#143 — Too Many Clowns
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The problem with most jobs is that they involve actual work which is tedious and difficult and dull. That’s why they have to pay you to do your job. Even without understanding the details, small children realize that most adult careers have all of the dynamism and excitement of mandatory nap time. That’s why little kids always talk about exciting occupations like astronaut or fireman or circus performer.
Somewhere along the line, most of us trade our shiny dreams for lackluster respectability, a decent dental plan, and a few bucks in our pocket at the end of the month. Employment holds all the appeal and excitement of a bicycle with two flat tires and a missing seat; you can’t get anywhere fast and the ride is pretty uncomfortable.
The truth is, work is what you make of it. With a little mental effort, you can trick yourself into having a good time each and every day. Imagine your office as the most interesting, amazing place on Earth. That’s right — pretend you really do work for the circus.
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Like this excerpt? Want the whole story? Listen to the audio version by clicking the ‘Play’ button at the top of this post. If you’d rather read it, you can find the full text at http://myfavoriteshortcomings.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/too-many-clowns/
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Notes:
- You can follow me on Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/kevinleec - I had a nice note from writer J. Timothy King on the blog version of this site this week. You can find out more about Tim’s writing at:
http://www.jtimothyking.com/ - If you’d like to audition for Angel Between the Lines, you can find out more at:
http://www.angelbetweenthelines.com/
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Brilliant! A true Laugh-out-loud show.
My wife and I work in this environment every day. Thanks for making it a little more entertaining. Monkeys! HA HA!
Now I know why they gave us the popcorn machine. Now all I have to do start saying “Step right up, step right up…”
Although they’re not as commonly associated with circuses of today, we still have our own side show.
As for cleaning up after the elephants – I’d consider the IT department to be in that genre. It seems people are always going out and buying their own software or setting up some system then asking IT to support it (globally) without any consideration for the mess they made, who could step in it, or who has to clean it up.
Thanks for the kind words, Chuck.
Sideshow, hmmm? Might have to work that into another essay sometime.