Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Office politics

A couple of months after I started working at the university, a memo came out stating that we were going to dress up like Jesuits for Halloween (Jesuits had a better sense of humor twenty years ago). Collars would be provided; we simply were to wear all black attire.

The day came, we were issued our collars, and walked over to the racquetball court to have a group picture taken.

For the several years after that, we were encouraged to wear costumes on Halloween, provided we didn't have meetings, or it wasn't too extreme. The practice fell away, however, and in recent years, getting anyone to do anything extra in our office has been difficult.

Simply put, morale sucks.

This is in part due to a whole host of announced changes, shifts in personnel and university structure that will unfold over the next year. The stress level around here, usually at a six on a ten point scale, ratcheted up over eight, where it will stay until the dust settles.

One young colleague appears to have taken upon herself the unofficial mantle of "morale officer". She brought in a random treat last week (bagels), and now has sent out an email saying our boss has agreed to let us wear costumes next Monday, meetings permitting.

This leaves me in a quandary.

On the one hand, get off my lawn. I don't "celebrate" Halloween.

On the other, she is trying to make things happier around here.

So, were I inclined to dress up, what is both simple and easy to get rid of if it makes me crazy?

- tape 1040s all over me and go as the Tax (wo)Man?
- find the light up reindeer antlers, add a light up red nose and go as Rudolph?
- pin on a piece of batting covered with pieces of fabric, to be a quilt in progress?
- keep my office door mostly shut all day, and be the grumpy old lady?

Decisions, decisions.

2 comments:

melissa said...

You actually dressed up as Jesuits? Made me laugh. You could never pull that off now. You'd be accused of insulting the Pope. How times have changed.

Diane said...

I never thought of that. Our former president had a great sense of humor - in fact, I think we sent him a copy of the photo.