Wow. I have to admit then when I posted yesterday's photos, I had a slight preference for the pink dress, and I was expecting the votes to be about evenly split. I certainly did not expect the overwhelming majority of votes for the purple dress, but you all and your insistence and your clear explanations have swayed me. I still love the pink dress and will keep it for other occasions, but for the rehearsal dinner it will be the purple dress all the way. So, thanks for that.
I have to say, I was feeling slightly inadequate for not having made fantabulous plans for the long weekend, but the weekend we did have turned out to be absolutely lovely. We got a few wedding things done, and we cleaned the apartment, and one of Torsten's friends came over for dinner with his wife and baby, who is SUPER cute. We took multiple long walks, and I went to the gym, and I baked a cake from scratch, and we played lots of Mario Kart, and we got lots of sleep. It was relaxed, and enjoyable, and exactly what we needed. Also, Mario Kart alone has already made the Wii worth the cost. God, I love that game.
I've been thinking recently about careers, and how random it can feel to have chosen one. I love what I do, and I'm good at it, but sometimes it feels like I just sort of fell into it, because I liked it and was good at it, and started it, and then just sort of kept doing that. I want to continue developing my career as an editor, but sometimes I think about other types of jobs that I could have, totally random ones that I never considered before, like jobs in marketing, or working in some sort of student life office in a college. I'm not considering a career change, because as I said, I love being an editor, but it is interesting to think about the types of paths that we could have taken, and the choices we've made that closed off other choices, at least temporarily.
Lastly, I wonder if it's possible to have some sort of office social gathering that isn't awkward and a little bit lame. For the most part I really like the people I work with, and have work friends that I see on a social level outside of work, and think that everyone in my department is fun and interesting and not lame. And yet, all sorts of celebratory gatherings seem to be just a bit forced and awkward. Everyone's trying really hard, but the crappy decorations and the cheesy speeches and the bad music... it's just not a good scene. Maybe it's the fluorescent lighting, but something about it just doesn't jive. And yet, I would be sad if we didn't have those events. Am I alone in this?
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I have actually had some pretty awesome work functions. But they are usually the ones not sanctioned by the firm and involve copious amounts of liquor!
ReplyDeleteI think it's impossible to have a normal gathering of the entire office. It's just too work-like, because everyone's conscious that it's a Work Party, which is displayed by having the entire office there. Having a few or even several coworkers over at a time has always worked better for me; it's more of a casual, social, spending-time-outside-the-office thing. I was good friends with several other women in our office when I worked, and we all did things like lunches and baby showers together, but when there were 'office parties', the dynamic was different from the other times.
ReplyDeleteYeah, our work events are usually at a bar...or a restaurant with a bar. It's a good time =).
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy that the majority of my coworkers are in the 23-30 age range. At my old office I was lucky if my coworkers had children my age...
ps. YAAAAY for the purple dress!
My office events are so weird and fun. I'm actually sad to be missing tomorrow's Welcome Back Party...oh well...Pirate Day is 9/19 :)
ReplyDeleteI have a great group of friends at work, some of whom I see outside of work pretty regularly. Yet every single office related party? Terrible and awkward. So awkward, I tend to sweat. I would love the day they permanently cancelled them, so when it comes to me, you're alone in the fact that you would miss them. You are not alone in blaming at least part of the awkwardness on the lame decorations and florescent lights.
ReplyDeletework parties are usually awkward. i don't know why, but they are. maybe because they fall between mandatory and slightly fun. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny. I think there are some offices/companies where social outings are the norm. They happen all the time from weekly happy hours to the annual blow-out bash. Those companies - there is a sense of comfort when socializing together.
ReplyDeleteAnd then there are companies like mine. Where we work long hours together, yet rarely socialize together. I guess work is enough time with one another. And so, there is this awkwardness when we have our semi-annual social events. And include spouses. It's weird to see co-workers interact with their loved ones. And trying to talk anything other than shop is sometimes, well, strange.
So, I guess you wind up falling into one of two groups. And my company most definitely falls in the latter.
Work parties are most definitely awkward and I avoid them at all costs. I have a few people from work that I see at outside functions and a former co-worker and I see each other a lot outside of work, but in work parties are painful.
ReplyDeleteI think about other career choices too, I just fell into mine as well.
Yay for the purple dress!!
I have Jessica's former problem - almost all of my coworkers are my parents' age, which can make for akward socializing, although I have become friends with a few of them. But we don't generally hang out outside of work.
ReplyDeleteI wish I worked somewhere with some people my own age.
I am in the same boat as you with work-related social events. They are always awkward. I really like most the people I work with, but I think I'll have to leave it at that. People I work with who I like. I cannot figure out how to navigate that work/ home/ social atmosphere without feeling uncomfortable. If you figure it out, let me know!
ReplyDeleteI do the "ooo, what about this career!" thing all the time. Maybe because I'm not on a definitive, clear cut path? Either way, it's good to keep your mind open to other things because you never know when a new opportunity will arise.
ReplyDeleteAlso? why don't YOU organize a work function to your liking!
we have company outings and a holiday party and they go really well. i just stay away from the weird co-workers :)
ReplyDeletewe usually have an awards banquet once a year... i'm the second youngest person in my office anyways and work with a lot of former military types, so we're not very big on office parties.
ReplyDeleteIn an office of 4 people that are all family, we don't do office celebrations. We just have family celebrations. :)
ReplyDeleteDamnit, I missed the big dress vote! I like both of them. I think the purple IS more flattering, but it might be just one of those dresses that is more flattering in photos. I don't know why some dresses are like that - color?
ReplyDeleteWork functions at my small company were really fun, because everyone was young and drank heavily. Work functions at my current job are like pulling teeth. And I am sure they are nice people outside of work too.
Glad you decided to go with the purple dress! I really like the neckline on you.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I'm no help with the office party question. I've always worked on a small staff in churches and now at my current non-profit so awkward office parties has never been an issue.
i really cannot stand the people i work with. i probably have 2 friends in an office of 50.
ReplyDeleteso im not much help
...your post makes me want to buy mario kart though!
I think work gatherings are always going to be a bit awkward and lame. Everyone there will be expecting someone else to want to talk about the anderson account, or what happened to the email on pricing... The only way around this is to get everyone drunk early on.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I have a job in marketing, and while it's been fun for the past twelve years, it's starting to burn the hell out of me.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I'll probably get laid off as my company is threatening, and then I'll be crying like a little wuss.
I love work celebrations because we dont do them at work! Something good happens-excellent lets all pile into cars and have three hours for lunch at a delightful restaurant!
ReplyDeleteI'm late, but I'm glad you went with the purple dress, I think it is so flattering on you!!
ReplyDeletexox