The Office (party)

We had our staff holiday party yesterday afternoon. It's not exactly a wild and crazy event. We close an hour early, set up shop on site, and allow the seasonal jocularity to take its course. It's pot luck (I, naturally, contributed some tasty red wine), Christmas tunes are played at an acceptable volume (one woman complains every year that the music is too loud), and there's plenty of cheese and crackers and other snick-snacks to help absorb the wine. In short, it's a civilized affair. The thing usually lasts for just over a couple hours - then it's a quick clean-up, and home by 7:00.

One reason for such a somnambulistic party is that, while we all get along quite well at work, I wouldn't necessarily consider any of us all that close. We're friendly, but not friends. I'd say there's really only one person on staff that I would consider a "friend" - I'll confide about my personal life, for example - but we rarely socialize outside of the confines of the building. I don't necessarily mind this set up - work is work after all, and my social life is a separate entity.

It wasn't always like that, however. At one time, back in the mid-1990s, much of my social life revolved around my work life. It was a different time, a different job. (In my case, a totally different career.) I happened to be in an environment where there was a lot of shared sensibilities: the majority of us were young, in our first "real" jobs, single and poor. The work - it was a publishing company that put out about six newspapers/magazines - was interesting, for the most part, but the pay was lousy. It pretty much bordered on slave wages. (The commute too was a killer.) Still, I earned enough to pay the rent on my tiny bachelor apartment in the Annex, and have enough disposable dosh to enjoy the pleasures of the city. (There was also one great perk to the gig: considerable business travel.)

For the 2+ years I worked there, it was (mostly) great fun. Friendships began and were cemented. I socialized often with my colleagues. I can count two of my closest friends - one of whom I knew before I worked there, but who I really got to know well, largely from our commute - from that workplace. I also found love there. The relationship only lasted for a year, but it turned my world upside down (both for for good and bad, although the passage of time has allowed for only the good to remain in memory). It was a heady time, and even though I don't reflect back much on the actual work, I have nothing but good memories about the environment itself. (There have been two or three "reunions" over the past year or so which I've attended, but I prefer to hang with those that I still consider friends.)

Do I ever yearn for that type of work environment? Not really, no. I'm glad I experienced it, but my outside life is so much richer and interesting that I don't need a work environment to fill in any holes and gaps. I like my job - but I also like when the workday is done and I can leave my job here, in the building.

The theme of community continues to be playing itself out in my head and on my blog.