Ok, there is just something about the 80s that is deeply defining.
Oh, who am I kidding? Basically it's just that you can take the girl out of the 80s but you can't take the 80s out of the girl.
In my quest to recreate my youth, I bought tickets to see Foreigner in concert in November. Having this new casino with their cheesy aged bands performing just 15 minutes away from my house is a great novelty.
We're also seeing Loverboy in October.
A funny thing happened today. One of the long standing battles at my new job is the lack of teamwork and lack of understanding what everyone does. I never fully appreciated how important a good team was until I found out how difficult it is when you don't have it.
My previous job had what we called 'Company Days'. I think a couple of my former coworkers read this so they are likely smiling with the wry knowledge of how painful these days can be in terms of keeping everyone happy. One year we had a photo scavenger hunt, another time was cleaning up a public area and another time was a team building event involving little problem-solving games. We always grumbled and complained, although generally it was usually a positive experience. As our company grew, we often didn't interact with other departments and these times gave us an insight into what everyone else did.
My new job? That doesn't happen at all. I was looked at like an alien when I suggested some sort of bonding event. Not even anything crazy, but just something to get everyone talking. Considering two people must be separated by a forest of potted plants so they don't catch each other's eye, it is sorely lacking.
Today a few of my coworkers decided to take me out for lunch. I was touched by the offer, but insisted we invite the entire group and not just a select few.
The initial response? 'Oh, we can't talk to them.' So I did. I invited them and said it would be an honour if they joined us. Surprise when the response was overwhelmingly positive. So we all went to a local restaurant and apparently it was the biggest gathering of people (maybe 10 of us) they'd ever done.
We sat over lunch and laughed, talked and joked with each other. Seemingly and deceptively simple but considering the strong sense of division in the group, not inconsiderable.
Turns out another girl has the same 80s problem I do. She mentioned the concert but how she had no friends who wished to indulge. So I said I would. I bought the tickets as soon as I returned back to the office. We had never said more than hello to each other before today.
The whole afternoon, there was a marked change. The office was buzzing with conversation, instead of the deafening silence that usually permeates the air.
Hopefully, it lasts. I am now beginning to realize how important it was for my ex-company to foster the relationships it did. There were, of course, still politics and undercurrents as with any place but there at least was an attempt to keep us all informed and on the same page.
The best part, though, is that I found out this week that we are entitled to our birthday off as a statutory holiday. So tomorrow, I will be having a leisurely day running around visiting old friends and shopping. Gotta do the shopping!
