Moving is stressful. It doesn't matter whether it's across the state, or in this case, across the newsroom.

The Star-Tribune has changed its seating arrangement. Old neighborhoods have been demolished, new ones created.

To ease the transition, I'm thinking my cubicle could use a little feng shui.

Feng shui is a very old and complex Chinese system that's said to use the laws of Heaven and Earth in spatial arrangements that enhance energy flows and create harmony with one's environment.

Turns out there's no shortage of valuable advice on the Internet about diffusing negative currents of chi in a person's office cubicle, such as adding plant life and flowing water. Personally, I'd settle for a little sunlight, the absence of which probably also rules out vegetation.

I'm thinking my feng shui would be enhanced by a periscope. That way, I would not have to pop up like a pocket gopher to see over my cubicle partitions every time I want to see the person I'm talking to.

Color schemes are reputedly good correctives for bad vibes because they express basic feng shui elements. Since I sit near the center of the building, I'm thinking a light yellow or beige Earth hue added in my area would create stability and an aura of protection against callers who are unhappy about delivery issues over which I have no control.

Actually, I'm a bit disappointed I don't sit in the far southwest corner of the building so I could employ feng shui fire colors, like red or purple. These would provide beneficial energy for all my career endeavors. But times being what they are, it's probably just as well that the advertising department is using that space. Flaming red appointment books anyone?

Sound also is a source of feng shui, the proper arrangement of which is said to contribute to a range of healthful benefits, from bolstering a person's immune system to alleviating panic attacks.

Actually, I'm hoping the right mix of sound and electronic signals will have the most salutary effects on the internal circuitry of my old friend, the copy machine. Judging by the number of visits from the repairman, he needs the love even more than the rest of us.