I have discussed my travels and how they shape who I am, what I love, what I aspire to be. Today, more than ever, I realized how right it is for me to live here right now. My favorite co-worker in the world, who happens to be my boss's counterpart, and I trained together today. It was a great day, mainly because I got to spend it with him. I always learn something from him. I admire him. He's Hispanic, earned a Juris Doctorate at a time when Hispanics didn't get many opportunities to higher education. He's inclusive, he believes in people, and he's one of the best leaders I have ever known. But no one sings his praises - precisely because he is a great leader and doesn't shout from the mountain that he is great. He is more progressive than the leaders I know. He gives us the power to make decisions, he supports us, he gives us credit, and he reinforces us in the ways that we love. I don't need high-fives, in fact, I find them insulting and pedantic. He knows that being sarcastic at times is our best motivator. He has an adult beverage with us, he's real with us, because he trusts us. He's great, is what I'm trying to say, and if I could report to him, life would be peachy. That's the background. So we finished training at 2:30, "quittin'" time is around 4:00 for us. I convinced him to take me back to the office so I could hang out with our co-workers, instead of knocking off early to go home. How sick is that?? I was rewarded with hearty laughs, even at my own expense, and a happy hour that kept the laughter rolling. You just don't have it better than that.
The truth - I love the people I work with. (Most of them.) I would rather be at work with them, than at home without them. My trusted HR cohort is leaving at the end of July, and I am sad. Really sad. I trained him, I helped develop him, and in turn, he's given me new perspective on my own views. I will miss our talks during the day. I'll miss our debates, which are really great banter. And I'll miss the fact that we are partners-in-crime, co-conspirators in creating a better workplace, and that he can make me laugh almost as much as my husband does (I love to laugh - and it's one of the best attributes of my husband - he can always make me laugh, no matter how pissed off I am - making me laugh is far sexier than a 6-pack or a chiseled jawline, which do nothing for me). Nothing gold can stay, that's become my comfort with his departure, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't suck to lose a good friend at work. Our new guy is great, and is going to be a great confidant and co-conspirator, but it doesn't mean that this loss will be easy. I love working with enlightened men. I love that men support me and treat me as equals. It's why I'm still here. They make my work interesting and fun. I laugh, because I am a staunch feminist, but there are a few managers at work who call me "cutie" or "sweetie" or a "super lady" - and coming from them, it's not derogatory, it's a high compliment, because they listen to me, they respect me, they are pulling for me, when they probably haven't pulled for women in the past. So a sincere thank you - to all the men who have treated me like I belong and encouraged me to reach for my goals. It's why I'm still here.
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