Celebrating Cinco de Mayo at Work

One of my coworkers in London asked me this question in a random conversation

CW:: in a British accent:: You celebrate Cinco de Mayo?
Me: Yea...
CW: I thought you Americans hated the Mexicans.
Me: .. uhm...

It's funny how the outside world perceives Americans, probably attaining an idea from some news article read or MTV story seen, and then generalizing that that is how every American is and thinks. I had the exact same person who asked me if Americans hated Mexicans, if American colleges are like what it is in the movie "American Pie".

 You can't really blame them, though, especially if our cultures are separated by bodies of water that make it hard to be in constant association with each other. We all generalize. Even I do it.

You don't like tea? not even with those British shortbread cookies that come in a tin? What?!? You don't even like those? I thought all British people drank tea and ate shortbread cookies. 

With the Mexican question, I tried to give as honest of an opinion as I could.

Me: ... well, not all Americans hate Mexicans. There are just some sensitive issues that America has to deal with and resolve like.. illegal immigration that causes some Americans to hold a hesitancy towards  the Mexican people, but no... we don't all hate Mexicans. 

Even for those Americans who hold grudges toward Mexicans, there sure is a lot of celebration of the Mexican culture. Ergo - Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Taco trucks all around the city, Taco Bell.....

Okay - not Taco Bell. I have probably offended someone out there - Mexican or not -  by claiming 'Taco Bell' as Mexican but a. it was a joke and  b. while being an American food chain - it is inspired by Mexican food.. so.. whatever

But back to celebrating Mexican culture, why wouldn't we? Sure, many of us - including myself - don't really know the details of why Cinco de Mayo is significant, but as Americans - do we really need to know all the details? Some of can barely keep track of the details of our own American History (even though we should). All we really need to know is that it's a big holiday for a culture and people that has, throughout the years, melded it's way into the American melting pot. And if a segment of the American melting is celebrating something that is significant to them....why not everybody celebrate? Shoot, I want a margarita too! I love Margaritas, even if it's not Cinco de Mayo!

drinking a margarita at work. it's my drinking face

and some coronas...

The Starbucks.. right across the street

Last week Monday, they converted the Seattle's Best that was on 2nd and Cherry, into a Starbucks.

Praise the Lord.

Now, I don't have to walk 2 blocks south towards Pioneer Square with homeless people roaming the street, or 1 block up a steep hill in the Columbia tower where there are 2 Starbucks (I know, right ? TWO!!) - one on the bottom floor, and the other on the 43rd floor. Nor will I have to walk 2 blocks North to the Wells Fargo Building, where there's a Starbucks on the main lobby. There's another 1.5 blocks away on 1st. Nope, all i have to do is walk out of the building and cross the street, and there it is!

 I've been to a few places (like Kansas) where Starbucks is far and between. Like, you literally have to drive miles upon milesto get to one, but when you do find one - it's like being saved from a deserted island. There is is!!  you yell as you point to Starbucks that now seemingly has a halo illuminating from it. You hit your breaks to slow down so you can find that entrance, park your car so get into that Starbucks, wait in that long ass line (because it's the only Starbucks for miles) and get that coffee. And with that first sip, you can almost hear angels... singing.

I know what it means to be in want of a Starbucks, so no - I'm not complaining.

I'm a happy camper:

All this talk about : The Boston Marathon Explosion

I'd like to think that mankind, as a whole, is intrinsically good. While people may have differences in opinions and live different lifestyles, we generally live in the same standard of moral goodness where stuff like killing, cheating, stealing, and punching people in the face, is bad.

And so - when incidences like the Boston Marathon Explosion occur, I can not help but feel all out of sorts and think what the fuck is wrong with people? Somewhere out there, someone is enjoying the fact this happened, the fact that around 150 people were injured, the fact that people lost limbs, that a few people died, including an 8 year old, and that it will be probable that a few more people will die because of this. Fucking sick, sick bastard.

This kind of hit home a bit. I mean, even though I wasn't in Boston, a bunch of friends and I went over to Whidbey Island to watch our friends finish their marathons. It was a good time and I never thought for one second during that trip, that something like an explosion would occur. It didn't, thank goodness, but the explosions in Boston made me realize that this could happen anywhere. I mean, what difference did it make that I was at a Whidbey Island marathon, and the explosions were in Boston? It could have happened where I was.

I'm sure people across the country have felt the same shaken feeling that I've been feeling since hearing the news.  And after all the crap that went out with shootings in Aurora and Sandy Hook last year, all the other crazy stuff you hear in the news, and now this. I mean, the world has always been filled with crazy fucks who do crazy shit, but more and more with everything going on,  I can't help be but feel unsettled, like I'm at the edge of my seat unable to have a moment of peace while I think what next? Seriously.... what next ? 

