Did you guys know that you can't spellcheck post titles? Not that I suffered from the Nervous Tummy trying to spell "inauguration" or anything. Just FYI. (My usual spelling tactic of identifying the root word got me nowhere in a hurry. The root word of "inauguration" is..."inaugurate". That is an EMBARRASMENT to the concept of root words. Not. Helpful.)
So. The, uh, DEALIO today (root word: DEAL! Yay!). It's exciting and awesome and all that, but I'm feeling sort of...left out. First of all, I'm in TEXAS, a place where MLK Jr. Day coincides with Confederate Effing HEROES Day, which both happen to be STATE HOLIDAYS.
In addition to the whole Texas thing, I also work in an extremely conservative environment. It's not, like, the Southern Baptist Convention or the Republican Party HQ or whatever, but it might as well be. Today is just another reminder that I've chosen (and believe me haters, I know it is my choice) to live and work in a place where I cannot always be myself.
And I know some of you are thinking, "Tess! You should ALWAYS be yourself! Fuck the haters! Rah rah individualism!". And I agree, in a private setting, or among friends, and certainly I don't hide my flaming liberalism in that context, although some of you are wishing I would START. But at work, I have to be diplomatic and situationally appropriate in order to be successful, and that means SHUTTING IT or politely changing the subject (but mostly SHUTTING IT), if you are me.
So, I'll be at SPIN CLASS today during the festivities, and I'll be catching up on my CNN after work (true story: we only get FOX EFFING NEWS here. We used to get CNN and PEOPLE COMPLAINED). But, you know, I'll be there IN SPIRIT.
P.S.-this reminds me of the Moral Dilemma I faced just before the election, when 7-11 was running a promotion in which they stocked only (blue) Obama or (red) McCain coffee cups. Gah! It was like Sophie's Choice! I spent the entire day with my Terrorist Coffee hidden behind my computer speakers. Right beside my naked picture of Jon Stewart.*
*SPEAKING of situationally inappropriate, PLEASE TELL ME one or more of you saw that episode of HBO's Real Sex where that lady gave herself orgasms by looking at a picture of Stephen Colbert. Because it's going to be really AWK if I am the only one who thought that was WICKED HILARIOUS. I mean, how long has she been WORKING on that?
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27 comments:
Now, I'm not defending Confederate Heroes Day here or anything; however, I would like to point out that they don't ALWAYS fall on the same day. They just awkwardly fell on the same day this year. So even though we state employees got screwed out of a day off this year, we'll be getting the four-day weekend next year! SCORE!
And you've provided another reason for why we need HBO.
I'm watching the pre-inaugural festivities right now, and I can say this:
#1. It looks FUCKING FREEZING. And nobody can wear hats, for fashion reasons, I presume.
#2. There are about 50 hojillion people there.
#3. Dang. George Bush senior is getting OLD.
#4. What's with the signaling a VIP's arrival on the scene with a trumpet? That seems so...royal.
Oooo, live-blogging/commenting! Hey, THANKS! I shall live vicariously through you guys. Le sigh.
Howdy! I live in a neighboring state and have let my liberal leak out a bit in some situations and it has BIT ME IN THE ASS. HARD. So, your current course of action is advisable at present. Because I have a feeling your ass isn't nearly as big as mine.
I live in a screamingly liberal NW city, but when I worked for a big 4 accounting firm it was clear that most of the folks there were, let's say, out of synch with the rest of the city. So I totally get the whole not letting your liberal flag fly at the office. I guess that's reason 102 why I don't really miss that job...
I'm in a federal office right now and we all cheered when he took the oath. I love this.
NO CNN?! Ack!
Well, I'm a liberal in Alabama, so I know how you feel.
I hear ya Maggie. I work for a Big 4 and there were actually people sneering at those of us that were watching in the Pantry area.
Oh my. I was holding my breath hoping you weren't going to say something awful about the tear-fest I just endured!
I'm so relieved that you're a flaming liberal. Why? Why does that make my day better?
Close your door and stream CNN live and hope that the bandwidth geeks don't catch you!
