Before we get to today's list, I'd like to ask any of you who would like to send prayers along - my uncle just had surgery for a shattered ankle and I would like to share all the prayer power I can send his way. This is my Uncle Louie with my cousin Charlie when he was here for a visit last November.
And now, on to the Thursday Thirteen.
I don't know about you, but I'm not much of a corporate gal. Yes, I work in an office, but I came to office life rather late in the game. Six years ago I started my first office job at age 38. I might as well have been sucked into a vortex and spit out into an alternate universe. I am not well-suited to corporate thinking, and each day I have to do a 7 hour performance in order to get through my work day.
Luckily, being a writer and a collector of all behaviors belonging to humans, I make the most of this situation and watch the fascinating habits of the Office People. I had encountered a similar phenomenon when I worked in retail, of course, but office culture is so enclosed, it's like an extreme and rather warped version of small-town life - another existence for which I'm not cut out.
Something many of you will be familiar with are the motivational posters hung in many an office. You know the ones.
"Anyone who thinks the sky is the limit, has limited imagination."
- Unknown
Or -
"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground."
- Theodore Roosevelt
At the first office where I worked, a kindred spirit had a take-off of one of these posters up on his wall. I went to the site where he'd found it and promptly laughed myself into tears over what I found there. At Despair, Inc. you can find lots more of them, but for today's Thursday Thirteen I'd like to present the ones that leave me rolling on the floor laughing my ass off.
- 1
('Mistakes' is my personal favorite!)
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Thursday Thirteen - 41 - 13 Demotivators From Despair, Inc.
Posted by Julia Phillips Smith at 7:49 PM
Labels: corporate culture, Demotivators, Despair Inc., Uncle Louie
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21 comments:
These ARE great, no question about them. And yes, you picked the best of them. Absolutely.
First prayers are on their way for your uncle.
I see these posters are still in vogue. You are right, sometimes when you know how the office works and then you see one of these posters you either shake your head or try not to laugh. Very well done. Have a great TT. :)
I absolutely love these and there was one with French fries that I was very tempted to hang up in my classroom when I was a teacher. Fortunately I didn't hang up: Potential
Not everyone gets to be an astronaut when they grow up.
What's really funny about this blog tonight was that I had two meetings in our conference room today where we have the motivational posters. I always giggle inside thinking of the demotivational ones. Thanks for the smile tonight.
I love those posters, and I'm totally with you on not being miss corporate gal (worse- I work for Da Government-sigh). Have a great TT. :)
Every office has it's own culture, doesn't it?
Prayers to your uncle for a speedy recover.
I love Demotivators! My husband has several hanging in his office, as well as a calendar with 12 different ones on it, and the Idiocy quote on post-it notes. :) And I got him and my sons each one of the T-shirts for Valentine's day. I do a lot of shopping there.
OMG! These are too funny! *rofl*
Prayers for your uncle are on their way, Julia.
And these are fantastic! I'd read some but not ALL of them and can't pick a favorite, each one left me thinking . . . Loved them, thanks and happy TT!
Sending healing thoughts to your uncle. Hope his ankle is better soon.
I love these! I'm a part-time corporate girl and know what you mean. Thanks for the laugh!!
Prayers to your Unc, Julia!! Hope he recovers quickly and relatively pain free :)
Those posters were hilarious. Every single one had me thinking 'okay, that's my fave' until I got to the next... and so on!
Thanks for making my morning :D
Oh my I love these! I can't even pick a favorite, because I kept going down the list and saying "This one's the best"..."No, this one's the best". LOVE them. And I totally feel you about not being corporate gal...I work in an office (a law office to top it off), but would much rather spend my days daydreaming. Sigh...
Prayers to your uncle's speedy recovery.
I just had a broken ankle and it SUCKED! He'll be in my thoughts!
http://blog.mysocalledsite.com/?p=199 Happy TT! :)
I hope your uncle pulls through. ALl my prayers are with you and your family! :D
I've always LOVED those posters! The first time a friend showed me their web site, I laughed till snot was blowing out my nose, they are so priceless.
I hope your Uncle has a speedy recovery.
I loved these, Julia. My favorite was Tradition with the bullfighting.
HAHAHA! You picked some gooders there! They were all good and many time I laughed out loud, but the last one about regret was the funniest, IMO!
I love these posters. Happy TT and thanks for stopping by.
Your reference to the enclosed world of the office brought back to me the nightmare of going in to see the same people every day with whom I had nothing in common except the need to earn a living.
Thankfully, those days are gone and I can fly freely with my mind wherever my impulse takes me.
All good fortune to your uncle.
Healing Reiki on the way for your uncle Julia. x
i've seen these scattered across the blogosphere and come across a few at art.com and allposters.com but had no idea they were part of office culture.
i've had an antipathy for office culture since childhood and all the dinnertime hours listening to my dad complain. my temperament would not make a good fit in an office culture even if my skill set might.
i pray your uncle is healing quickly
The Idiocy, Quality, Tradition, and Ambition posters are contagiously funny! I'm not sure though if they're gonna give more than just a stir at any given office. But nevertheless, some of the most effective strategies and motivation come from the other side of the spectrum. People sharing an office space could learn a thing or two from this stuff.
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