Annoyances: People who Hover

It's Wednesday, and I'm annoyed at work. How quickly the mood of a relaxing weekend can change with somehing such as

Hovering

As I type the word and hear it being said in my head, a few faces come to mind of people who hover and watch over my shoulder while I work. It happens when coworkers bring an issue (along with a stack papers for backup to show me  - as if I really look at them) that they can't seem to resolve. 9 times out of 10, these are issues or questions that I am able to resolve in seconds, which is probably why they come to me with questions to begin with, but I still feel like if they put in a little more effort into looking over the issue, they might be able to solve themselves, thus saving me a few seconds and avoiding to thwart my concentration over my current task.

Winter, can you tell me why I can't telephone cord is twisted. can you? 

Okay, I've never really gotten that question, but I feel the questions that are asked are kind of on the same level. After the question is asked, they linger...hover.. watch over my shoulder, until I help to resolve their issue.

The thing is, I always stop what I'm doing to to do this, even if I'm doing another work task, I stop.What especially annoys me is when I'm eating and they state the obvious like oh, your eating? ....(yea...) Oh- well, can you take a look at this? I then stop mid-bite in order to help.   But I think that that in itself is part of the problem, I never no, I'm busy or I'm eating, thus enabling people to think they can come over and have me - right then and there - help solve their work problem.

That isn't to say that I don't like to help, I am always willing to help. Helping people is part of my nature. Having the patience for hoverers? not really part of my nature. I think when people hover, to me, it sends out this - I want you to do this right now - energy that makes me feel like I'm being forced to do something, as opposed to doing something in goodwill. Also - especially with those people who don't practice good hygiene - my air gets polluted with the bad hygiened people hover and I can't think right.

Speaking of bad hygiene - I took this respect in the workplace class - I learned that there have been cases of people being reported for having bad hygiene, because bad hygiene is disrespectful to others in the workplace. Which - now that they built a shower in our building, there is no excuse for smelling bad.

But I digress.

If I had it my way, I wouldn't want to talk to people. If they needed help, they would write down their issue, and put their request in my inbox which I would check when I felt like it. I know, seems a bit antisocial, but I feel like it would make everything more efficient.. and then maybe, just maybe...  I wouldn't be so annoyed.

It's goal setting time.. I'm so [not] excited.

During last year's goal setting, my boss tried to get me to add more goals to my yearly goal making.

Me: But I only need x amount of goals?
B: Yes....
Me: Then... why would I give myself more work by adding a goal? 

Just kidding, I didn't really say that last part, but I was thinking that in my head and I probably gave her a  look that said I don't really like this idea. I tend to give that look a lot, especially when stupid ideas are being thrown around.  Granted, she was a new boss at the time and had just started a few weeks prior and I gave her a pass for that, but I had the following logic:

a. I don't get paid enough to overachieve
b. I don't like my job well enough to overachieve
c. I don't think the incentives (the raise and the bonus) to create more goals and achieve them with flying colors are that great.

Don't get it twisted, I'm not lazy, I know why goals are created. As one big wig of my company said: Without goals, there would be no direction, which I totally agree with, but when the incentive to overachieve is poor or non-existent, it's like ... why? Ultimately, I am glad I didn't create too many goals for myself because last year was c-rrazy. I actually had 4 goals, but even those goals were not easy-breezy tasks to achieve during the year as so many things happened last year.

It's probably the thing that they forget when they suggest you add more than the minimum goals needed:  every year, something comes up (i.e. layoffs, a change in business strategy, acquisition of another company) that ends up creating more work to the lowly worker, like myself, and makes achieving the minimum 3 goals thought of at the beginning of the year, to be a little more of a challenge to achieve.

I know better to assume that nothing will come up, as every year since I've been working at the company, something has come up. So I feel like I need to take that into consideration when creating my goals.

One thing that I would like to achieve, and that I wish they would just let me put it as my company goals.

clean my desk of all that dang paper. 

I swear, my desk hasn't been organized since 2009 when my job wasn't so crazy. I hate having a desk that's in disarray, but I doubt they will let me list that as a goal.

Anyway, the deadline for goals was extended. Thank Goodness. Gave me extra time to procrastinate... but now that that extended deadline is nearing, it's really time for me to procrastinate. Like.. starting now.

Wish me luck.

Distractions: The Tiffany.com website

I was doing so well this morning, answering my emails and being productive until... I remembered I have a pending trip to California coming soon.

My brain automatically did a sort of word / idea association thing:

California = visiting my neice and my brother ....who works at Tiffanys! ... which means... I could maybe buy something on discount!!!???!!

