Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Open with a Song

I remember when I first heard the Jason Mraz song that inspired this blog's title. I was so pleased that somebody had finally written a song for the working people; and not just any old Bruce Springsteen/Erie Canal song of drudgery. This was an upbeat song, a song full of hope and the satisfaction derived from a job well done. This was a song for the other eight hours of the day. The eight hours we don't talk about much once we get home and feed the cats and put the pork chops in the oven (that was my evening, by the way). I pictured people in cubicles and pushing mail trollies, entering data into Microsoft Excel, all the while bopping their heads going, "Laa la la la laaaaaaa!" filled with joy, camaraderie, and job satisfaction.

I realized my error soon afterward, and experienced a surprisingly keen disappointment. I want someone to write that song, guys. The workplace needs that song. This feeling of letdown was heightened when I tuned in to NPR to hear a whole story on the lack of songs about the workplace (can't find the link just now. I'll work on it). The only work song they came up with that's even remotely positive is "Car Wash."

Well, I don't work at a Car Wash, folks. I work in an office. I am an Administrative Associate, and I am dying to feel good about my job. I am sick of clock-watching and living for the weekend. I am desperate to find meaning in the day-to-day grind, and since I can't heighten my experiences with song, I'm going to blog about it.

My goals for this blog are to learn about working, to become better at my job and more fulfilled by it. I plan to read all those books you're supposed to read, like The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People and How to Make Friends and Influence People, and write about whether or not they are full of it. I'd also like to re-write the wikipedia definition of my job, because it's lame.

Down with lame! Up with blogs! Hooray for the workplace! Oh, and if anyone out there is musically inclined, and wants to succeed where our deal Mr. Mraz dropped the ball, I heartily salute you, and would love to hear what you've got to say.

No comments:

Post a Comment