I had quite an inspiring week at work, and by that I mean it was filled with great struggle and strife and pain, which inspired me to write my very first song. I’m a bit afraid to post this little ditty, though. At first I thought I was afraid of getting fired if the wrong person … More Song of My Week
I’ll spare you all the whys and wherefores, but suffice it to say that things have been stressful in my department at work lately. I’ve been pondering what I can do to make things better, but mine is a position of responsibility without any actual authority or power. I have no control over salaries, budgets, … More Failing to Inspire
A colleague and I were emailing today and I realized we had a shared experience in our past, a very specific, pivotal occurrence in our professional lives. This is something that nobody tells you is going to happen to you or prepares you for, but that becomes a defining moment in your career, a landmark … More A Very Special Time in the Life of a Data Analyst
We recently returned from a lovely trip out West to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and their beautiful new daughter. It was great, but the down side of every vacation is having to go back to work and get caught up on all the stuff that accumulated while you were out. The first day or two … More How to Work It While Not Actually Working
There are times when you’re be-bopping along at work, getting things done, crunching numbers like a boss, and then you give your computer a command, and it’s all like, “Hmmmkay, Imma have to stop you right there.” “See, I was up all night with a crying software update, and you just keep asking me to … More The Lyric of my Wednesday
If there’s an award for how much stuff it takes to get you through a workday, I win it hands down. The bag I carry into the office each day is a beautiful piece of luggage decorated with a fox print that I received for Christmas from my sweet in-laws. I put it on my … More The Pack Mule Prize
At various times over the years, I’ve been bullied, belittled, undervalued, underestimated, and just plain done wrong. But there’s one person who knows my weaknesses better than anyone else, who never fails to find the chink in my armor with a cutting word, whom I can count on through thick and thin to consistently do … More Own Worst Enemy Award
Maybe some of you placed a wager on tonight’s big game, but I never had the stomach for gambling. The thought of watching my hard-earned money evaporate into the ether with nothing to show for it—well, it makes me sick to my stomach. But I admit there is a high-risk, high-reward pastime that I can’t … More The Know When to Hold Em Award for High Rollers
Pretty high up on the long list of things I fear, just below driving in heavy rain and right above walking alone into a bar, is the office holiday party. They are awkward affairs, rife with opportunities to say the wrong thing to the wrong person, humiliate yourself, or even do something bad enough to … More Emerging Triumphant from the Office Holiday Party
I‘ve worked at my alma mater for 19 years, creeping slowly from part-time, grant-funded, benefit-less, four-figure-annual-salary-earning pawn to bona fide, fully vested, state-pin-owning Director of Decision Support (a Monty Python-worthy title if ever there was one). On my beloved campus, I have lived through fire, flood, furlough days, earthquake, snow, ice, mice, bee swarms, iguanas … More How to Win Halloween
Maria Linn 