Zzzzinggggggg!

I'm having one of those days.

Not a bad day...more of an A.D.D. day.

I can't focus on any one thing.

I've started like 5 different projects...and have stopped shortly after starting them and found myself staring.

Not at anything in particular...just staring.

I have little wind up toys on my desk that I've been playing with.

The little green guy dances, there is Pokey - he doesn't wind up...he just kind of sits there, the mouse does flips, the scorpion just walks and wags his little stinger, Gumby - he just sits there too, a little red race car in the back there that is very zippy, the little blue crab is fun...he walks sideways and really fast, and then there is Godzilla who shoots sparks out of his mouth.

This thing is very addictive if need something to keep your hands busy...

It's called a Tangle.

If you are one of those people that like to click pens or bend paper clips into little piece of art...this is a must!!! I'm buying one for everyone on my Christmas list!

Some doodle samples - it's what I do when I'm talking on the phone. (garbanzo salad on the right)

Hmmmm...I think I need to change my calendar!

This is a picture of part of my office.

Got my Hillary Nutcracker, pics of the family, a little jade plant that was just 3 inches high when I bought it. I'm so proud of it!

Here's a picture of the Gummi Tape Worm I bought at the Mutter Museum!

The reactions to this have been mixed as you well would imagine!

I thought it was funny...and it was the last one! I bet kids just love 'em!

As you can tell I am very easily amused, I don't take myself very seriously and I don't have clients in my office...ever!!!

Although most librarians would probably like my collection of "stuff".

Ohhhh...will you look at that?!? Almost time to go home!

G'night all!

Office Space

I have a small office that I use when I come to Philly to work.

The majority of the time, I can sit and do my thing with very little interruptions. The Sales Admin team sits in the cubicles across from me and occasionally they will come in and ask questions or chit chat. We have an unspoken politeness with each other...they will "knock" on my door before they come in and I in turn will "knock" on the side of the cubicle before talking to them. If for some reason they have a question and they see I am on the phone, they will turn around and wait to hear if I am off the phone to come back.

They respect my space...I respect theirs. We didn't have to tell each other the unspoken rules of the office...it's just a matter of being courteous.

Not everyone plays by the same rules though.

There is always that one person within every office that lurks, or lingers or interrupts at the most inopportune times. That guy/gal who does not understand boundaries or office etiquette.

"Dick" is our office etiquette idiot.

Ordinarily I like "Dick". He's an OK guy. Friendly and personable...his customers LOVE him as do his co-workers. He's funny and a charmer, but he has no concept of office boundaries.

He is in a different department, but since our two departments are extremely customer oriented our worlds often collide.

"Dick" sits on the cubicles that are on the opposite side of the sales admin team. He actually sits right outside of my boss' office and when he has a question...it's normally more convenient for him to go over and ask her!

My boss is out of the office for the next few days and when she is gone, I'm kind of the next in line.

Since I was out of the office on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I had a lot to catch up on.

I was reading an e-mail from a client...trying to understand their dilemma...eyes focused on my computer screen when all of a sudden...I feel a presence.

Like someone is watching me.

I look up from my screen and there is "Dick" standing in my doorway.

I have NO idea how long he was standing there...I was a bit too wrapped up in what I was doing.

Smiling at him I say: "Hi Dick...can I help you with something?"

"Uh...yeah...Hi...sorry to bother you, but XYZ customer is on the phone and they are having problems with blah, blah, blah..."

Sometimes "Dick" talks so fast you don't always understand him and he kind of mumbles his words a bit...so I had to ask him to repeat himself.

He does and then adds: "Do you know XYZ customer?"

"Yes...I know them very well - but I am not familiar with that particular issue. I can look into it for you and get back to you in a bit. I am just a bit busy playing catch up since I was out of the office a few days."

"Uh...well...I have them on the phone."

"Oooookaaaaay...can you please take their number and see if you can call them back later?"

"Oh! Oh yeah...good idea...I'll do that!"

