Kilted at the Office, at Last. . . . . Sort of.

[Rex_Tremende]

A few weeks back, I reported on a change in my role at my company. Today it was officially recognized.

_____________________________________________
From: Edwige V.
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 3:00 PM
To: Rex's former teammates, a.k.a. "Friends like these..."
Subject: Double Secret Office Warming - Shhhhhhhhh


Team,

Inspired by the recent successful foiling of Chris's office, Brian has suggested a fabulous idea to make our friend Rex feel welcome in his new palatial office. We all know how much Rex is missing us, way across on the other side of the aisle, so we want to make sure he knows we are still there for him.

So straight out of Brian's diary of "Rockets and other cool things I have been pondering" comes our latest employee engagement activity: The double secret office warming for Rex.

The plan:
Find the gaudiest / tackiest / kitschiest thing in your house that you have been meaning to regift / throw out / donate. Examples include, but are not limited to, ugly curtains, pictures or posters (remember unicorns, kittens with "hang in there" written across the top etc.), ceramic figurines, lava lamps etc. Basically, anything that elicits embarrassment in you when someone comes over to your house.
Bring your one chosen item of "trash" to work, we will store this at our desks or in the "storage" cubicle near Rebecca's desk. Please be discrete, this is of course an office warming surprise :o)
Brian will find out when Rex is next out of the office, on that day we will turn our trash into treasure and "decorate" / "warmify" Rex's lovely new office. (Next Thursday afternoon looks good, but TBC)
Anything Rex likes, he can keep. Anything else will be taken back for disposal by the donator.

Let Brian and me know if you are game and start digging through your basement!

Go team E-PMO! And remember "The things we do for those who get a window"!

Thanks
E

From: Tonja S.
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 3:13 PM
To: Same Band of Rascals
Subject: RE: Double Secret Office Warming - Shhhhhhhhh

I think that Rex must find a means of disposing the stuff he doesn't want. I don't want the crap back! ;)

From: Edwige V.
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 3:23 PM
To: Evildoers
Subject: RE: Double Secret Office Warming - Shhhhhhhhh

OK, I'll second that - all in favor?

He did get a door and window after all...

From: Mary G.
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 8:46 AM
To: Jealous Schemers
Subject: RE: Double Secret Office Warming - Shhhhhhhhh

I was just in Rex's office checking out the snow and he said to me....

"I think I'm done decorating in here for now." I just smiled and thought "oh, little do you know...."

:-)

Um...

So, last week I was duped into a meeting this morning with my former boss at another location, ostensibly to discuss training needs (my new job) for two hours. I had other meetings, but then had to scoot back downtown for lunch with a colleague. On my way back, my ex-boss called me and asked that I stop by his office to go over a "couple more thoughts" on what we discussed.

So, when I get back, my he's waiting for me at the lobby doors on my floor and we walk together toward his office, but he stops before we get there and tells the secretary we’re going to be in a meeting. We turn around and go up my old aisle. I figure he has an announcement to make, and he’s gathering some others to join us. But then I realize that a lot of people are starting to stir and they start looking at me funny. Given the history of people who leave their offices for any length of time, I realize now that I’m in for it.

So, here's a list of the officewarming gifts I found when we got to my new office:

• Life-sized printout of me in my kilt from the boss's boss's boss's Xmas party taped to my door
• Big banner on the hall windows that everyone has signed congratulatory notes, w/ some photos depicting the difference between their hovels and my palace. “From SHAB to FAB!” it says.
• terracotta cat
• toy slot machine
• some sort of animal skull
• flower bucket with plastic flowers
• miniature pie safe
• lava lamp
• an old company tie, tied around my table lamp,
• fake cloisonné enamel vase with silk hibiscus
• pair of love birds rendered in ceramic
• wine bottle painted with sunflowers with mini lights inside,
• pyramid-shaped snow-globe with gold snow and the bust of Nefertiti inside,
• another vase
• foam rubber squishy bird
• rag-rug
• tropical fish themed shower curtain hung over my hall windows,
• fake aquarium
• painting by my ex-boss himself painted, which I think I will keep and have framed
• collection of glow-in-the-dark rocks
• giant blow-up photo of my former neighbor that says “Best Friends Forever”
• a second photo of my BFF, in the place where my parent's photo used to be
• lint roller
• teddy bear holding a heart that says “I Love You”
• maracas
• silk ficus tree draped in a feather boa in Ohio State colors

Regards,
Rex.

[McMurdo]

That is great Rex, I love the full size poster on your door, it sounds like a great bunch of people there.

[ccga3359]

I like what you've done to the place.

[Nighthawk]

Good lord!! That looks like my office! Although I don't have the feathered boa, I do have a Brutus bobblehead...

[SteveB]

At least somebody appreciates the kilted Rex. Congratulations on an outside view. Cubicle walls are so yesterday.

[Tartan Hiker]

Oooh! Oooh! I'll take the skull!

In my business, you can't have too many skulls.

[Standard]

Nice to see that you got as big a kick out of the redecorating as the rest of the office did. Sounds like this is possibly an ongoing office gag?

[sharpdressedscot]

Sounds fun.
Office workers... never can tell what they'll do next.

[Coinneach]

Hmm. I think my mother-in-law has that same shower curtain. Thank goodness she keeps it hidden in the bathroom. What a great workplace!

[TheSp8]

The skull look kinda like a horse from the side. Looks like you've got a great bunch of folks to work with there.

YMOS,
Tony