Tuesday, December 09, 2003
Tonight is the opening gala of the new American-based branch office of the company hubby works for. They better have some decent wine because I'm missing a 50th birthday party of a dear friend of mine in order to fulfill my wifely duties. This is when Anna Bloviations dons her Corporate Wife Hat and tries to be as charming as she can to all of the other executives and investors on the off chance that this start-up is going to land me on the island of my choice with a full-time masseuse. My duct-tape red lipstick ensures that I smile a lot and refrain from talking about politics, war, the environment, obesity, and some literature. That's why at all these functions I'm known as the woman who sips wine from a straw... the hole in the duct tape just large enough to poke a straw through.
SAME OFFICE DIFFERENT PAINT JOB Hubby already took some digital pictures of the new office so I happen to know that the walls are painted yellow to match the predominately yellow company logo. I'm hoping that it is an auspicious sign that the color of the walls and my bedroom are nearly identical (my bedroom walls are perhaps not quite as bright). "Why hubby, isn't this the same building you used to work in a few years ago at one of those other start-ups? I think I recognize that signature mahogany trim they used throughout the building..." Sure enough it's the same building albeit they are on a different floor.
SAME PEOPLE DIFFERENT COMPANY The software industry is small -- incestuous if you will -- and so inevitably the same people keep coming together for the next venture. Tonight there will be at least five or six people I will recognize from some past company party. This is always the best time for the parties. Right at the beginning of it all. The bank account is flush with venture capital, the employees are enthusiastic, the kitchenette filled with employee-incentive-perks like Espresso and Dannon yogurt, and the Christmas parties lavish. Later on they are not so fun. By the third round of lay-offs, the remaining employees have that harried gone-off-the-deep-end, just let-me-go-back-to-my-computer-and-send-out-a-few-more-resumes look. They're really not much fun to be around at social events.
COME ON GUYS THINK YELLOW. We've all seen it happen every blue moon, right? One of these software companies hits the jackpot i.e. the walls are painted just the right shade, they've got just the right configuration of employees, won just the right technology award, have customers just happy enough to give them glowing testimonials, and the market, competition, global economy, and star alignment are all just right too. Lo and behold they are on their way to becoming wildly successful and rich!!! Well I'm for having it happen a yellow moon this time.
Sorry for ranting. It must have been the thought of two kids in college next year...
SAME OFFICE DIFFERENT PAINT JOB Hubby already took some digital pictures of the new office so I happen to know that the walls are painted yellow to match the predominately yellow company logo. I'm hoping that it is an auspicious sign that the color of the walls and my bedroom are nearly identical (my bedroom walls are perhaps not quite as bright). "Why hubby, isn't this the same building you used to work in a few years ago at one of those other start-ups? I think I recognize that signature mahogany trim they used throughout the building..." Sure enough it's the same building albeit they are on a different floor.
SAME PEOPLE DIFFERENT COMPANY The software industry is small -- incestuous if you will -- and so inevitably the same people keep coming together for the next venture. Tonight there will be at least five or six people I will recognize from some past company party. This is always the best time for the parties. Right at the beginning of it all. The bank account is flush with venture capital, the employees are enthusiastic, the kitchenette filled with employee-incentive-perks like Espresso and Dannon yogurt, and the Christmas parties lavish. Later on they are not so fun. By the third round of lay-offs, the remaining employees have that harried gone-off-the-deep-end, just let-me-go-back-to-my-computer-and-send-out-a-few-more-resumes look. They're really not much fun to be around at social events.
COME ON GUYS THINK YELLOW. We've all seen it happen every blue moon, right? One of these software companies hits the jackpot i.e. the walls are painted just the right shade, they've got just the right configuration of employees, won just the right technology award, have customers just happy enough to give them glowing testimonials, and the market, competition, global economy, and star alignment are all just right too. Lo and behold they are on their way to becoming wildly successful and rich!!! Well I'm for having it happen a yellow moon this time.
Sorry for ranting. It must have been the thought of two kids in college next year...
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