I cannot begin to tell you about how many happy endorphins began releasing in my brain. My toes started to wiggle and I couldn't keep still as I immediately opened a new window on my computer and went onto the website to peruse. (Luckily, I have two computer screens so I can keep the site on one screen and have my work excel spreadsheet in the other) There are only a handful of things that get this sort of reaction from me, including really good dessert, Harry Potterland at Disneyworld, Burberry coats, and Tiffany's.

I don't think I am the only woman who feels the same emotions when thinking about the brand, this sense of giddiness when seeing the 'Tiffany blue' color, not just on the brand's jewelry boxes or bags, but on random items in everyday life, like a post - it note.

Side tangent - I really do have a "Tiffany Blue' color post-it pad at work that makes me really happy when seeing or writing on it.

What is it about this brand that causes such an effect that is more dramatic than Ben Bridge, or the Shank Company? I mean, all of these companies have been around for ages, although Tiffany's has been around since the early 1800's. But why does Tiffany's spark this reaction in me?

I think a lot of it has to do with their marketing and their sort of word of mouth advertising that occurs within women circles whenever jewelry is the topic of discussion. For generations, the name has established itself as being this high-end, classic and timeless product,  and has implanted this idea in the minds of many girls that this is what every girl wants. If your man gets you a Tiffany's anything...comb, pen, vase...  he did good. It doesn't mean that he doesn't love you if he doesn't get you one b/c it is highly overpriced and only something that rich people get because they can, but.. if he does... he did good. 

 I honestly would never consider buying a Tiffany's anything, even if it is Tiffany's;  It is way overpriced and is only something rich people get because they have nothing else better to get with their money, but buy Tiffany spoons for their children (which btw... those are like $150). However, the potentiality of a discount has brought in a whole other factor which has led me to my current distraction.

What to get, what to get?

I'm not thinking about getting sparkly jewerly or anything: I'm thinking about getting a bracelet, or a Tiffany blue clutch or bag. One that will spark a conversation like

Friend: Oh - I like your your bag. It's Tifanny Blue!
Me : It's because it's a Tiffany's bag.

or

Friend: Where's you get you're Tiffany Blue bag?
Me: Tiffany's.

And in my head, at the end of those conversations, I would be thinking Fuck Yea!  I wouldn't say it out loud, just thinking it.

fuck yea! 

Anyways, I don't know for sure if I'm getting anything. It would have to be for the right price, but for now.. I'll just peruse and see what's out there.

Annoyances: That guy who's is still living in the glory days of his college years

I'm nearing 30, and while I have heard of that some people do tend do go through a midlife crisis when nearing that age, I have no problem with getting older. I'm kind of sick of people thinking that I'm 18 and always getting carded at. Even in foreign countries where the drinking age is 18, I get carded.

Are you friggin' kidding me? I told the bartender on one of my trips to the UK. I'm in my 20s!!! The drinking age is 18!! Do I not even look 18?!?

And it's always me that gets carded, never my husband, never the person sitting next to me, or anyone else at the table that I'm sitting. It's always me. What's up with that?

I suppose it'll all work out when I'm 40 because I'll look amazingly more youthful than everyone else my age, but until then it's kind of annoying.

What's equally annoying are people who are 40, but who try to hang with kids half their age. They use lingo that they used when they were growing up, relating stories of hangovers, of past girlfriends and one night stands, of crazy nights out, all in an effort to sound relevant to the folk.

During one breakroom conversation where a coworker and I were talking about our weekend, a random coworker piped in on the conversation

CW: I remember one time in college back it Ellensburg, where we went out to the fields and all we did was tip cows and drink beer. It was awesome.

I'm over-exaggerating on what was said. What was actually said probably wasn't as stupid-sounding as I may have made it seem, but I feel like that was what my ears heard as I thought 2 things:

1. Who is this guy? I've never talked to you in my life...Are we supposed to be friends?
2. Did this happen in the 90's? because you obviously look like a dad.

I have found that ever since I left college and came into the working world, I have met more people than I thought I would meet - men in particular - who are stuck in the youthful days of their younger years, and who are constantly reminiscent of their past. You could be talking about something totally irrelevant like, how you're going to mow the lawn and they would be like

Yea, that totally reminds me of that one time in college ....

It's sad if one's high school and college years are perceived to be the peak of one's existence, but perhaps, for some, life now is not how it was envisioned while growing up. Or perhaps during those days, the future was never really envisioned at all. It's easy to be engrossed in the care-free lifestyle of youth and to think and believe that how life is when you're young, is how it will always be. Then, reality often does the unfortunate thing of hitting you in the face, and you're forced to grow up, get a job, pay your  bills, be responsible, and come to the realization that you no longer young and define what's cool.

Such is life and it's hard, I know. But I'm determined to not be stuck living in a past, or think that I've surpassed the peak of my life somehow, wishing that I could go back to live the life of my younger, more naive self.  I'm determined to look forward and believe that life is amazing now, and will get more so as I get older.