So…currently in my life I am doing something that I have
never done before. I am working in a real office. Now, I know what you are
saying to yourself, “But Self, didn’t Jess work in the Young Life office?” Why,
yes I did. But the Young Life office has an entire section devoted to mullet wigs
and platform shoes…doesn’t count as an Office-Office.
Aside: saying a word twice (as every teenage girl knows) makes the word
mean something completely different. Example: “Do you like him? Or do you like-
like him.” You get where I am going here.
So, I work in an Office-Office. Let me paint you a picture…cubicles
as far as the eye can see, headsets like Janet (Ms. Jackson if your nasty)
would wear atop every head, and coffee so bad it could be classified as a
chemical weapon (Starbucks via is keeping me alive). However, in spite of the
very “corporate” feel of my surroundings, the environment of the office is
relatively…hmmmm…how should I say this? Festive…yep, these people love to party…and
to decorate for parties/seasons. Literally every week since I have been working
in this foreign environment, there has been some sort of party/extravaganza.
Examples:
o
Cardinals Tailgate Party
o
Gift Basket Raffle Party
o
Charitable Giving Kick-Off Party
o
Rams Tailgate Party
o
Halloween Party (complete with costumes)
There is only one thing that this Office-Office loves more
than pizza, nachos, and a large cake from Sam’s, and that’s an excuse to wear
blue jeans. I have never had a job where a nice pair of jeans was not work
appropriate, but the official dress code in the Office-Office is “business
casual”. So, I made sure that I stocked up on “non-jeans” (a.k.a. slacks) for
my new corporate life. However, in the 5 weeks I have been “officing”, I have
had the opportunity to wear jeans all but 5 days. I start thinking to myself…”I
wonder if I will need to pull out the fancy slacks for work tomorrow?” Then an
email lands itself in my inbox stating things like, “you can wear blue jeans on
Cardinals game days and the day after a Cardinals win; Our giving campaign has
started. Feel free to wear jeans; or, Good job on the giving campaign…jeans all
week!” What am I going to do with all these slacks? (insert witty pun about “slacking”).
In all seriousness, I am enjoying my job much more than I
had anticipated. The people I work with are kind, encouraging, and hilariously
mid-western (Examples: loving pro-sports, bowling leagues, and hard boiled eggs
for breakfast). They think I am ridiculously Southern, and always ask me to
repeat the phrases that I say. Who knew the phrase “fixin’ to” could be so
amusing? The work itself is challenging and strangely relational. I think the
Lord knew what he was doing placing me in a job that would both provide me a
way to support Peter and I, so he could focus on school, and allow me to use
the relational gifts He has given me…entering into a person’s tough situation
and giving them the tools to recover…maybe this job isn’t so different after
all.
Next week I am going on my first business trip that doesn’t
involve a camp…details to follow.
Sper…out.
