It Has a Name!

I am excited to announce that I have come up with a new name for this blog. As you see above, I decided on the title, A Social Stroll. I came about this name because for one, I wanted to make sure the title had that nice little buzzword 'social' to convey not only the vast social media, but also the cooperative and interdependent relationships between individuals the world over. I chose the word 'stroll' because for one, I love a leisurely walk outdoors and because of my affinity for random research I stumbled upon this gem. The Stroll was a slow rock 'n' roll dance craze from the late 1950s that originated from American Bandstand. This is a small discovery that rolled a few of the little things I appreciate into one: dance, history and finding new information at random. Also, I realize that term stroll in the name lends to how my mind tends to wander where ever inclination directs. Maybe the name should be A Social Ramble. That may paint a clearer picture. You decide.

Transition! (Because I want to share a funny observation from my job.)

I have had a work experience all too similar to the movie "Office Space". Here's the story. I've got my own frosted glass desk here at work and proceeded to decorate it with file holders, a pen holder, a redneck wine glass filled with SweeTarts Jelly Beans, a homemade business card holder using a spring paper clip and a couple sock monkeys wearing sweatshirts. The sock monkeys were gifts from one of my clients. So my desk appears very kid-(and redneck?) friendly. I decided that I might as well complete my desk's look by adding a stapler brought from home. This stapler has been used by many people in my office. I am happy to share such things, after all it's only a stapler, but there's a twist! I was raised in the South where I was taught to say 'please' and 'thank you', especially when giving or receiving items. My stapler was used frequently by one particular co-worker that never used these polite words. So each day, I would get more and more irked when the stapler was taken without asking. Now I don't expect a person to ask every single time, but at least the first time. Almost daily, this stapler usage would occur and it would be returned to another random location from where it was not originally found, another action I found annoying. After weeks of this, it finally dawned on me that I was Milton Waddams from Office Space who is in love his red Swingline stapler. At this point of realization, I had already acknowledged how petty this entire thing was, but continued to feel negatively about it. So I eventually took the dang thing back home which made me feel even more silly about it. I have since learned that this rude stapler user has had their own stapler this entire time, yet claimed there were no staples loaded into it. I found the stapler (staples included), tested its stapling abilities and placed it on top of their desk with a sticky note that read 'Staples Included!' And wouldn't you know, this happens to be a fancy schmancy stapler of the Swingline brand. Finally, I think have solved the silly stapler issue! As I write this post, I think the stapler has yet to be noticed or used, but I have high hopes! No, I do not plan on burning down my office as Milton eventually did, but I do plan to work on my strange issues with manners and stapler usage. These are the fun office antics that I am privileged to experience on any given day. I learned a little bit more about myself and just how far I will (and will not) go for my black, plastic stapler. And as this post demonstrates, I am reminded that I clearly have a highly Type A personality with some minute obsessive-compulsive tendencies. I'm just wondering how far that will get me.

Don't miss my next post where I talk about putting paper and ink cartridges in the printer! (Goodness, I'm full of wise cracks.)

*Update: On the last day I worked for this company, I left that silly stapler as a parting gift. And my issues are resolved!