Archive for February, 2011
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
I always said I never wanted to get married to someone who works in an office.
Mainly because of a lunch buddy I had at work many years ago. He was my brother’s friend who started working at the company where I was employed.
While even as 22/23 year old, I kept strict boundaries about not meeting alone outside the office or having inappropriate conversations, the same could not be said about him.
Eventually he started having lunch with other women in the office.
But they were much less concerned about boundaries.
He and I remained office buddies throughout the time we worked together, but I always wondered if his wife had any idea what went on at work.
I’m reasonably sure he would not have been so friendly with the office ladies had his wife been around.
Fast forward a few years. Another time, another employer.
We had clients with huge entertainment accounts who regularly offered to take us to lunch. I was the only unmarried one amongst the group and the only one who declined.
One day I discovered that our client, working for a very prominent public figure, was having an affair with my colleague.
The first and only time (until last year) when I became involved in office drama was when his wife got wind of the affair. I was asked outright if I knew anything and admitted it.
The drama!
My colleague eventually left her husband, but the male colleague remained married.
Fortunately my former colleague and I remain friends today, but the tension around the office remained for a while with no one speaking to anyone else.
Which brings me to the here and now.
When I started working at my current place of work there were only four males and about twenty five women. For some reason we hardly even considered them as anything other than one of us.
In the last three years we employed more men – younger and in more office bound positions.
And the drama started.
I’m always – even after all these years of working – astounded how people act when they walk into an office. It’s like they forget the other part of their lives.
Or maybe the office is their escape from married life?
I guess there is a line because an ex-boyfriend used to tell me about his lunch buddy who was female and married.
The fact that he spoke about it to me made me feel included and less concerned than I might otherwise have been.
So the question about office friendships is probably where to draw the line.
Mind you, I do currently have an office buddy of the opposite sex. Though neither of us are married. And I talk to him about me not crossing the line of dating colleagues.
But if I was married, I would prefer if my husband would be at work as he would be if I was there. The alternative would just be a betrayal of our relationship.
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Saturday, February 26th, 2011
Oh my hat! Exhausted isn’t even the word to describe how tired I was after work on Friday.
Good exhaustion though. If there is such a thing.
I worked myself into a standstill at the office this past week, then brought a ton of work home.
And still there are things left unfinished, because Friday was meetings day.
Just typing the word ‘meeting’ makes me stifle a yawn.
At least the 2nd meeting was a staff forum meeting which is always interesting! And fun.
So work is keeping me busy these days. Truth be told I’m getting a bit scared that things are moving too fast for me.
I want to be able to think if I really want more responsibility. And where the heck does this sudden ambition come from when a year ago I was happy to just earn my salary.
To make matters interesting, I have myself a little crush. I think it’s mutual. (I hope so!)
But as I’ve promised myself at the start of the year…no more drama. I’m too old for teen angst.
Having said that, I’m blushing just thinking of him.
Two months of the year is nearly done. And oh how fascinating these months have been.
It’s not only been sunshine (besides the fact that it is summer in Cape Town)and roses, but even the bad days were a lot better than the ones I had last year.
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Monday, February 21st, 2011
I’ve eventually relented and started reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
My colleague, who is also one of my favourite people on the planet, handed me the book and told me to just read.
“It’s not my type of book.” I argued. And she was on Oprah and she let Julia Roberts play her in a movie!
She put the book in my hand and went off on a few weeks sick leave.
I subsequently handed the book to someone else.
The book made it’s way to me again two weeks later during lunch time I reluctantly took the book outside with me and started reading.
I was immediately engrossed in her story.
No wonder my colleague thought I should read it.
Especially this year when I decided to do things differently. This year when I decided to (on a much smaller scale) live a rich life doing things I enjoy. Like reading beautiful books, watching good movies, travelling overseas, eating food that is good for my body and delicious at the same time, loving unconditionally, working hard and that’s just for a start.
So by putting my usual scepticism aside I’m delighting in someone else’s story. And finding inspiration in it for my own.
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Friday, February 18th, 2011
Last Monday an amazing thing happened at work. I was testing the website I’m designing for internal touch screens in our office, when a colleague asked what I was doing.
Excitedly, I suggested she have a look. A few more wandered over. And in no time a crowd had gathered.
Their reactions were a total surprise. They immediately got involved with the content, oblivious to design aspects.
I loved it! A web designers dream!
The month we’ve been back at work, has been a dream come true.
Unbelievably, I’m getting paid to something I totally love. For the first time in my working life!
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve always worked at decent companies and always felt fortunate that I landed at places where my work was respected and where I felt valued.
But getting the chance to be creative is the ultimate for me.
I paid my dues though. Nearly a decade of service at my current organisation.
I actually brought work home a few times without complaining!
Who would have thought.
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Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
I watched this movie with my eyes closed a lot of the time.
But it was one of the most enjoyable movies I’ve seen in a while. And I’ve seen a few recently.
At the end of the movie, everyone just stayed in their seats and stared at the screen.
It’s difficult to explain what the movie is about without giving away spoilers.
Other than to say that it’s a psychological thriller. And the ballet Swan Lake. Oh and paranoia and delusions.
Some of the sex scenes were a bit graphic and there were a few scenes with gore (resulting in closed eyes – the gore, not the sex!)
The ballet was okay, but having seen Mao’s Last Dancer recently, it was easy to see amateur vs true professionals.
Natalie and Mila Kunis did pretty well and looked the part, especially Natalie Portman. The acting was far, far better than Mao’s Last Dancer though.
I enjoyed Black Swan as much as I did The Social Network and The Kings Speech. The first time in a while that I’ve seen, much less enjoyed an Oscar nominated movie.
This movie is definitely not one to take your ballerina daughters or nieces to though, as the poster above depicts.
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