This world is full of colorful people

Ahh, co-workers. You gotta love 'em. I happen to have a few personal favorites here in the office. Let me share. However, I will not mention anything about my superiors, because, if you read www.dooce.com, you'll see that it can actually result in job loss, which wouldn't be all bad, I suppose, but who am I kidding, I need this job and want to eventually leave on my own accord. Also, I am definitely not going to be using actual first names, even though I will not be stating anything negative or derogotory about my co-workers, because although they may be quirky, I enjoy them.

First, let's start with Liz (short for Elizabeth, short for Elizabethan, because she likes RenaissanceFaires) and yesterday she came in, back from a long weekend at the Faire (not Fair, mind you) with a loud, jingly, gypsy-like anklet and hair still up in braids. Hair (very thick, long hair) that, after much subtle hinting from me - actually, it was pretty blatant - she refused to cut into layers, because it would prevent her from putting it up in said braids. After sighing and choosing to "give up the fight", I had to remind myself that there are many things in this world that are more sad than someone refusing to style their hair in a more flattering way. For example: overgrown eyebrows. . . . mis-matched foundation . . . . and, of course, high-water pants - none of which has she fallen victim to.

Another thing that sets Liz apart are her frequent outbursts of frustration. She basically says what the rest of us think. Only, there is a reason we don't say it out loud all the time! Even though I like Liz, I'm allowed to be honest. I think anyone would agree that if one is on the phone and one's co-worker is in the background making comments such as "STU-pid MOR-on" and "Are you FREAKIN kidding me?", it doesn't present, say, a professional image, of one's company. But, even though it may not be proper etiquette . . . I understand. Because when you work for a fast-growing company that has many clients - wait, I take that back - When you work anywhere you're bound to become frustrated with the way someone else does or doesn't do their job. Am I right?

Next, we have M (which isn't short for anything; I just don't feel creative enough to think of a fake name). She has to be my favorite, though. She is always happy and purposely makes ditzy comments that make some people laugh and others roll their eyes. I say purposely, because I can see the look in her eyes when she does it and she knows exactly what she's doing. She also tries extra hard to be nice to managers, etc, and is constantly popping in their offices to say hi or sending them friendly IMs. But no one feels threatened by this, because she is just genuinely that friendly. She's not trying to accomplish anything by being that nice - it's just who she is. She calls us all names like "You little skunk" and "darlin" and she compliments people all the time. The other day she exclaimed, with much joy in her voice,

"Oh my gosh, I just love my job. Don't you love your job, Laura?"

Me: "I don't know if I'd go straight to love".

M: "But you really really like it, right?"

Me: "Sure, I like it. I'm just not used to sitting in one place for 8 hours."

M: "Oh, well I love it!"

And, she does. Do you wanna know how I know? Because she decorates her space. If you decorate your space, usually that means that you're pretty content in your space. My space is not decorated. I have 4 pictures (only one framed) that lean against my computer, two deflated balloons from my birthday last month, and contact solution for when my eyes dry out from staring at my screen all day long. M has a calendar, pictures, multi-colored sticky notes, some little crocheted thing her niece made her, and tons of "supplies" in her drawers, such as 4 different kinds of gum, lotions, snacks, mints, candy, and it's all in organized little cubbies. It's really quite nice, because she likes to share.

M also asks me random questions, like,
"Laura, would you ever wear hiking boots with a long skirt?"

Me: "Maybe if I was alone in the mountains and I knew no one would see me."

M: "Shoot."

This, everyone, is just some of the randomness and "flava" my co-workers bring to my otherwise boring work week. Like I said before, you gotta love 'em.