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Something terrible happened outside of work on Friday. I was spotted by a co-worker.
There has only been one other time when I had seen a fellow employee outside of working hours. I was at the grocery store, and immediately turned around when I spotted her and walked the other way. There's no reason to interact off hours, especially if she's not one of my friends.
I always joke that work isn't real life, and my real life does not involve my work. Who I am at work is not who I am as a person. I'm not a receptionist, I'm not categorized as someone who answers phones, and I'm slowly beginning to realize that I'm not this negative person that I started believing I was.
I'm happy. I'm fun. And I'm both of these things a lot more when I'm not working. And honestly, who isn't?? One reason I believe I'm happy is because I work out regularly and I feel like that releases all my stress. I go every day after work, and Friday I was off to a boot camp styled step class. It's hard. It's an advanced class and not a lot of members take it. I walk in, I'm greeted by my gym buddies and as I'm grabbing my step I hear the worst thing I could possibly hear.
"RUBY??????!!!!!!?????? what are you doing here?!?!"
Why is that terrible, you ask? Yes, that's my name, but I'm only called Ruby at work. All my friends and family call me Roo. It all plays into part that work is not my real life. So I knew the second I heard "Ruby" it was a co-worker and my smile faded.
"Oh, hi Jean"
Jean's a nice lady. She's an EA, so I interact with her both as a receptionist and as someone that orders and delivers food for meetings. (Yeah, there's still no title change...) It's not that I don't like her, it's just that this is MY class. MY gym. MY secret little retreat.
So naturally, what did I do? I showed off. And of course, this was the class where the instructor decided that we needed to do a thousand lunges and squats. And what was that? Yes, you are going to do step, while holding weights. And, hell, let's throw some kickboxing moves in there as well.
I was a sweaty disaster, but I was nailing every move. I may have been stuck on my couch the next day because I was sore but it was worth it. Jane came up to me afterwards and said how great it was that these classes are offered after work hours and how she can't wait for the next one.
Mmhmm...
She hasn't been there this week yet, so there's hope she might not take the same classes as me. At first I was thinking how I hope she doesn't come back, but then again, being the brat that I am, this means I will show off and work out harder every time she's there.
Bring it on, Jean!
So it recently came to my attention that my department is moving into another building that we have on campus. Normally I don't think this would really bother me, but recently since I've been banned from the receptionist desk, and be shunned to sit in the back, I've recently become friendlier with those in my department.
We're sort of tucked away in the back, and they always referred themselves as the Misfit Toys, since we're sort of a lame department, and people only interact with us while heading to the mail room. Kathy's desk is in a high traffic zone, so besides it being one of the most distracting places I've ever sat, it's also so annoying that I'm worried about someone noticing me on pinterest and not doing my work. I mean really, at reception I can easily get away with that sort of stuff!
I still refer to the desk as Kathy's and refuse to make it "mine" by putting any sort of personal item on it. I also heard the rumor that the department might not be staying put in that area, so why bother "decorating"? I know I should just eff it, and make it "my" desk, but being the negative person I am, I refuse :) I think a title change is needed for me to have a real desk other than the one in the lobby.
Anywho, I'm getting distracted. The gang is leaving to go across the street. What does that have to do with me? Everything! I had a moment of freak out where I refused to move with them. Why should I have to go back and forth between buildings to go and from reception? NG calls me about every 45 minutes to either pee, get coffee, or just have me come up there so she can spaz out. There was no way I was going to do that if I was put in another building.
Of course, Bossboss invited the gang over to see their new spot and didn't invite me. Did this mean I was going with them? In fact, that's exactly what it meant. I still haven't heard from Bossboss personally that I'm not moving, but Brandan did some investigating. I was staying put.
As in, I was going to be the ONLY person of the department to stay behind and sit all by lonesome.
UMMMM.... I know most of you would probably react normally and be all "a what what?? this sucks! I'm going to be all alone" but not this girl. Has my dream come true?? Am I going to be sitting somewhere all alone with no one bugging me?!?!?! Could I be any happier??
...Yes. Yes, I could.
