We should all look like this when we work

[sofadoc]

[SteveA]

Outside the shop on a smoke break !

[gene]

If they were modern and focused more on being efficient, I bet they could get 3 guys working on that small table instead of just two.

Where do they hide the pneumatic air lines?

Notice the waste basket is wicker? Not a plastic bucket in the house!

I wore a tie at my studio when I first got started but I kept stapling it to the furniture. If only I had thought of wearing an apron?  :)

gene

[sofadoc]

I always enjoyed watching June Cleaver vacuuming in her dress and pearls.

And Oliver Wendell Douglas wearing a suit atop that old piece o' crap tractor.

And I'm glad that Ginger remembered to pack several evening gowns for that 3 hour tour.

Was Tom Landry the last NFL coach to wear a suit on the sidelines?

Notice the waste basket is wicker?

Waste? What waste?

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Man, I could not work like that at all. 

When I was a computer nerd, I wore bus. suits complete with skirts and stiletto heels.  Was really stupid because I did troubleshooting on PC's in classrooms (Captains in the Army), pulled wires and other somewhat physical tasks.  Walked into a classroom on more than one occasion to hear the Captain's wondering if "Virginia Finebody" was going to be the one swapping out equipment.  Always torqued me off.  Aside from the comments, the clothing restricted freedom of movement.

Since I generally only see myself, Jimmy and Bob; shorts and T-shirts or short-sleeved tops is my standard dress code.  I'm way more comfortable and can get in there and "whale".  I cannot see myself dressed up and rolling around the inside of the very dusty bug for example.

Virginia

[byhammerandhand]

I remember when the IBM dress code was always white shirt and tie (and coat).   The poor guys that had to work on the inside of inky printers must have got through a lot of shirts and ties in those days.   The first place I worked, it was mandatory to wear a suit and tie and you must have your suit coat on if you left your immediate office.   I remember one day that in the employee cafeteria, a guy came out of the serving room with a bright yellow suit.  There was a collective gasp between the several hundred employees there. Within minutes, he was directed to go home and change.

Just before the (different) company that I worked for went "business casual" I always wore a suit and tie.   I'd get to my office, take off the coat and put it on the coat rack.   There were about 50 of us that worked in the building.  Never saw a customer, ever.  Rarely saw management from outside the building.  Never went to the corporate office.  One year, they put a plaque out front "Research and Development Center"   Behind the building and across the street was the Cincinnati Zoo.   It's rumored that people walking by heard animal noises and wondered what kind of sadistic research we are doing. 

(Also a computer nerd, but don't recall ever being called "Hot Keith.")

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

(Also a computer nerd, but don't recall ever being called "Hot Keith.")

Sorry that you weren't given the appropriate title.

Actually, I was pretty upset about it but knew enough to keep my mouth shut and just carry on.  I worked with a Major when it started.  He was working out in one of the gyms on Ft Leavenworth and as he related the story to me, one of the guys in the locker room asked him where he worked at.  He told them that he worked in "Command Group" and the guy asked him if he knew "Virginia Finebody" -- my last name is Fahnestock so that is part of the reason for the name.  Ughhh!  He thought it was hilarious and told the Captain who was the General's Aide-de-Camp about it (glorified secretary).  The Captain ended up being transferred to the school that trained Captain's.  He went through the course and was assigned to the Admin Office.  Maybe a year later, I was hired as their computer geek.  When he got the personnel transfer on me, he remembered the nick name and at the next staff meeting, he let it slip.  Soon all of the instructor's were told about it.  I'm sure that when they briefed the incoming Captain's about who does what they were told that if you need any computer support, just go find Virginia Finebody in the Automation Support Branch.  The nick name stuck until I transferred into another building on post where my husband also worked.  I had threatened him with bodily injury if he told anyone in our office about it.  Being a wise man, he kept his mouth shut.

For the record, that was about 25 years and quite a few pounds ago.  I don't think that I would earn that nick name today ; )

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

Back in my day (cold war) we were so "politically correct" that said Capt. A-hole would have been re assigned as deputy 2 IC whale watch petrol just north of Rankin inlet. BTW say hi to the Russian screw up on the next snow drift. Note to file "career ends!!!"

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Capt. A-hole

You have that dude pegged correctly.  Initially, I wasn't selected for the computer geek job.  I immediately knew why.  The Major who was my boss opted to hire without interviewing.  He went over to the Personnel Office and reviewed records.  He knew that I worked in Command Group and that said A-hole had come from Command Group.  So he went to CPT A-hole and asked him about me and was told that I had attendance problems, was a troublemaker and all kinds of other negative things.  The reason my friend the CPT said this was because he had called me up to his office.  Said that he wanted to "Show me around their section of the building and brief me on their mission."  He got me in a deserted hallway and asked me how badly I wanted the job.  I asked him why and he told me that "If you sleep with me, I'll make sure that you are hired."  I laughed in his face and told him that A) I wanted to be able to look myself in the mirror; B) I've always gotten jobs because of my brains not what I do with my body; and C) you are not the hiring authority--do you really think I would be so stupid as to sleep with you thinking that you could guarantee me that job.  Again, one of those things you live with.  In the '80's it would have done no good to report it to anyone as I had no witnesses.  My word against a captain that has letters of recommendation from a two star general in his official file.  However, what goes around comes around.  He received orders for Ft Sill OK I believe and my boss had a friend there.  Some time after he and his family moved, there was a huge scandal because his wife came home early and found the good captain in bed with someone else's wife.  She filed for divorce, got a huge chunk of his pay via alimony and is now getting a sizeable amount of this loser's retirement.  I forget the exact details of what she did, but there was enough negative publicity over it that he never got promoted again.  Prior to that he was what is called "Fast Track" and probably would have become a general some day.  My boss also apologized profusely to me for listening to the jerk as he had already figured out that it was 100% bs and the guy was just paying me back for having integrity.  So it goes.

Virginia

[JuneC]

Karma's a b*tch, eh?  As you said, what goes around comes around.

June

[sofadoc]

On the subject of work attire, I had a "wardrobe malfunction" yesterday. I've lost about 15 lbs. lately, and didn't realize how much my clothes has loosened.

I was picking up a sofa at a customer's house. I thought that we had a prior arrangement for her to have someone there to help me load it. But there wasn't.

So I grabbed the sofa, and hoisted it over my head and proceeded out the door. When I got about halfway across the front yard, my pants fell down around my ankles.

I squatted down and pulled them up with one hand while balancing the sofa on my head with the other. I loaded the sofa on my truck, and as far as I know, nobody saw me.

When I got back to the shop, the first thing I did was punch a new hole in my belt.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Now that is funny doc!  Have never had that happen (dropping pants -- not losing weight).  Glad no one saw you!

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

So I grabbed the sofa, and hoisted it over my head and proceeded out the door.

Remind me not to tick you off!! And no I'm not laughing at your misadventure ----much. ;)

[sofadoc]

So I grabbed the sofa, and hoisted it over my head and proceeded out the door.

Remind me not to tick you off!! And no I'm not laughing at your misadventure ----much. ;)

Believe me. It doesn't take a "He-man" to lift most modern day sofas. I'm probably the wimpiest 215 lb. guy on the planet.