Well It's Been Building Up Inside of me for...

Carrying four cups of tea and coffee down a flight of stairs, if incorrectly positioned causes blisters on the knuckles. Second time. Dang.

The joy of working with a small company, and people you actually really like! New Year comes and goes, and you don't have to plan escape routes and diversionery tactics to avoid the New Year Snog Fest.

I used to work in an Engineering Company in Glasgow. The male/ female ratio was in the proportion of 30 - 1. Christmas Festivities centred around various project night outs, and the "Bosses and Secretaries" lunch and culminated in the Christmas Eve Drinks in the Board Room.

The problem of getting into your office unscathed after New Year was almost insurmountable. There were methods. Coming in early was not the answer. Not using the lift to the 4th floor was a good start. No entrapment. Running past reception saying "Conference Call", and slamming the door of your room, was very effective.

Once I had an office of my own, the problem was almost resolved. Using the running up the stairs and dashing past reception late got your past most people - sitting for the full day, with the phone tucked under your chin assisted in avoiding the rest of the population. And leaving late, after everyone else got you out snog-free.

For the girls in the admin pool, life was not so good. The leery old men who stood around the reception waiting for their annual game of slip the tongue were almost impossible to avoid. It mattered not a jot which way you turned your head, their lips always managed to find their way to yours, and occassionally grasped your wrists to ensure there was no escape from their sweaty mitts.

Just thinking about it makes my blood run cold!

Thank God For Small Friendly Offices!