Work/Life

Friday, where the brain is full.  

Whew, we made it.  It's almost Friday.


You know, that strange day of the week where you compare notes for the upcoming weekend.  Some co-workers love to share their full thoughts on plans that involve Home Depot or grabbing a drink with a friend that is in town for the weekend.

You may have other co-workers that have made plans with you.  Sometimes you fondly dream of future memories that cannot be bottled in after a (long) five day work week.

Yup, Friday.  Come on, you remember Friday.  It is a day like no other.  Even in the name: FRY DAY.  The day in which your brain is completely fried from co-workers, tasks, and projects.

Friday has a certain appeal to me.  Friday is a day to catch up with co-workers.  Ya know, get to know 'em a bit.  Sometimes even the bosses share something awesome (mundane).   The fact is you spend eight hours a day (at least) and 40 hours per week (at least) at work.  No doubt that your personal life will flow into work life.  I'm guilty of it, I share what Significant Other and I are doing on the weekend on a Friday.

And because you are at work so much, your work life defines you as a person.  Right?

Tough call with that one.  You are who you are and that will never change no matter the setting. Professionalism changes (of course) but who you are as a person doesn't.

I bring this subject up because of a recent story I finally had to comment on.  In Boston, a town filled with people crazy about both sports and politics, is man who says that who he is in his personal life has nothing to do with his professional life.

People ask this man, "How can you live two different lives?"

For him, it's simple.  His life outside of work has nothing to do with what he does each night when he does come to work.

Tim Thomas, a man who is two men

Recently, Tim Thomas, the goalie for the Boston Bruins, has made some questionable calls that has me thinking before the eve of my favorite work day.

If you don't know the back story; Tim Thomas refused to come visit the White House in a celebration for his team's Stanley Cup Win.  The President traditionally honors the champions of college and professional sports by inviting the winning team to the White House and showing the team a grand time.  Tim Thomas, out of love for his country, decided that his political views (blaming both left and right) would impede him from having a good time with his team.  It also provided a platform to make a statement about his personal life.




Of course, since this controversial move, he has refused to make comments on a series of Facebook messages which further perpetuates his stance.  You can read these here.

Which brings me to the ultimate question:



Who are we really?


Beyond the psychobabble of a conservative who's dream is to have "Dinner with Glenn Beck" (his views), Timmy brings an interesting component to the daily grind.  Who we are as individuals have a lot to do with the way that you act at work and how you are at home.

Look, our colleagues at work know this better than anyone. When one of my co-workers say they are going to run errands at Home Depot for a project at home this weekend, we (as other co-workers) don't just say, "great, let me know how that works out."

We inquire. We analyze.  We sympathize.  We recognize.

Although Tim Thomas would love to keep separate his work and home life, it's nearly impossible with the statement that he's made.  Especially with the integration of social networks. These mediums have us connected on a level that we never realized existed.

Sorry Tim, I don't agree that you can keep life separate if you decide to make a bold statement about your political views.  

I don't think that you can have two separate personalities.  You are who you are.

Curious to see what other people think about this.  Are you a different person inside/outside of work?