I work at a law firm, where billable hours are king. Today, though, was firm sanctioned slacking, because 2(out of 5 total)partners stayed home to watch the inauguration and I had two in my office with me and our secretaries, watching CNN on my computer. The one less-than-liberal partner smartly stayed in his office.
The one thing I am really grateful for at this job is that we're all interested in politics and even when our opinions are RADICALLY opposite, we manage to discuss like grown-ups.
Something must be done about Aretha's LID. I don't have a tv at work (philistines), I'm missing the whole shebang but I *have* seen Aretha's hat and what in pluperfect hell was she thinking? Is it an homage to aircraft carriers? Tilted? Dude. Even Stevie Wonder flinched.
That said, could someone tell me what color Michelle Obama's ensemble was? I'm getting conflicting reports of light green, buttery yellow and gold. Please advise.
You should use Firefox. It has spell check BUILT in, and it checks EVERYTHING.
Michelle's outfit was gold, though her gloves were green. She looked AWESOME.
My firm is liberal, although my direct boss is a crazy conservative. Crazy like I think he would vote for Palin for President.
@ -R- :
Thanks!
Seriously? Confederate hero day? Coinciding with MLK day? C'mon Texas?
Really? We have a Confederate hero day? Really? Missed that one my entire life! I am feeling your pain, watching all day SECRETLY on msnbc and my assistant is my watchdog. Strangely enough an EMERGENCY planning meeting was called today at 10:30 which grew into lunch and I didn't get back to my office until 2 pm. Coincidence? I don't think so...
Thankfully we have the dvr at home, let's hope that sob worked!
I'm a fellow liberal Texan. I'm not sure my boss even knows that today is inauguration day!
1. I want my own copy of the naked Jon Stewart photo, please.
2. The Real Sex episode? That must be made up. For reals?!?!
3. In my line of work, I have to spend an hour with clients while they are working out and often spouting off about their political beliefs at the same time (hint: since most of them are rich, THEY LIKEY TAX CUTS and most of them STILL like W.) while I really feel like I can't say anything. Then the other Pilates trainers and I hunker behind our desk and whisper sweet liberal nothings to each other. It's sorta sad.
HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH SHOW. Sorry.
But I think most of us work in semi-politic-restricted environments, so don't feel too left out. I don't speak a word of it to my NRA obsessed coworkers. Even though I SUSPICIOUSLY took 2 hours vacation today between 10 and NOON to watch the ceremony.
You have a naked Jon Stewart picture? I want, no, I NEED one. NOW!
howdy! some Actual Inauguration Attendee notes from the field:
-it wasn't NEARLY as cold as it looked once you were on the mall. with 2 million people next to you, the wind can't get in! it was great. i mean, i had 15 layers of clothes on, but it worked and i wasn't cold. i even took my hat off because i was getting too hot.
-i never in a million years thought 2 million people could be jammed together in one place and be so gosh-darn CORDIAL. everyone was there because they wanted to be there, and because they believed in what was happening, and it was really pretty inspiring
i'm going through my pics now on flickr and will post some soon...
I live in Dallas, and trust me, I totally know what you mean about having to temper who you really are in certain situations. Well, really on a daily basis. Those stupid cups angered me too. Why should I have to hide my cup?
That sucks that you have to be a closet-liberal. I mean, I totally GET it. Work and all... but it still sucks.
I wore my Obama '08 pin on my jacket to work every day for two months!
i am glad to know that another state has a ridiculous redneck holiday. here in georgia, we celebrate (and i use that term loosely) robert e. lee's birthday. yeehaw.
and i am TOTALLY with you about shutting it at work. it sucked yesterday, though, when we were watching the ceremony. i teared up a few times, but had to PULL IT TOGETHER, because i didn't want to get into it with those people.
Confederate Heroes Day?! Whoa.
Texas born and raised. Went to Texas A&M came out a tree hugging liberal with a liberal arts degree and moved to Austin as soon as possible. My grandparents were so disappointed, my godmother so very proud.
I totally understand having to be a closet liberal and I hate it.
Getting off on Colbert? How did I miss that one... but perhaps I want to. hummmm
This post is fabulous.
And makes me NEVER want to even VISIT Texas.
Gah.
I get enough Fox News and Rush Limbaugh with my own damn family. Blerg.
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