Mentally rolling my eyes I looked at him and said: "I promise I will definitely check it out soon though."

He said OK and then...just stood there.

In my doorway.

Staring at me.

While the customer is on the phone...waiting.

"Dick? - is there something else you need help with?"

"Uh...no...that's good...I'll tell the customer that I spoke to you and we'll call them back later."

"Excellent!" I exclaim! I wanted to throw him a cookie and pat his head and say "Good boy!" too, but I didn't think that was appropriate.

Later...at lunch time....I had my laptop pushed off to the side and a big salad in front of me and I'm busy munchin' away...reading over some notes when Dick comes running into my office.

" 'scuse me Shazza? I have this customer on the phone who needs blah, blah, blah.....oh....are you at lunch?"

Hmmmmmmmmmm....gosh...I wonder whatever gave him that idea? Could it have been the big plate of food sitting in front of me that gave that away?

Unfortunately, I don't always hide my expressions well and he must have caught the "You are interrupting my feeding time" look in my eyes and he became very apologetic.

"I'm so sorry...it's not really important...I can catch you later after you are done with your salad...sorry...but this customer just wanted..."

He saw the look again.

"Oh...OK...I'll get the information down and send it to you in an e-mail!"

"That sounds like a great idea "Dick"!", I reply with a mouthful of salad. "Thank you!"

:::sigh:::

Either I scare the hell out of him or he just doesn't get it - I'm not sure.

There was one incident I had with him were we nearly ran into each other going down the hallway and we started to do that little dance of "wait...I'll move over here...no...ok...you're there...so I'll move back on this side...wait...stop...just stand still...ok...go to the left...I'll go to the right...no...you're other left!" I finally grasped him by the shoulders and "moved" him to the opposite side of me. We laughed at the awkwardness of it all and moved along.

Poor guy - I am not sure if he has the same problem with other people in the office, but he and I seemed to be doomed to continue this odd and strange relationship.

Office conversations

There is a gentleman in my department that I often have very interesting conversations with.

I will call him JB.

JB is young - 32, he's very intelligent, a loner, fairly conservative, history buff; a ferocious reader - I think he averages 5 - 7 books a week depending on what he is reading. He does not read fiction though...aside from the classics or what he considers "great literature".

When I first met JB, I thought he was in his early 40's. He looks older than he appears. JB dresses in a suit and tie almost every day except in the dead heat of the summer time. Then he will just wear a dress shirt and tie and fore go the jacket.

On Fridays - casual day, I've seen him dress in khakis and a nice polo shirt.

He doesn't own any blue jeans.

JB lives with his Mom. His father passed away when he was very young. He has a relatively happy existence I think with his Mom, his dog Snoopy an aging spaniel/lab mix and his books. I know he is a Free Mason and he wears his ring very proudly. He occasionally goes to church and knows more about religions...many different kinds of religions than anyone I've ever actually known.

I didn't think JB and I would get along very well when I first started working here; he seemed too rigid...too conservative...Mr. Republican, but we've co-existed very nicely in our working relationship and he's actually found a certain place in my heart.

I worry about him...he seems lonely. He has some health issues that are progressive...some of these issues may be brought on by himself...JB is filled with anxieties and fear. You can see that just from looking at him. I have no doubt there are many demons in that mans mind that he is trying to control.

Actually - when you look at him as a whole - he would fit the perfect profile for a serial killer or a disgruntled employee who one day just SNAPS and comes into work with a semi-automatic weapon and takes out as many people as he can before taking his own life.

He's invisible in a way. No one pays attention to him...so no one really sees him.

JB is extremely uncomfortable in social situations - he could possibly have Aspergers Syndrome...but I think his social anxiety has more to do with his upbringing than any physical or neurological impairment. The stories he tells about his father: strong and dominant alpha Italian man with perhaps some ties to local Philadelphia "families" that would make a great episode of the Sopranos!

