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2001-06-06 Monday morning status meetings are a great way to focus on what one is supposed to do for the week; they're also a great way to become depressed about what one has to do before Friday. Especially with 11.5 hours of "departmental meetings and team building" which got in the way last week. And especially when they tell us, "dress casual and bring layers as we have a group activity planned for the afternoon." "But I don't wanna ride the piggy..." Well, the group activity was an afternoon sailing on the Bay, which was uneventful and not necessarily the worst way to spend an afternoon. Particularly not a rather warm day, being cooled by ocean breezes. Still, I'd rather have been on the Internet, or on the boat with friends instead of cow-orkers. The meetings were interesting. We are so much a part of the marketing department now that our team's name has changed to include "marketing" in it. The projects that confound my schedule and that I never feel valued for were given a value. Not a high value, mind you, but at least I know I'll need to get off my duff and do them. The meeting also marks the first time that publicly, someone actually said it: the boss will not be working with us any more. Funny to see the party line in process, since it was an employee who said it. The truth can't be spoken outright, but Management did not correct the statement. And this means "Yes, this is true, but we aren't allowed to say it for legal or political reasons" but of course you can't be pinned down about it later. God, I really never needed to be this well-versed in the rules of corporate politics. My Visor slipped out of my lap and hit the floor during the meeting. Now it only shows an all-black screen when it turns on. Oops. Wonder if it's under warranty at all or if it's going to be cheaper to buy a new one than repair. The weekend was mostly quiet, but with a nice dinner out with The Boyfriend and a evening with The Roommate, Our Friend (if I may introduce a new pseudonym -- don't know what will happen if we ever have another one), and a host of her friends drinking to her birthday. That was fun, chatting with lots of boys I used to work with, and some wild children at that. It felt very...socially integrated, actually. I was interacting with close friends, distant friends, the Boyfriend, strangers. Why don't I do this sort of thing more often? Because the venue seemed appropriate for it, and because I do like to nod to the family in Louisiana, I ordered my first Sazerac; I had no idea at the time if the bartender made it anywhere near correctly. The one I saw made seemed pretty standard except without the lemon zest and served on the rocks. It generally revolted everyone around me with its strong flavor of anise. But we all know I have strange tastes, right? I enjoyed my first one; think of the strong licorice of J�germeister, but without the WWF Smackdown. It's a bold flavor but with a smooth tapering off. As long as you're expecting it, which the Roommate wasn't when he helped himself. The second one, however, was...different. Wrong. Maybe the novelty had worn off. That was when I switched back to gin. It was amusing watching a straight boy trying so very hard to impress and woo one of the event attendees. (I'm writing this like a blind item, huh?) Physically, the guy actually pushed some of my personal porno buttons -- bald, hairy chest and arms, goateed -- but we all know I have strange tastes, right? Again, something wasn't right with him, though, and it wasn't even that I was checking someone out with the Boyfriend's hand around my arm at the table. Maybe the straight boy was just too obviously smitten with the girl, but something seemed wrong about him. Something that I can't quite explain. Straight people are weird. Then again maybe it's just that my (ahem) ardor has been running a bit warm lately. Maybe it's the warm weather encouraging our men to wear short pants and open collared shirts. Whatever it is, I know I'm planning to spend more time with The Boyfriend, try more cocktails, and deal with less politics. And let's see Management try to correct that statement. _Casey
2003-03-29 - Moving Notice |
