We didn’t take naps. But it was the annual corporate “fun” day, so we got to knock off a bit. I’m not a big fan of enforced corporate fun. I “get” the idea of team bonding but when you work in a collaborative, respectful environment, you don’t really *need* team bonding exercises. If you have a hostile work environment, I’m not sure all the bonding exercises in the world can make life better. I work in the former kind of environment (I mean really, my boss’s idea of team bonding, at least today, was for everyone to take a nap out on the lawn — we laughed). I have never worked in what I’d call a hostile environment although in some cases, various toxic personalities could sometimes queer things for a while. Usually those folks moved on to bigger and better things and life would go on.

Nevertheless, I actually had *fun* today. For one thing, this fun day actually got scheduled for a month in which you can *reasonably* plan to be *outside* in the Great Lake State, at least long enough to grill hamburglars. The first fun day we had following the merger with the company that initiated these events was scheduled for a date in March. By somebody in Florida. They were suggesting all kinds of outdoor events. Guess what the weather was like on that date here in the Great Lake State? I’ll give you a hint. White. We had some indoor events that year but since we are geeks (hello?) participation was lukewarm. I remember one of the developers standing behind our cubes asking something like, “What are we supposed to do on this ‘fun’ day?” Cube Neighbor and I wondered if he needed a functional spec on how to have fun. But we were struggling with the whole having fun thing too…

This year? The weather was fine. The hamburglars were good. The boss told us to go take a nap. A volleyball game went on for quite some time and those people seemed to be having fun. The Building Mom procured a boxful of cute little mini-kites that were more my speed. I *almost* wanted to take one home but then I remembered that I’m flinging. There was bocce ball and an indoor golf thingy that I didn’t do. What I did do was relax and *talk* to other people about, you know, their lives and stuff. Googled-mapped the moominbeach and explained why kayaking on “Lake Superior” is “safe” — if you have half a brain and use it, that is.

And then I came home and did my afternoon Focus For Five Minutes Fer Kee-reist weeding session, except I kept going after the crickets sounded for more like 15 minutes. I was on a roll during this morning’s session but I had to stop and so I was itching to get back to it. All day. What the heck has gotten in to me? I do not know.

By the way, that’s ‘hicken up there, guarding Mouse’s garden and all those clematis blooms.

P.S. Of all things, NPR is reporting on companies that design team building activities. Oh dear…

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