Obligatory Workday Parties

Birthdays, Baby Showers, Wedding Showers, Going Away parties. I think it's great that the people you work with, the ones you spend 8+ hours a day, 40+ hours a week, 2000+ hours a year interacting with, wish to acknowledge these events in your life. Really, it's great. But when you work with a *lot* of people (okay, in my case about 160) that's almost once a week you are being asked to "contribute" for some "surprise" party. Even if you just contribute a measly five dollars for each of these, your likely to shell out about $250 a year! ($5 * 49 weeks [52 - 2 for vacation and 1 for the holidays])

I can hear the peanut gallery getting all excited... yes, you sometimes get cake out of the deal, but I'm not a cake person.

I've had coworkers tell me how disappointed they've been to contribute $20 to someone's party that they really liked, only to not get a chance to sign the "group card" (that included non-donaters names) that came with the gifts! Then there is the baby shower I went to two weeks ago, where I told the organizer I had put money in an envelope in their mailbox to contribute to the gifts. This week, the organizer dropped by with my money - she had forgotten to get it out of her mailbox! I guess I should just be grateful that she returned the money instead of pocketing it for "future contributions"...

And don't even get me started on the people who never contribute but sign the card and eat the cake anyway...

I don't want to sound ungrateful for the 30th birthday lunch or the belated wedding shower. They were fun, but I got the feeling at both that they were more for the people at the parties... as if they needed an excuse to step away from their desks and eat cake during their workday. I don't suppose any of this stems from the disappointment that nobody threw a surprise office party for my 31st birthday... or for my return from foot surgery... or that time when I repotted the plant on my desk because (contrary to all other plants I've ever owned) it's thriving!

So much to say until...

Why is it that I always have so much to say, until I actually take the time to try to say something? On that note, I will attempt to get my first blog published today (blog is Hungarian for ramble, right?).

My friend Sam has inspired me with his blog, Here's the Thing. It is a peek across the miles into his mind, and it never fails to make me laugh. I won't even dare to dream that
(a) what I write will be as intuitive or entertaining as Sam's
(b) anyone will actually read my blog
(c) that anyone will actually be affected by it

I mean if noone is reading it, it's pretty much impossible for (c) anyway.

In no way do I expect this to be a therapuetic outlet either. No Peyton's iPod cast soft of thing if that's what you were looking for. 10 points if you know the reference.

In essence, I am promising absolutely nothing with this blog, and expecting absolutely nothing. OK?

Also, what is it with blogs the size of small novels? Is this normal? Is it what the average blog browser expects to read? I don't know that
(a) I care that much about anything to invest that kind of time
(b) that my opinion on any given topic deserves that much space
(c) anyone would really want to read that much of something I've written

Let's face it, I'm a boring person and I love it! Routine is the essence of me and Diet Coke is the essence of life!

So, what should you expect if you happen to be reading this and you happen to come back?
1. Obviously, lots of lists (okay, I'll try to steer clear but no promises)
2. Shortish blogs (the boring factor)
3. Lots of references to Sam's blogs - they crack me up!

There, done. Maybe now writing these things will get a little easier. Maybe Sam will show me how to post pictures. Maybe I'll win the lottery and quit my job so I can blog full-time. Then again, maybe not.