All Grown Up...or are we?

Pioneer parents passing through Kansas City

Oh man, I just have to expound about this…whatever happened to grown-ups?  Or should I say realizing that we are grown up and don’t need to be treated like we are still in elementary school. 

Reading a national news paper today (2 words because it is paper that really reports only news, nothing about celebrities and other types who think they are), which had two articles that made me just want to smack somebody. Not sure who exactly, probably just my own head in frustration but come on people….are we really so nanny-fied up the wazoo that we can’t think for ourselves anymore?

Article number one was about distractions in the work place. After some statistics about who bothers whom and how social media dominates work time and all (shame on those of you reading this at work!) ….a picture was in the lower corner. A grown woman is standing at a counter of some kind, obviously doing a job. She is wearing a narrow yellow sash like thing, almost like an overgrown dog collar in style, cross ways on her body. It is a sign to her other coworkers that she is “busy” and not to be disturbed. A whole bunch of them hang on hooks behind her on the wall for others to take when needed so  they be identified as “busy” too and nobody is to bother them with videos about their dog or instagram photos of their breakfast. (I am guessing the dog collar style is so it can be adjusted in girth for universal one size fits all coding.) Did the boss put this lady in time out so she actually gets some work done for his dollar? Why do we need a sash to say back off? Why not just say to the interrupting instagrammer….”back off, I gotta get some work done?” Are we afraid of hurting somebody’s feelings because we don’t’ have time to listen to a story about their daughter’s lame boyfriend? Can’t we just hold up a palm and say “later?”   I about upchucked my cheerios at this story.  Of course I can’t let it go with just that one observation. Maybe they have blue sashes for those on the way to the potty, or even a brown one so everybody knows your business without asking, (you know what I mean) because bothering a sash wearer is an office no-no!  Maybe a scarlet red one is for those who got caught looking at fashion blogs or playing poker during office hours. Shame on you Allie Officeworker! Go get your sash and sit in your cubicle for time out…and get some work done while you are at it.  Okay, enough, I could go with this one for days.

Article two was about the new “take your parents to work days” cropping up in major companies across America because so many young adults don’t have a landing pad at home for mommy and daddy so now the boss has to include them too. Company picnic coming up?, bring the parents!  Show them your desk and your homework papers and then we can all sit at the table and talk about your work performance…oh wait, that was elementary school right? Wrong, parental participation is happening in office building across the country. It is even encouraged by upper managment to include the parents frequently at many of those “younger” generation type companies where a tie is something that happens only in a game (probably watched by a non sasher ).  I would have been horrified to take my parents to my place of business during regular hours. After work or weekends during a visit is okay, but as active observers during the day? Are we that insecure? At what point does the employee decide that mommy and daddy are too old to come to work?  Why aren’t the mommy and daddy saying “are you nuts?  I let go of those little hands long ago because I get much better leverage to kick’m in the rear that way. Not that I wouldn’t throw myself in front of a speeding train or fling out the ever present “safety arm” across the passenger seat, but I am in no way tagging along to the office asking to see their locker. I would not want my child working for a company that is so unsure of the abilities of its employees that they feel it is okay for the kids to check with mommy and daddy to be sure all is okay. Can’t you just see some old daddy saying “Hey Buddyboy, what does this button do? “ And off goes the whole company internet. Oopsies, sorry everybody, my dad was playing with my computer again.  Maybe if he put on a yellow sash and sat in the corner all would be okay.

Yes, perhaps I am just a believer in our own ability to function in the real world once we drop the diapers, banish the binkie , fall down, get up, try again, cry it out and tell other people the important stuff to their face, like sorry, I am a bit busy doing some brain surgery or something so save the funny cat picture for happy hour. 

I must say however, my newest favorite app for background noise is a police scanner for a local city. The things I learn are far more enlightening than my old talk radio. For instance, if you plan to shoplift, don’t do it in a tie-dyed shirt and funky hat. The cops will find you really fast.  And, when shoplifting, if one is going to do it in drag, be careful of your attire, heels do not make for good running shoes.  Now get back to work.