Wednesday, June 29, 2005
The truth about my team…
Sometimes being honest sucks. But being on a losing kickball team does too. Especially when you lose, not because the talent isn’t there, but because your team doesn’t want to play and forces themselves onto the field every week any way.
It was very apparent, when our team lost (0-14) last night that it was because of lack of initiative. They were so unenthusiastic about playing. At one point, one of the girls gave up and just sat the rest of the game out. The Ump made us play the required 4 innings and then called it game.
The next teams to play were missing players. They came over to our team asking if anyone would be willing to play with them. Freeman piped up and said he would love to. I didn’t really want to, but stayed to play anyway. They needed two more players to make a full team, a guy and a girl, so the two of us staying made the rest of their team.
They/we won! With only 8 players, barely enough to cover the field, we won the game. It was fun, it was amazing, and it was what kickball should be.
It made me think.
It made me wonder.
It made me realize more about my previous team of, well, losers. I started to think about how they played on the field and translating that into how they work. Some might think the comparison is harsh, what if a person has no talent? Like me? I have no talent when it comes to sports, but regardless of how well I play, I am out there every week trying my best. I attempt to stay out of the way of people who have the talent and cheer and support those who are doing well. That is the way I am at work. I show up every day and stay out of the way of people doing their jobs. I help where I can and do what I am good at.
Take the girl who gave up and sat out. I started thinking about what I know about her working career. The fact that she has been searching for a job for almost a year now. That she is generally unhappy with what she does. The fact that she is ready to give up and sit out. I thought to myself, I’m glad she didn’t make it into my work-group. I would hate to be saddled with her attitude.
I am supposed to play mini-golf with this group in a couple of weeks. They tell me that it is a much different game and I will have more fun with them. Honestly I am ready to just give up on them. This experience has not been what I was looking for. I will do mini-golf, because I said I would and that is the person I am. Plus, different people will be on that team, people who didn’t want to do kickball from the beginning.
After that, though, I think I will go back to belly dance full time and leave these people to their own devices.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
New Link!
I was searching for some history on the Ballard Locks and came across this website: The Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History. It’s so cool! (Please note I am a closet history lover) They have some really cool information on Ballard and I am learning about the creation of the Ballard Locks!
Monday, er, Tuesday…
L was up this weekend. She hadn’t been away from her children for awhile and wanted to go out. We went out! I hope she had fun, I know I did!
We saw the Rat City Roller Girls in their monthly Roller Derby bout. It was fun! And yes, I am talking about that kind of roller derby. Yes, like they had in the 70’s. Yep, the sport where they try to get past each other to score points. Yes, there is violence and yes they knock each other down. Yes, real roller derby. I’m not kidding you! F tried to take pictures but the women were skating too fast. It was a great time!
Afterwards we headed down to People’s Pub for some libations. Mmm…libations…
Other stuff…How many men does it take to fix a printer jam? Apparently, on my floor, it takes 5. 5 men standing around the printer, slowly taking it apart in an attempt to clear the jam. I saw them working on it but kept going as I had a meeting. 5 minutes later I happened to walk by again and they were still there. Eventually they fixed it. But it took 5 of them a really long time to figure it out.
The Boss Lady gave me this poem today:
Lizzie Lizard likes to sit
In the hot, hot sun.
Hurry, hurry, hurry up.
It is time to run!
It was included in her child’s poetry book from school. She said it made her think of me and she had to bring it in. It’s kind of cute, but I need crayons to color it. Maybe I’ll take it home…
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
How to excite my fellow workers…
It takes nothing more than an unplanned fire drill.
I was walking to my building from another building, minding my own business, thinking about the work I have to get done, when I passed one of my co-workers. He was very excited and waved his arms in the air when he saw me. Then he stopped to tell me all about the fire drill I was missing. A little strange, but sometimes this person is, so I went on my merry way.
I then passed the Boss Lady and Intern #1 on the street who also were very excited about the fire drill. Boss Lady wanted to know where I had been and to let me know, in detail, that a drill was taking place.
I walked around the corner to find everyone on my floor standing in the street, milling about. A couple of them latched onto me, and launched into, again, great detail about the fire drill.
Huh.
So, apparently we just need unexpected drills to shake these people up a bit. Otherwise they sometimes seem very, well, stale.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Ah, Monday…
Monday is the day I return from my fun life and enter back into the drudgery of work.
As I am currently avoiding my latest task (at least for 10 more minutes) I’m going to chat about my ultra fun fantastic weekend!
I love a Parade!
Especially when it is the Fremont Solstice Parade and I get to dance in it! It is exhausting. It is so much fun! It’s addicting. I already know I will be back for more next year. The pictures aren’t out yet, I’m hoping by mid-week to have a few to share. As I was in the parade, I didn’t get to see a lot of the other groups. I was told that my belly dance troupe was the largest group. I can only imagine as we had ~80 dancers plus drummers, banners and water bearers. The water bearers rock as they come by and spray you with water as you dance. It’s a wonderful thing to get a spray of water on your body as the sun is beating down on you.
Freeman and his brother were there and I ended up dancing right in front of them! It was so fun to have them hollering and cheering me on! My dancing is not something I am super confident about, but the parade feels so relaxed and exciting… I love it. Oh, did I mention that I love it?
I also passed a co-worker who obviously didn’t know I was going to be in the parade. He had a momentary look of shock on his face and then lifted his camera to get a shot. I laughed at him. Last year I was all over the web with the rest of my troupe. Besides, I wasn’t naked… 
That night (after a nap and some nourishment) Freeman and I headed to a 50th wedding anniversary. It was surprisingly fun. We danced a bit and drank a bit more. Somehow the wait staff knew our table was the drinking table (could it have been the 10 or so empty beer bottles on the table?) and we ended up drinking “the rest” of the champagne from the toast. Of course there were ~10 people at out table and several people would stop by to chat, so we really didn’t over do it too much.
Freeman and I headed over to my mom’s to spend the night. It was beautiful when we got there. Mom had the back porch all lit up and we cozied up in some chairs to chat about the day and the night. Mom’s place is so calm and relaxing; it adds a mutative quality to everything and was a perfect ending to an exciting day.
Yesterday I fell apart. My allergies got to me and I was super tired. I went home and slept. Then I got up, moved to a different place in the apartment and went back to sleep. I was able to do a couple of loads of laundry, but for the most part I just lay around. It was wonderful.
As you wake in the morning
What do you feel?
Does a rush of happiness
wash over you when,
Suddenly, you realize you are alive?
