A pin?

Note: I feel like since everyone here at work knows I'm leaving it's ok for me to blog about it. So here we go.

Today, as I sat quietly at my desk, reviewing yet another spreadsheet, some cheerful girl (never seen her before) comes bouncing up and very enthusiastically says, "Our organization has just ordered new pins for everyone!" (Note, I am not a dental hygienist, so it doesn't look like this one above). We have "new" pins? Did we have old ones? Did we need these pins in order to help reduce poverty around the globe? Apparently the answer to that is a resounding YES!

We're not talking about some kind of cheapo, political or "I heart DC" pin. We're talking gold plated, shiny, "I'm somebody (or am trying to convince myself that I am)" sort of pin. The reality is that the last time I wore a pin it was my sorority pin. Actually, maybe this is why people still have a fondness for pins...because they miss the "glory days" of sporting their sorority or fraternity pin. But I digress. But either way, this just isn't the same...this is the big leagues, boys.

Then another thought hit me. "Wow, so I guess our admin budget must not be oh-so-very tight, that we're ordering shiny, glossy pins for everyone to wear on their lapel. Huh. Well. Could have fooled me." I thought our admin budget was so tight that we weren't hiring people and they weren't replenishing our plastic forks. Interesting.

And so my cubemate (actually, my former boss, who is now a consultant here) and I just looked at each other and then at Miss Bubbly, rolled our eyes and tried to say something nice about our new logo, which is so much, much worse than our old logo (we had to add stars and stripes to show everyone that we're 1) American and 2) patriotic. I'm not kidding.) Cubemate ended up making a joke about asking whether or not Obama would wear one and what it would mean if he didn't. Ha ha, I said.

And then I became oh so very thankful. Now I'll finally fit in to the "pin wearing mafia" of Washington, DC. You're a nobody until you strategically place yourself in a specific group by the 1/2 inch lapel pin that you wear. These are the ones that matter:

*the state people (American flag and state flag of your choice or state logo)

*the "I like people to wonder if I'm a Member of Congress" people (circular pin that looks oddly "official".)

* the "I care about humanity angst-ridden youth who support their favorite cause on their tshirt" people (Note, these pins are never shiny or gold-plated. They're usually plastic. As they should be, given that their money and time is better spent on their cause of choice)

*the people who love their country (American flag ONLY), and who will judge every politician's -or human being really- patriotism on whether or not he or she wears a pin as well. We've all heard about THEM. And aren't they right?

So thank you, dear Employer, for finally giving me the thrill of placing a small hole in my coat or blouse and for allowing me to boldly proclaim my love for my work and my country with this new pin. I will never again be the same.

The pin is in.

(If only I could find where I threw it after Miss Bubbly walked away)