I just “GC’d a job” — meaning, I served as a general contractor to manage the renovation of a small house in the neighborhood near where I own several other houses that I rent to community heroes. I didn’t have the time to do all of the renovations myself, but I did do some of the required work myself, like replacing the house’s entire electrical system.

It has been fun (and tiring) for the past two months to turn a house that was rather beat-up, drab, and dull and turn it into a nice-looking, updated home. The house had “good bones” — no water or termite damage, cracks in the foundation, or other evidence of substantial problems. What it needed was tender loving care.
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Well, not quite, but the title got your attention! LOL!

Today and tomorrow will find me suited and booted while representing my professional association at a major national meeting in Washington, DC. A strange feeling has come over me about this meeting.
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I participate on one of the world’s largest social networks related to business, work, and employment — but I don’t want to say its name here. Let’s just say that it starts with the letter “L” and ends with “In.” Figure out what it is?

I’ve been on that site, professionally, since 2005. It provides interesting information, particularly in its discussion forums where professionals in my field share questions, insights, and ideas.

A few weeks ago, I commented in one of those discussion forums on an issue about which I have a lot of experience. I shared ideas, suggestions, and provided some insight into how people respond and think about threats caused by natural hazards.

Soon after that, someone contacted me with a request to talk by phone about that issue. He asked some good questions, and I agreed that a phone discussion would be a worthwhile follow-up, and could provide a better means of probing the matter than going back-and-forth via email.

Turns out that the gentleman who contacted me was a recruiter for a major company. They wanted to interview me for a position.
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Yep, it’s that time of year again… Branch holiday gathering at a bowling alley, Division holiday breakfast, agency holiday festival, not to mention several invitations from family and friends for various gatherings… yuggghhhh. (I don’t know what “yuggghhhh” really means, but it sounds descriptive of how I feel about these things.)

Will I be going to the work-related events?

Yep; have to. My absence would be conspicuously noticed. Do I want to go? Not really. So what do I do? Suck it up and go. Here are my adaptations on the “yuppie/guppie*” recommendations for attending work-related holiday events.

1. Dress like I dress for work–comfortable slacks or khakis, collared dress shirt, no tie, no sport coat. For after-work events, then I will wear comfy leather jeans and a denim shirt. No sweater. I don’t wear sweaters because they make me look 10x larger than I really am. What’s on my feet? Good-looking cowboy boots, of course. Nothing less.

2. Take a couple Excedrin because that helps me endure the discomfort with the requisite hour or two of standing. Even if chairs are available, if most people are standing and speaking with one another, I stand too.

3. Show up on time. This is an office party, not a casual “show up whenever” event. Co-workers and the bosses notice if you are late to work events.

4. Smile, and greet people warmly. I try to meet people who I do not know. While it is easier to hang out with people in my immediate work group, and who I like, it is strategically better to circulate and meet other people who I do not know, or know as well. I never know if having a casual chit-chat conversation may lead to something better for me in the future. I’m told that I have a nice smile, so I use it. (It is not a fake “I am soooo happy-to-be-here” kinda smile, either.)

5. Keep the conversation to non-controversial topics. The weather, local happenings, concern about a common acquaintance, activities we enjoy in common, and so forth. I don’t talk about sports because I do not have a clue, and I do not want to come across as a complete ignoramus. I do not talk about religion or politics, either. No one will agree on anything about either subject, so I avoid those topics at all costs.

6. Eat if food is provided, but in moderation. Don’t be first in the buffet line, don’t be last. Don’t pile the plate high as if you haven’t eaten in a week. With my desire to maintain (or not gain) weight, I avoid the sweets as best I can, as well. I also politely but firmly decline offers of alcohol. It is easier these days to say, “thanks, but I don’t drink alcohol. I’ll be happy with water or juice.”

7. For the bowling event, dodge requests to join a group to bowl. I don’t bowl, and would be embarrassed to display my complete ineptitude. I don’t even know how to keep score. I’ll say, “I am happy to be your cheerleader, but I don’t bowl.” If pressed, I may make a polite excuse about a recent back strain that makes it painful for me to try to lift a heavy ball and throw it down a bowling lane. I will not say, but clearly feel, that wearing bowling shoes is against my personal principles and I wouldn’t “go there.” (Seriously, dorky-looking bowling shoes? Really? No way!)

8. Leave as early as I can exit, graciously. That is, not first, but certainly not last. Most people understand when you say that you have things you have to do, or in my case for evening events, be home by my 9pm self-curfew. I do not invent stories (which if checked can catch you in a lie). I just say as tactfully as I can that it’s time for me to go, then I leave.

These events are supposed to be happy, pleasant times with colleagues — not a drudge, though many (including myself) can feel that way about them. Make the best of it. It’s sorta like, “do what you gotta do” and most people appreciate the effort.

Oh, and the next day… visit with the organizers of the event and thank them for the time and effort that they put into making the event happen. Thank the bosses or anyone who paid for the food and drink. Then follow-up with a brief email to the organizers, too. The time you take to thank people is noticed because that seldom happens.

Life is short: do what you gotta do!

* N.B.: “Yuppie” — derived from Young Upcoming Professional, or YUP. Derogatory 80s term to describe a ‘new breed’ of young, wealthy people, typically successful in business and not afraid to flaunt it in a fashion which particularly irritates non-yuppies (like the author of this blog).

“Guppie” — a gay yuppie. “I live in a nice, big apartment, do what I want to do, have a great job, travel, eat out when I feel like it, no kids. High disposable income. and my mom LOVES my boyfriend.”