,
To being a humpback.