There is a picture of his Mom and Dad on JB's cubicle wall. Taken perhaps late 60's early 70's. It's in front of a bar that they had in their house. Dad has one arm around Mom...the other hand holds a cigarette. He looks young, brave, cocky...confident. Mom looks stylish, she's smiling, but she's more reserved.

I wonder about that picture sometimes.

Hidden stories.

JB is actually a very approachable guy. He likes to talk. He likes to talk about himself a lot. Trying to get recognized perhaps? But you can ask him about anything, ANYTHING and he will talk about it. Sometimes I agree with him, sometimes I don't and I tell him so. He appreciates that.

We've learned to have a bit of banter back and forth. He joked about the Hilary Clinton Nut Cracker I have in my office - but then will discuss her possibilities and what she is up against in a very non-judgemental way.

He has a very satirical sense of humor and I like that. Sometimes he takes himself a bit too seriously, but all in all...he's an OK guy.

Every morning JB gets his cup of coffee and then stops by my office to say "Good Morning". We exchange the usual pleasantries: Hi JB...how are you today? Fine...how are you? Good thanks...OK...have a great day!"...that sort of thing. Once in a while we drift off to a topic that just pops up.

Today he mentioned that his ol' dog Snoopy has to go in for an operation. Snoopy is 12. He loves that dog. It is companion. I think he thrives on the unconditional love this animal gives him.

JB is worried about Snoopy- scared. Hopeful that everything will go OK. JB told me that he and his Mom gave ol' Snoop a bath over the weekend. Snoopy didn't like that and he's been snubbing them since.

I laughed..."dogs are smart" I commented, "They know when something is going on."

JB agreed...he thinks Snoopy is a very smart dog. (most dog owners think that way)

I asked JB if he thought dogs have a soul.

He reflected a bit and finally answered: "I think all living creatures have a spark of the divine in them."

"I like that answer JB". I said.

We somehow got into a semi-religious conversation and he went on to tell me about various saints and apostles. Something about Thomas Aquinas being a jerk...Paul was a misogynist...Adam and Eve was just a story...some of it I know...most of I didn't. He fills me in on the spots when I ask him, but he's always very "matter of fact" about it.

We debated whether he thought Jesus was a liberal or not. I told him about the bumper stickers I've seen on cars. He said if you apply him in today's times he would have been thought of more liberal than conservative, but those terms did not apply when he was alive, so you can't really view him in that light.

OK...fair enough! :) (Did I mention he's a stickler for minute detail?)

"Jesus had a bit of a temper though", he commented, "He went a little crazy in the market!"

Sometimes JB truly shocks me!

Throws me a curve ball that I don't expect.

I always think of JB being a very conservative Christian and I have a horrible prejudice against what I consider "conservative christians". Bad experiences with ex in-laws and just from shit I read in the news has formed my opinions and I know it's wrong, but they make my skin crawl.

Anyway - JB is not a conservative Christian. He's just a Christian. He has his faith, he believes in it and believes in the underlying theme of Christianity - but he's a "modern man" and he understands how politics and times have played their part in shaping todays "organized religions". His one comment to me today was: "I don't think Jesus would approve of the Pope that is for sure."

I agree.

We talked more about dogs and souls and if dogs go to heaven...and what is heaven really? He prefers the Buddist's view of the afterlife that you find your new parents and you are re-born into a different life, but he finds faults in that too. "No matter really...we'll all find out when we die I guess."

JB has a curiousness to him that feeds his need to fill his mind with so much information. He's my walking "wikipedia".

He also has a gentleness about him that is quite endearing at times. He know's I am gay and his reaction was "Oh...OK. Well, that doesn't bother me at all. People are people...and you are a nice person."

That was one of the nicest things I've heard in a long time.

JB is a nice person too. He has his oddities, but don't we all?

We sometimes pick on him in the office because he can be so stiff and reserved, but I like JB. I like talking to JB - one on one. He has some very interesting things to say. I like to listen...sometimes.

He thanked me for our chat today. He really doesn't get to do that too often with his co-workers.

I told him, "The pleasure was all mine JB! Have a great day!".

He smiled and walked away.