so you say it's your . . . .

Ahhhh - having a birthday at the office. 

Don’t mind saying that I’m a BIG fan of the monthly birthday (and anniversary) celebration. It makes work so much less awkward. People know what to expect and there aren’t surprises or anyone feeling like someone was treated more special than others. Keep it simple and nice (no drama) - not too extravagant, and easy to get back to business.

There was a time when people went a little over the top. (No, really - there was a feather boa involved at one point! Shudder!)

At one company, we always went out to eat for lunch. The supervisor bought the birthday guy/girl’s lunch while everyone else went dutch. That was charming until the one person who intentionally ordered a TON of food (so much so that everyone noticed). Uncool. Also, with everyone in attendance, the lunches could take forever (depending on the restaurant choice and the service level at that restaurant). OR - the birthday was on a difficult day to go out for lunch (who does that on a regular basis anymore??). We also did silly things, like make buttons for either the birthday person to wear - or for EVERYONE else to wear in “honor” of the birthday person. There could be photocopied signs posted in lobbies and elevators - wherever the most prominent and embarrassing place to advertise - a birthday announcement could be found there.

At another organization, every birthday was celebrated with either a cake, cupcakes, brownies, cookies, chips and salsa, ice cream sandwiches or a popcorn tasting. Everyone needed to have cute plates, utensils, and overall decor. The entire department would gather and sing (yep) while the lucky birthday girl/guy would be the center of attention (which is really awful if you’re not a big ham at heart). While it was a nice gesture, it was really not very practical as the department grew. 

The simple approach is more comfortable (I hope!) for everyone. On the monthly food day, people bring in whatever they want/can bring. There are donuts and bagels and all kinds of breakfast items (even fresh fruit!); then for lunch, the department generally has pizza. When the usual gathering occurs over cake - it’s for at least a couple of people (especially when you factor in company anniversaries).

How do you feel about work birthday celebrations?

um, no thanks.

Big trend in beauty is the color purple. So - yesterday I tried the lilac nails. 

They didn’t make it to this morning’s shower, much less a day at the office.

thanks for the guilt trip

Dear 3rd grade teacher - 

Uncool. I understand that you need to fill your day with fun activities to help pass the very long school year with my child, but WHY do you need to drag me into it? 

The last I checked, Mother’s Day is this SUNDAY (on the WEEKEND) - not Friday at 2pm in the school cafeteria. The fact that you’ve had my child working on a poem for the past three weeks (and he is all ready to read aloud to me in front of his class) - just really upsets me. I can’t be there. I’ve explained to him that I can’t wait to see him when I get home from work and that I love him very much. BTW, I also gave him a pass on the “please dress in your Sunday best” - since he really won’t be having tea with me. Hope that’s okay.

Tonight we’re going to ride bikes together. And I’ll look forward to my Mother’s Day (the REAL one) on Sunday.

every little bit

I recycle. Extra paper comes from lots of places: 

• extra meeting handouts
• office junk mail
• cleaning out old files
• old research materials, survey results, project collateral

It all adds up and can make for very overstuffed file drawers and a desk piled high with stacks of papers. 

Just clean out and do it the green way. My method is pretty darn old school - I keep the same brown paper Target bag & when it starts to get full - I take it to the recycle bin. 

No biggie and not hard to do. 

making up for lost time

The unexpected meeting that comes out of nowhere! It seriously wasn’t on my calendar, but it happened - an unscheduled, very important (two hour!) meeting smack in the middle of an already very full day. 

Had to attend. Had to participate - so while I took other work to look at while trying hard to remain fully engaged in the important meeting, the meeting totally won. It’s impossible for me not to pay attention to items for which I’m responsible.

The meeting aftermath? Work through lunch, work fast, do the best job possible with the time I have and stay focused (and away from email!).

Did it work? We’ll know tomorrow. Been there, done that? How did you handle it?

make it yours

I want art in my office that makes me smile. I like bright, old pieces that I can find in any antique store. I like finding them and then trying to determine the story behind them (like the picture from Paris).

I also like cross-stitched pieces. Many people thought they might have been made by me. I do not have a crafty talent bone in my body - but I just LOVE the coziness that a nice, bright, fabric piece brings into the environment. 

In a different office (with a different company), I had one big print. It was silly - and it reminded me of The GoGo’s “Vacation” video. That print brought the importance of why I work into my office (which I needed in that particular gig).

But in my now office (with the antique personal treasures - including little pieces of china that hold office essentials), I feel comfortable, safe and inspired to create. It’s an office that many 80-year-olds would feel completely at home  resting in. 

That part kinda of makes me giggle.

touch of nature

I've always been fascinated by the little something extra that people add to their daily wardrobe. I am a big fan of a certain accessory - the wooden bead. On various vacations, I've found a few pieces that I really enjoy adding to some of my standard outfits which make them feel a little more exotic (at least to me).

Wooden jewelry adds a little spice and looks good with so many colors and styles. I love it with black!  Courtney (the mom on the new Bravo TV series "9 by Design") reminded me of this. She wears a wooden bracelet (along with several string bracelets and a big man's watch). 

I've literally stopped people in airports to compliment their pieces of interesting jewelry and really question where they had gotten them. It's a great way to meet interesting people.

I enjoy adding a single piece of interest to a very typical working outfit. One long strand of little wooden beads to a simple white shirt - SO COOL, stylish, yet so humble. It's a great idea for this coming week.