Tell us your naughty stories

Paul Graham recently mentioned that one of the characteristics Y Combinator looks for is "naughtiness" -- an intolerance for bureaucratic rules, a history of beating the system. Go read about it here: (http://paulgraham.com/founders.html)

So what are your stories?

For my first experiment testing boundaries, I went round the building taping off red high five zones, put up posters outlining an official high five incentive program, and started recruiting a high five squad. The Wall Street Journal picked the story up and it worked out well for everyone. We still high five a lot.

Then I stole a conference room called Battle Ship, moved into it with my big purple chair, end table and lamp, renamed it Pirate Ship, and repurposed it as a library for quiet hacking. I posted to the company group, "I sank your battleship," with a humorous story, and it was a hit. I drew a sketchup file of a remodeled room with pyramid foam like at YC, an egg chair, and a data scientist brain washing video on a pull down screen from the overhead projector. I knew I was at the right company when the official response was to rebuild the room to my design (it was even dirt cheap to do so). We brainwashed our first candidate this week.

Finally I promoted myself because I didn't like my old title. That's going well so far.

Probably none of this would have gone as well without a supportive boss running cover I never saw, but if you mean well, are a type A, and are totally committed... at most companies you can get away with anything that advances the mission. As in all walks of life you have to sell.

Shenanigans like these taught me how the system operates, so now I can get real things done the same way.

I started work at a place where I didn't have an office but worked on a folding table with a broken chair in a small storage room. After the first month of this it became intolerable. I noticed though that there was a very large office formerly used as a hardware testing lab that was no longer occupied. I came in one weekend with some friends when no one was there and moved most everything out of that room up two stories to a large storage area, and furnished it with the good old filing cabinet and hollow door desk, put posters on the wall, and swapped in a new high end computer and monitors that were supposed to be for an executive. Everyone assumed that someone else had cleared this and by the time anyone figured it out (if they did) no one said anything.

At places where I don't get a business card, I borrow one from the executives and have it cloned at a card shop with my own info. Usually I will get two or three boxes each with different titles and then pass these out at conferences with a title appropriate to whatever I am discussing with someone.

Speaking of conferences, I have never asked for permission to go to them. I just do, and then submit expenses.

Free sodas freshman year. Chem lab + NaCl + soda machine + Russian roomate.

In west Philadelphia born and raised. On the playground is where I spent most of my days. Chillin out, maxin, relaxing all cool, And all shooting some b-ball outside of school. When a couple of guys who were up to no good started making trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one lil fight and my mom got scared and said "You're moving with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air." I Begged and pleaded with her day after day, but she packed my suitcase and sent me on my way. She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket. So I put my walkman on and said I might as well kick it.

First class yo this is bad. Drinking orange juice out of a champaine glass. Is this what the people of Bel-Air living like? Hmm this might be allright. But wait I hear prissy, bourgeois and all that. Is this the type of place they should send this cool cat. I don't think, I'll see when I get there. I hope they're prepared for the prince of Bel-Air.

Well ah the plain landed and I came out. There was a dude that looked like a cop standing there with my name out. I aint trying to get arrested yet I just got here. I sprang with the quickness of lightning and dissapeared. I whistled for a cab and when it came near, the license plate said FRESH and it had dice in the mirror. If anything I can say this cab is rare. But I thought naw forget it yo homes to Bel-Air.

I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8. And I yelled to the cabby "Yo homes smell ya later". I looked at my kingdom I was finally there to sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air.