Secretarial Days

I ran across a funny cartoon in my Facebook newsfeed today. It had to do with working in an office. One guy asks another how the office work is going and the other says, "In the words of Tony the tiger, it's grrrrrradually killing me".

While I know that much is said against offices, cubicle farms, places to go where your will to live dies, I have many fond memories of working in offices.

I've been general office help and receptionist in medical offices and receptionist and marketing secretary at a for-profit technical school.

What I miss is the camaraderie you can have with the women in the office. First, though you have to find out who has only one face. It never failed to amaze me that person A could speak to person B like a true friend, acting all concerned, then turn around to person C and give them an earful about how awful person B really was. Because I was always honest with everyone, I got to be person B a lot until I chose to be person D and only smiled and nodded when spoken to.

You would think that professional women could put aside those petty games for the betterment of all concerned. I mean, you would spend a large part of your life with these people, why not make it a pleasant place to work? And I say women because that was all I was privy to. I'm sure it occurs among men, too, but I didn't get to witness that.

It sounds like I only had bad times in offices but that isn't the truth. I enjoyed being the one that got things done so that others could do their job easily. I enjoyed the responsibility. I found most of my co-workers to be amiable. I loved getting accolades for duties well done.

And now I can't do any of it anymore. My memory is shot. My comprehension skills are nil. I think people are talking about me when they're not. Little things like that hurt your ability to perform daily office tasks.

When I get to miss it too much, I merely have to think of my good friend, M, who left the corporate world a few years ago to pursue his dream. He did his time in the cubicle farm. And he was able to leave it just as it was about to do him in. Now he has opened his brewery/restaurant and has not been happier whereas his previous life could have been the subject of the Dilbert comic strip.

Although I've not been able to work in years there are still days that I miss going to a workplace. Not a lot, but it happens and sends me into a funk. Recently I have had this blog to consider "my work" and it has proven to be fantastic for my mood. So thank you for the comments and the plus ones that you  have given me. Congratulations! You all are now my bosses!