Hi. I first wanted to thank the people who commented on my previous post. I’m not used to exposing myself on that level. Eric suggested that maybe future posts may occur now that I’ve released that event. I have many memories as well as a shortish longish story called “The Day You Came Back” and I’m tossing up/down whether to post…decisions…
This post is a little (ok a lot) more trite. We received a list of new conduct rules for our (my) place of work…I’m starting the record in 5, 4 , 3, 2, 1…(The drone voice speaks)…Thou shalt advise us if you are arrested of a felony…thou shalt record all vacation time properly…thou shalt not wear pajamas to work (yes it happens)…thou shalt not show tats or piercings…thou shalt not wear hair in mohawk or dye it garishly in colors such as blue or pink….record scratches LOUDLY…
I find myself out of compliance. Why? Because I have this little streak of pink in my hair that falls right in front of my eye. I’ve had it forever bc I have that bit of hellion/rebellion that is me. I work in corporate America; however I’m not client facing. When I was, I blended it and no one was the wiser. It takes more time than I want to waste during a bad day and I don’t want to be out of compliance…I need my paycheck til I win the lottery. .so this weekend I’m going home to see my dentist and my stylist.
My question to you is does your workplace have these rules and how do you feel about them?
Bye pinky…
First of all, only just caught up on the last post. Amazing.
I work in a dress down office, so I’m very lucky. We do have ‘clients’ but as I’m a coder I’m kept in a little box and not shown to the general public. Today I’m wearing camouflage trousers and a hoody, it’s awesome. Very relaxed. It’s all about being sensible – if I DO have to meet with a client, I’m suited and booted like I should be, but the fact I can wear what I want makes me feel happier about being in the office.
Hi Simon. Thank you.
I agree. Sensibility is key. If you are going to wear sandals for the love of god, please don’t let your toenails hang over the edge…someone invented this sweet little tool known as the clippers. I’m glad you are able to dress down…*whispers in drone voice…thou shalt not wear hoodies* completely forgot about that one. *wink*.
Ugh gross! That makes me happy that thongs and flip flops are banned for any occasion where I work. I think people still wear them in the summer but they run the risk of getting written up.
I know exactly what your are saying with the toenail thing. Nothing is worse than someone with their toes hanging out and you hear a click clack when they walk.
I work for a doctor (small practice) and we have a handbook, however there are the “unwritten rules” as well that get to me. I had a streak of dark red, just on the bang area…very subtle. I immediately saw the dislike for this “wild” addition to my frock. Although the dislike was coming from a very conservative doctor, who is ALL about judging by appearance and hasn’t changed his hair style since 3rd grade, I did eventually change my hair.
Hi Top. Ugh. That sucks. People are so closed minded. I haven’t decided what’s next but red is a strong possibility.
I really got a lot of compliments on the red…do it.
stupid work and rules,,,I’m not aloud to show up naked anymore.
What the hell? That’s bullshit.
Lol…Gurl…if it isn’t in the rulebook, can you claim it as a technicality?
Another great example of why I’m working toward getting out of the 9-5!
Hi Denmother. The thing is that I LOVE my 9-5 or 10. I joke that if i won the mega lotto, i would do job for free…yes I’m a freak.
Freaks are great people. I can’t fault you for that.
Thanks. We use it as a term of endearment…most people don’t understand.
Yuck. Jobs suck.
Hey there. I love mine + it pays the bills. What’s next though…oh your hair is just a little too spiky…not enough to be called a mohawk..but tone it down.
I get to have career killing tats, if I want. Supposedly, cooks are expected to be weirdos.
Weirdo…uh, me.
You don’t SEEM weird. The fact that you cook is awesome. If I win the lotto, I’m hunting you down, bc I have no energy to cook.Jaded
Oh. I promise I’m weird. But super cool, and that usually outweighs the weirdness,
I work at a college, so while faculty have a pretty relaxed dress code, we do have some rules for admin jobs like mine. The dress code specifically says that it is not meant to address hair or makeup, but I have a feeling my style will eventually lead to that statement being revised. My boss worries about who I will be meeting with on the days I have my blue hair in (clip-in or wash out because I can’t commit to either pink or blue, or else it would be permanent). It is silly, most people either don’t notice the other color or they compliment it.
*whispers pink*…someone needs to carry on the legacy! I love it when people assert their individuality with tats, piercings or hair. Really, the world will not spin backwards because of it.
I work with a ton of gigantic brains, all dudes. As a rule of thumb I dress up to class up the place since they are usually in jeans and t-shirts, plus the only other things in my wardrobe are my mom uniform (Yoga pants and hoodies). Anyhow I send a text to my boss one evening:
“Hey, would I get in shit if I showed up to work dressed as a dinosaur?”
*pause*
his response:
“Go nuts. Just bring a change of clothes, remember everyone doesn’t know how weird you are yet.”
I think people were stunned and I need to work on my roars, they are a tad bit pathetic.
I’m now searching for a mustache, storm trooper duds and a fat suit for my work wardrobe.
