2008-03-21

Klatches of the DAMNED.

In the last couple of years, I've reached a sort of...grim acceptance...of the indefatigable fact that in order to maintain the LUSH manner of living to which I've become accustomed, I must work in an office. Monday through Friday. Sometimes on Saturday. Frequently past 7 o'clock at night.

This is tempered, of course, by the fact that I do something I'm good at, for an organization whose work I can honestly support 100%. And while I may have found myself on the more technical end of things, I am still immersed in that which has challenged, nurtured and comforted me since I was 12 years old. Not a lot of people can say the same. I realize this, and I am grateful.

But let's don't tart things up too excessively. A Shi Tzu in a cute little sweater is still a DOG, and a job in an office -- which is located in a theatre -- is still an office job. And every now and then I get a reminder of this, and I experience what can only be described as a tiny little dark night of the soul. Like when I find myself at the front desk with two or three coworkers cackling over the previous evening's episode of "Rock of Love 2." I catch myself doing this, and I realize that in offices all over this country there are similar Klatches of the Damned, and something fine in me dies a little bit.

But you know that you have truly sold your soul to the Desk Job Devil when you allow yourself to get completely swept up in the office-wide maelstrom that invariably occurs when cake appears in the breakroom.

"There's CAKE in the breakroom!"
"Omigod there's CAKE?!?!?!"
"Yes! CAKE!"
"CAKE!"

And everyone lurches like sugar-starved zombies into the breakroom while murmurs and periodic screeches of "CAKE!" emanate from every corner of the office. It's good for at least 25 minutes of interdepartmental camaraderie, depending on how much cake is actually left over, and where said cake came from. Generally speaking, a cake from Whole Foods elicits far less enthusiasm than does a sheet cake from Shaw's.

Roughly three-quarters of somebody's birthday cake appeared in the breakroom this morning, and the early hour did not deter anyone from partaking, myself included. I've had two pieces already. It's fucking really good cake.

Pray for me. I fear, though, that it's too late.

lisamcc at 10:35 a.m.



3 comments so far
scott
2008-03-21 16:44:17
living-thriving-surviving... at my own cubicle farm. keeping the radio vibe alive (T-REX tribute in two weeks at wtju.net!). Shaw's, huh? civilization is defined by cake/donut shops. the REAL ones, where the air is infiltrated by confectioner's sugar, for decades. Go! you thespian! the "H" in the Hollywood sign will never be the same.
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Jess
2008-03-24 19:11:51
You know what's sad? I DON'T work in an office, and you pretty much described my day anyway. Doing tech support? Check. Discussions about "Rock of Love" by the water cooler? Check. Cake in the kitchen (or in my case, Girl Scout cookies)? Check. Only, unlike you, I do it all whilst wearing my Oats "Get your dick out of your heart" t-shirt. So, I have THAT going for me.
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Lynette
2008-03-24 22:59:12
I work from home. But it's really virtually working in an office. Right? Although, me and my girls always discuss The L Word and how I should now jump the fence since the wonder man in my life basically crapped all over me and my kids. 'Tis tempting, I will admit. But about the office thing, the only difference from my days in the Boston office is that I don't have an hour and 15 minute commute to work. I can wear whatever I want while working (I have attended a conference call topless - just because I can). And that I can put my handset on mute and take my coworkers with me to put in a load of laundry, make lunch, take a dump, etc. The key is to remember to hit mute before tackling that last one. Trust me. I HAVE forgotten.
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