A parody on "must-have" office handbooks, CUBE MONKEYS: A Handbook for Surviving the Office Jungle by The Editors of CareerBuilder.com and Second City Communications (Collins; September 2007; ISBN 13: 0061350400) offers laugh-out-loud advice on how to make it through the workday. Full of irreverent humor from Second City Communications, the corporate division of the world renowned comedy theatre The Second City, CUBE MONKEYS features top-ten lists, quizzes, step-by-step guides, games, and hilarious advice that will help make the longest 40 hours of the week seem a little less unbearable. A glimpse of the humor found in the book:

  Top Excuses for Calling in Sick

   1.  "I have a stomach thing.  I think I ate some bad chicken.  Or else it
        was the wine.  Or the beer.  Or the Scotch.  Or the Ouzo.  Or the
        cough syrup.  But I think it was the chicken."
   2.  "I think I have a bug in my system.  I mean a real bug.  You see, I
        yawned when I rode my motorcycle over the weekend ... "
   3.  "I have disco fever.  I just can't stop dancing."
   4.  "I've got a ringing in my ears, so I can't hear what you're saying.
        If it's okay if I take off sick just let me know.  Wait, I can't
        hear you.  I know, if it's okay if I take off just don't say
        anything.  Did you say anything?  I'm just going to hang up.  Is
        that okay?  If it is ... "
   5.  "I have a cold ... beer in my hand.  Psyche!"
   6.  "I have a computer virus.  Did I ever mention I was bionic?"
   7.  "I've got one of those 24-hour things.  What's it called ... oh yeah,
        a day off."
   8.  "I have a sudden case of Attention Deficit Disorder.  So I won't be
        able to -- look a bird -- I like chocolate -- oh, my show is on.
        Bye!"
   9.  "I took an overdose of placebos and I feel ... Well, I don't know how
        I'm feeling!"
   10. "I broke my leg.  But I think it will be okay by tomorrow."

Business Books to Impress the Big Dogs: Show the muckety-mucks you're a real go-getter by keeping these best sellers in your cube

   WHO MOVED MY CHEESE?  No, Seriously, It Was Right Here
   WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR PARACHUTE PANTS?  Time to Update Your Wardrobe
   HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE and Then Use That to Destroy
    Them


  Boss to English Dictionary:  What Your Boss Says and What He Really
   Means

   "Great job on the report" - Translation:  "I'm taking credit for your
     work"

   "This came down from the top" - Translation:  "I have no real power"

   "I'll be out of the office for a couple hours with senior management,
     but you can reach me on my cell" - Translation:  "I'm playing golf."

   "I'll be off-site and unreachable for the rest of the afternoon" --
     Translation: "I'm playing golf and expect to be very, very drunk"

   "This office is a family and my door is always open if you ever need
     to powwow with Papa Bear." - Translation:  "I'm a tool."


  Quiz: Are You the Office Party Animal?

   1.  Your cubicle ... .               3.  Your fellow employees enjoy
   []a. Is always neat and tidy.             carpooling with you because ...
   []b. Has a certain homey charm.      []a. You always pay for gas.
   []c. Has been moved to the strip     []b. You make friendly chit-chat.
         club down the street.          []c. It invariably results in a
                                              spontaneous trip to Tijuana.

   2.  You prepare for the annual       4. Your 401K ...
        office Christmas party ... .    []a. Is your retirement fund.
   []a. A few days in advance.          []b. Is being saved for your kids'
   []b. A few weeks in advance.               education.
   []c. In June.                        []c. Has already been used for keg
                                              money.


  Game: Blame the Temp!

   The Object: Each player chooses a real temp from around the office.

   Equipment: You will need one temp for each player. (Interns can also
    be substituted)

   Rules: There are no rules except "Eat or Be Eaten."

   Strategy: "Positive Games Moves" should be used to help you get that
    all important Pink Slip for your temp.  They include:
       -- Start stealing little things around the office the same day your
          temp starts.
       -- Tell the temp the reserved parking spaces are totally cool to
          park in.
       -- Take temp's temporary clip-on ID pass and replace with card
          reading "Free Butt Massages".

Offering some of best of office humor for those lost in the corporate jungle, CUBE MONKEYS is a great gift for the office grab bag, coworker's birthday, and the dreaded office holiday party.

About the Authors

CAREERBUILDER.com, America's largest online job site, has more than 22 million unique visitors per month and more than 1.5 million jobs. CareerBuilder.com powers the job search centers for more than 1,000 partners, including 150 newspapers.

SECOND CITY COMMUNICATIONS, is the corporate division of The Second City, the world renowned comedy theatre, which launched the careers of some of the world's best-known comic greats. www.secondcitycommunications.com

   About the Book
   TITLE: CUBE MONKEYS: A Handbook to Surviving the Office Jungle
   AUTHORS: Editors of CareerBuilder.com and Second City Communications
   PUBLICATION DATE: September 2007
   PRICE: $13.95 ($17.50 Can.)
   ISBN 13: 9780061350405

   Contact:
   Kimberly Cowser
   (212) 207-7708
   Kimberly.Cowser@HarperCollins.com

   Michael Erwin
   (773) 527-3637
   Michael.Erwin@CareerBuilder.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

SOURCE: CareerBuilder.com