Something weird is happening. I immediately talk to Bill and he teases me "I think you have feelings." FEELINGS?? ME??? lol! He may be on to something, I've come to enjoy my co-workers, and having a social interaction with people that are nice to me as opposed to yelling at me over the phone. Also, these people are on my side - they think it's ridiculous that my title is receptionist yet I do so much more than that. They also like that I bring them free food that I get from caterers....
So is Ruby growing a heart and actually liking people?? NOPE. Turns out Jim, who has an office right by Kathy's desk will also not be moving, since it'll keep him close to the mail room.
Fuck that.
I'm going to be sitting there with JIM ALL DAY LONG?
No wonder I'm grumpy.
Ahh, Valentine's Day. One of my favorite holidays. Everyone wears pink and gives you chocolate. How can you not like that?!
Brandon and I decided to do a bet of how many flower deliveries there would be. I said at least 20, he said less than. I won. There was 31.
The first delivery that came through was the biggest bouquet I had ever seen, so naturally, I took a picture. See below.
This made me decide that I was going to document in picture form, my entire Valentine's Day. Natch, I'm sharing with you - enjoy!
How to enjoy Valentine's Day like Ruby:
Step 1 - paint your nails to be festive: 
Step 2 - Collect treats from employees who love you:
Step 3 - Collect a Spider Man Valentine, candy and cookie from your Co-Receptionist:
Step 4 - Call Caterer and ask why there was cookies with the lunch order. Find out the Caterer loves you and says they're a free treat because it's Valentine's Day. Eat immediately upon opening and then realize you forgot to take a pic. Notice crumbs...
Step 5 - Receive pink fortune cookie, eat, and read fortune and feel happy:
Step 6 - Receive 1 bouquet out of 31, and find out it's yours! Smile when you realize your 3 month old nephew sent you flowers. Gush how adorable that is to co-workers, hold back tears, and immediately call sister and thank her.
Step 7 - GO TO THE GYM, YOU FATTY. YOU ATE CANDY AND COOKIES ALL DAY LONG!
Step 8 - Come home, shower, and put comfy clothes, including adorable heart socks on:
Step 9 - Enjoy a candle lit sushi dinner and champagne (complete with adorable napkins):
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!! XOXO, RUBY
The dumb admin... thatttt would be me.
The more I'm away from the reception desk, and the more I'm doing "real" work, the more I realized how dumb I am with everyday normal administrative duties. Until recently, I never left my desk, I answered phones, greeted guests and tried to look adorable while being absolutely miserable.
In 5 years, I haven't added a lot of impressive stats to my resume, and after today, I'm happy to say that I can photocopy.
I'm not even kidding.
I literally stared at the stupid space aged machine in the mail room for a good 5 minutes before laughing at myself. Even just attempting to just copy something made me want to cry. After figuring out that, Brandan came over just to chat. While standing there, he asked me a very simple question. Why aren't you copying this stuff on both sides of the paper, why print on two?
I'm sorry, what? Now, I know it's possible to print on both sides, the thing is... I've never had to, so I have absolutely no idea how to do that. Brandan laughs at me, and I just sort of play it off that I'm a receptionist.
Uh.... doesn't that mean you should know the basics?
One would think...
I continue standing there, waiting for all my stuff to print out. I managed how to make it make more than one copy at a time - I know, super impressive - and begin stapling some pages together. This is when Tim walks in. "What are you doing? You do realize that the machine can staple everything together for you..."
a what what?!
Where have I been? Apparently hiding under a rock. Tim jokes with me that this is new technology, you know, it's probably been around since 1992. Ha. Ha. Ha. It's also able to scan copies to my email - which, I figure out all by myself, thank you very much.
It doesn't help that I'm blonde. The jokes started, and being a good sport (and beyond embarrassed), I laugh it off and sulk off to Kathy's desk. While sitting there, I realize I'm the worst admin ever! Not only do I thoroughly dislike answering phones and interacting with people, I can't even make a photocopy without looking like a loser.
Geez, no wonder boss has shunned me from my the reception desk. I'm the sloppy, sweaty girl that can't do basic admin tasks. Good thing I've only been here 5 years. :/
I wonder what other basic admin tasks there are that I don't know how to do...
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