LMAO. You fucking rock.
I do it all for those who must abide by dress code, uniform, corporate restrictions, have no un-natural hair colours and visible piercings.
AND because it is funny & they are engineers and sometimes forget to not take life so seriously.
Still, rock on.
fuck yes!
Lol!..I can only dream…
As a corp man I too dislike the rules in place at times. I am also only a moderate user of privileges where I work. It is that other group who abuse the life out of any loophole. I see people who see “casual Friday” then show up dressed like Batman. Come on! Sure it is funny but do you think it is a coincident that they banned that sort of thing and further restricted casual dress codes the week after?
My ideal life I would be writing, doing comics and pod casting for a living. If I could support my family on that I would do it in a heartbeat.
Not coincidence at all. The people who abuse it are the ones who ruin it for everyone (pls see comment above about the toenails…ick).
You have talent and I think it will all work out.
As long as I don’t wear clothing that has curse words written on it, they don’t care what I wear to work. Although, if I showed up in just my underwear, they might have a problem with it.
That makes sense about the underwear…however…you could use the technicality defense. Swear words are so subjective these days…(said in the drone monotone voice)…click.
Almost left a job because they had a problem with my demeanor once. When I said I was done and dropped off my keys, they changed the standards.
I’ve always been annoyed with any outside noise about my workplace that didn’t have to do with the work.
Hi El Guapo. It is annoying. You can do the task like no other but you have that little curl in the middle of your forehead…SO UNACCEPTABLE.
My work policy does not allow me to like or comment on blogs while I’m at work. So too I often have to become one of those non-liking & non-commenting stat numbers.
I like and comment from my phone. I think I’d get a warning. Don’t want to find out.
Unfortunately, I’m sitting right on the VP and director migration routes, so I can’t really use my cell phone either.
When I leave the job I am at now, I will NEVER wear a watch again, because I wear one 9 hours a day Monday-Friday to cover up the small non offensive tattoo on my left wrist. Fuck rules.
If you don’t mind me asking, what is the tattoo? It does suck when you have to hide it. I almost did a Yin/Yang one on my wrist.
My editor does not allow us to chew gum in the newsroom. I’m 46 freaking years old, and I can’t chew GUM?! What is this, grade school? Is she worried I’m going to fall asleep at my keyboard and get it in my hair? I found a restaurant that has the most garlic-laden Caesar dressing on the planet. Seriously, I checked. I now make it a point to eat it for lunch EVERY CHANCE I get, after which I go directly into her small office, close the door and talk about story ideas until she throws me out. Then I chew gum after she leaves for a smoke because her office stinks.
I chew gum. I don’t care, it isn’t in the book. I never do it on calls but other times all bets are off…between that and the pink, I’m surprised they keep me around.
It must be your sparkling personality and fresh breath…
Thanks! Will go for the fresh breath part…I will take the sparking personality as sarcasm?
Ever so slight; I enjoy your stuff too much.
I’ve had a pink hair. I’ve had no hair. I’ve had a mohawk. I have knuckle tattoos. I wear whatever I want. I don’t even think they’d care if I wore pajamas.
Is your place hiring?
Sadly, no. The economy pared us down to a skeleton crew.
I’m allowed to wear jeans and supposed to wear a polo, but they never say anything if I just wear a t-shirt. I don’t have tattoos, and hardly any hair, so I’m not sure what the actual policy is on that.
Come and join us…
Haha. No thanks. Tattoos aren’t my thing.
Bellman can’t wear cologne.
Other than that, our employer is pretty lenient.
Hang in there!
I will. We cant do perfume or cologne either….so if i make it to NF and I see a bellman with head to toe tats, multiple piercings and a purple colored mohawk, but i don’t smell cologne, is it safe to assume it is you?…*winking*
Supposedly we do, but somehow you can get away with it. Facial piercings, tattoos, I have plugs in my ears, I don’t see how they can say no. I just talk to customers, behind a phone and a computer.
Oh, and I’m allowed to wear tennis shoes on Fridays, but they never notice when I wear them other times, after all checkered old school vans blend in well with my work pants.
Our boss is by the book and that is fine…people in our area are like but…that area does it. Surprisingly, we can do tennis shoes all days of the week.
I’m jealous! I take full advantage of Fridays. It’s tshirt and Vans day for me. I’m wondering what they would do if I wore my vader or stormtrooper helmet?
Being in a religious community now I kind of have to toe the line with the dress code, but I knew that before I came. The tatts are well covered (I chose to have them in places that I can show them to people if I wish, but are easily covered up, because I got them after I knew I was joining the Order) and it’s so long since I last dyed my hair it’s now grown out to my natural colour (which is actually OK). We don’t have to wear veils and we’re allowed to keep long hair, providing we’re tidy. I rarely wore earrings anyway, so that doesn’t bother me either.
I have already decided though that if it transpires I’m not meant to be a nun, I will dye my hair black and red and go over-board with the eyeliner and probably get more tatts and piercings. But that’s not a valid reason for my chosing to not stay, it’s just a hypothetical.