Give me strength

I've mentioned that my office is a bit like a Lifetime movie. Except that my workday lasts for several hours longer than a Lifetime movie. My coworkers are not merely content to forward the latest treacle, but insist on printing it out and READING IT ALOUD. Oh, the horror. Not only do I loathe being read aloud to (I'm an amazingly fast reader, being read to fatigues me), but I loathe mooshy sentimental pap that patronizes anyone (in this case, aging women) under the guise of humor.

The aforementioned "poem" attributed to Maya Angelou (which I highly doubt, but never mind) was capped by an excruciating discussion about the "good old days", which viewed through their perspective are the unholy spawn of the Waltons and Leave it to Beaver. Nothing bad ever happened, everyone was happy, people looked out for each other and they all shat roses.

I can't really participate meaningfully in these discussions other than to say,

"Hi, I'm Marina. My childhood memories include fond memories of living in the commune and generally being a feral hippie child. My teen memories include discovering Suzanne Vega/Michael Moorcock/Harlan Ellision, hating Reagan, the start of MTV, being sexually active, perusing my boyfriend's dirty mags and taking a frightening number of drugs.

My college memories include my first ever apartment and living with a friend who ordered so many adult novelties that her regular company sent her all kinds of free samples. I think I regularly viewed more porn and saw more vibrators than many people see in their entire lives. Oh, and I shaved off part of my head and worked as an exotic dancer. And flunked my Women's Studies classes."

"But enough about me. Let's talk about your perception of the good old days. I've spoken to my older relatives and THEY remember getting busted by the cops in disreputable afterhours clubs, working in factories during WWII, fighting in WWII, working in factories, learning a new language in a new country, gray-marketing cars to build a nest egg, and having Dad's gay lover step up as the family breadwinner after Dad suddenly died. They knew ether huffers and tough business women and migrant workers and they lived life large.

Someone change the channel before I run amuck.