Favorite desk doodads

By Kate Lorenz
CareerBuilder.com

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(CareerBuilder.com) -- Are you trying to find a way to make your cube stand out among the endless network of homogenous partition panels in your office?

Want to personalize the place where you spend a good part of your week? Looking for a gag gift for your favorite co-worker?

From clever and practical to downright weird, we've sorted through thousands of knicknacks to bring you the very best of (sometimes) useless workspace tchotchkes.

Here are some of our favorite gadgets, doodads and novelties:

Office Fish Tank This 7" x 6" fish tank fits on your desk and offers your finned friends an office set up of their own -- complete with miniature plastic desk, computer, chair, etc. -- right in the tank! $24 at www.fredflare.com.

The Cubes® Corporate Zombies These small, green figurines dressed in corporate attire with computers and other work accessories are sure to make any visitor to your cube smile. They even glow in the dark! A set of four is $13.50 at www.mcphee.com.

The Cubes® Corporate World Build your own miniature corporate offices using mini cube partitions, office equipment (water cooler, copier, computers, etc.) and of course an entire cast of Cubes® characters! $4.95-$13.50 at www.mcphee.com.

Mug Warmer & Hub Plug this warming pad into an available USB port and keep your coffee piping hot while you give yourself four extra USB ports to which you can attach other devices. It's genius! $12.99 at www.thinkgeek.com.

Action Figures Abound! From Star Wars characters to historical figures such as Albert Einstein and Abe Lincoln, you can find an action figure that will make a statement. $4.95-$12.95 at www.mcphee.com

Desktop Flexlight Forget burning the midnight oil, this flexlight makes it easy to work around the clock. No batteries needed. Just plug into your nearest USB port. $9.99 at www.thinkgeek.com.

Plant Gnomes Bring the 'charm' of garden gnomes right to your desk with these 31 ½" spiked figurines that stick in any potted plant. $5.89 at www.prankplace.com

Move Over Magic 8-Ball! That mystical orb of your childhood has been updated in the Affirmation Ball, which displays positive messages, such as, "Have you lost weight?" and the Sarcastic Ball, which offers advice with attitude. $7.95 each at www.mcphee.com

Feng Shui Desk Set Set the dragon, phoenix and tiger figurines on your desk and an avalanche of positive health, wealth and career success surely awaits. $35 at www.redenvelope.com.

Mini Lava Lamp Plug this 6" tall lava lamp into an open USB port and feel the groovy vibe. $9.99 at www.think.geek.com.

Swiss Army Knife Flash Drives It's an essential survival tool and a portable computer memory device all in one! Who could ask for more? $85-$115 at www.redenvelope.com

Anger Management Doll Rather than throttle your boss, squeeze this 12" plush doll that looks like your boss and spouts mean phrases, just daring you to squeeze its elongated neck to make its eyes and tongue pop out. $19.89 at www.prankplace.com

Harry the Catchall This tangled mass of "tendrils" safely corrals all your necessities -- cell phone, iPod, PDA, etc. $29.99 at www.thinkgeek.com.

Tub of Mini Executives These 1-5/8" figures will make any cube dweller seem like the big man in charge. (They are also the official ammo of the "Boss Toss" gun.) $24.95 for a Tub of 72 at www.mcphee.com

Silly Rubber Stamps These 2-1/2" x 2" stamps have fun phrases like, "File Under 'T' for Trash," or "Confidential -- Read this and I Have to Kill You." $6.89 at www.prankplace.com