Behind the glitz and glamor of a few Web 2.0 brands are some truly terrible work environments. Workspaces even coal miners wouldn’t care for. Valleywag has been collecting photos and horror stories from some of the most egregious offenders here.

To be fair, I will admit that even at ArcStone we occasionally force employees to work in less than ideal situations. Take for instance, the above photo showing an ArcStone blogger diligently writing without a chair or table.

Strong gusting winds blew over huge sections of my six foot privacy fence a couple days ago. Like an idiot, I decided to undertake the repairs myself, relying only on the occasional tip from a neighbor and my wits.

Now my wits may be sharp when it comes to web services or programming languages, but like most geeks, I am not mechanically inclined when it comes to construction.

Nevertheless, last night I stood in my front yard, surveying the materials needed to fix my fence: pressure treated 4×4s, 2×4s, shovel, hammer, nails, and 800 pounds of concrete.

After four arduous hours of work I was fifteen percent done with the repairs, and I still had all my fingers. Although I consider the first phase of the project a success, the difficulty involved in fence repair deserves a nod on my list of the top ten things a computer geek should never do.

If you’re a computer geek, I would also recommend steering clear of any project involving large amounts of concrete.

I love Halloween. It’s my favorite holiday. There are parties, decorations, candy, and it’s one of the few holidays where you aren’t obligated to spend time with extended family.

This year I decided to bring some holiday cheer into the office via a fake severed arm. When I laid eyes on it at the store I had to buy it, at only $4 this could very well be the best investment I have ever made. The arm has been moved about the office, popping up in unexpected places, giving my colleagues a chuckle or scare.

Send me a picture of how your office celebrates Halloween. I will post the most interesting pictures here on the 31st.