Desktop toys.

And I mean physical desktop, not your computer one.

What do you have there to fiddle with when waiting for stuff? I talk a lot on IRC, so tend to end up sitting around waiting for replies and such. Also on dialup and visit a lot of science-fantasy art sites, hence sit around for what seems like forever when I encounter a high res image I want.

Was always going to get a plasma dome, but it inteferes with the radio...

The permenant residents on my desk for about the last year have been two flourescent lamp starters! One standard white GE one (155/801 for the technically minded folks), and a PalmStep OK Start OK-06 electronic one. They get rolled around, ocasionally (badly) juggled, and just generally mucked around with. Lost them once (mother tidied my desk when I was away for a couple of weeks), and found myself at a total loss for how to keep my hands busy! Ended up turning half the house upside down until I found the starters! Found them though, so all was right with the world again!

So, what's your equivilant then?

Flashlights, of course. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
My prototype Arc-LS with 2xAA pack is right there where I can keep an eye on it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Then there are usually a number of LEDs in their feral state and an LED tester within arm's reach, so if I'm waiting for something, I can just plug one of the LEDs in the tester and mess around with different current levels, etc.

I also have laser pointers in red, yellow, green, and blue that I can and often do play with when I'm not busy typing or something of that nature.

Just today, I set my Olympia Info Globe on my desk right in front of my computer keyboard; I already changed one of the messages on it and set the date/time on it.

Magnetic floating globe, everyone that walks in my office ends up spinning and playing with it.

Mini metal slinky and silly putty.

I don't really keep stuff on my desk but the half dozen lights (which rotate now and then between the 30-light collection) are very fun to play with. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Hmm, Silly putty...never thought of that. There is a blob of blu-tack that's been stuck to the corner of the monitor forever which gets messed with from time to time.