The Billion-Dollar Thinktank (cubicle)
If I tell you, I'd have to kill you
I think we all must have a few of those defining moments. The one’s where we’re smiling from ear to ear nearly every day. Humming a tune while walking into work. Chatting it up with “the gang” way too much to get serious work done, and yet as a team accomplishing more than any of us ever dreamt of. I had a record-length stretch of just such a defining moment with the gang in the Billion-Dollar Thinktank. Without exception, the best work experience in my 51 years of work.
It all started with me physically sharing an 8 x 4 (correct me if I’m wrong in the comments Kim C.) cubicle with a coworker who I grew to love literally as much as my own flesh and blood sisters. At first it was off-putting for “someone of my importance” and me being an awkward introvert and all. But, Kim was having none of that! Over time Danny and Ross joined the gang via drop ins to see what all this “unseemly joy” was about in the office every day.
We quickly transitioned from co-workers to the bestest friends with handles and everything. Danny ~ stankmoney, Kim ~ hotmesstakeover, and me ~ redalert. Ross, so sorry but I don’t remember your handle. Leave me a comment with reprimand, please. Any hoo….
Not sure what triggered all the ideas, but we had some doozies. Biz-bibs which was a suit made as overalls so no vest or jacket to fuss with, but all one piece ladies and gentlemen. Another was the “funktank” which was a dunk tank that you stand in and do a 1-person flash mob to the crowd’s satisfaction or showers turn on overhead to soak you. While you’re flash-mobbing, of course, strobes and loud music accompany your moves. This has been patented so don’t even think about stealing it! Another one was a “swonsie” which was, like biz-bibs, a sweater and pants all in one. Like a fuzzy hug all winter. Oddly, skirts made of granny squares are now all the rage (thank you Yarnspirations for the free patterns) so the swonsie is not that far-fetched, now is it?
We had some seriously great actual work ideas too. [Although judges, like those in the 1970’s Olympic gymnastics arena, might have scored us - a 4.6, a 5.3, and the damned Russian judge (always a tough-ass) a 2.0] One such great idea was having Amazon fulfill our debit cards (Amazon, if you are listening, or reading, or watching this hit me up and I will get you the correct names to credit - a small 10% commission would suffice LOL). If Amazon can get me all the stuff and fresh food I want in the same day, why should our company take 10-14 days to get a plastic debit card to our cardholders, hmmm? That’s what I’d like to know.
BUT, and see it’s a big “but”, this post is dedicated to the thinktank and all my family who’ve recently helped me take the first handful of steps to get started writing. My son, Killian, who I mentioned in my first post:
https://coribren.substack.com/p/embarking-on-a-joyful-adventure
and who encouraged me to build some street-cred on Substack. My son, Seth, who helped me cull the list of handle ideas. My co-workers from the thinktank - Danny D, Kim C, Ross K - Danny and Kim helped me today with ideas for my Substack handle. Ideas like “corimccoriface” and “corinotsorry” and “babblingbren” none of which stuck, bless your hearts. Let’s not forget our boss of that moment in time, Maria E who put up with all of it because, well she loved us. And, members of my coffee-chat - my sisters Beth and Sally and my niece Lacey. THANK YOU - I love all of you without reservations, without limits.
If any of you have the chance to be part of a “Billion Dollar Thinktank” of your own, grab on with both hands and journal all of it because years later you’ll wish you had a vlog of every, single moment.
If you liked this, or hated it but can’t stand to miss a single ugly future moment (like a wreck), please do subscribe. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you.