whoopass

We're having a "End of the Year Winter Employee Event" (even "holiday party" isn't PC anymore) again this year. This means that for an hour or two, me and all the co-workers on my development team, amounting to roughly 60 people who represent all facets of the nerd spectrum, will gather for an hour in a conference room. Everyone brings food, a few of the "band-camp" guy will play music on their french horns, one guy will probably play classical guitar, and we'll spend a while in small talk. During this time I tend to find myself in small circles of people, roughly four or five, politely laughing at the same complaints about systems engineers or requirements or deadlines or what-have-you we heard last year until enough repoire has been generated in the group that everyone relaxes a little and the awkwardness goes down. Then we start making fun of people outside of our circle. This degenerates into making fun of the people inside of our circle, switching circles, or making fun of the fact that we're all standing around in circles making fun of people. Then we do the white elephant gift exchange, which is usually pretty funny, and then we all "go back to work."

It's a few paid hours of sarcastic social time with free food and usual strange Christmas party gifts. It's kinda fun. I'm looking forward to it.

This year, my office mate has been designated as the one to organize the food that will be brought to this EOTYWEE. The sign up sheet is located on our door. She spent the better part of yesterday afternoon, after I'd left, wondering who'd signed up as "Butch McLarge-Huge" to bring the "Whoopass." She accused a myriad of our team-mates from all facets of the dork spectrum until one of them had the ingenious idea to do some handwriting analysis, which revealed that it was in fact me.

Since then, someone signed up as "Frederick J. Penderdong" to bring "Unconscionable Indifference", and "Captain Buzz Buzz & Booze Hound" to bring "Slurred Speech Sentiments." They say emulation is the highest form of praise, but I think it's getting a little old...