"Monkeys."

It's a phrase MDFA and I use to refer to work-related stupidity. Got started because of an incredibly stupid (IMO) "morale boosting" promotion her company did. I started asking if monkeys were in charge of the budget. And it eventually got shortened down to one of us shaking our head and the other saying, "Monkeys." (So, yes, it was with a mixture of delight and a feeling of having our idea stolen, that we have received the commercials for Careerbuilder.com).

Anyway, the interview I had scheduled for today -- well, they never sent a follow up email. So I got up this morning and called. And got a series of voicemails. So I got ready, shaved, etc. I called again. I say to the receptionist, "Yeah, hi, I'm calling because I'm supposed to be coming in for any interview at 11. I don't know who I spoke to last Friday, because she called while I was in my car..."

"Oh, you must mean, Ms. _____ in HR. Hang on, I'll transfer you."

Six or seven rings later, I'm on the phone with Ms. ___'s voicemail. So I explain that I never received the email, but I had figured out where they were and would be there at 11 unless I heard from them. So I'm tying my tie (Full Windsor, for anyone who cares... it's the only one I know how to tie) and the phone rings. It's Ms. ____. Seems the hiring manager got called to an out of town meeting. We need to reschedule. Ms. ____ was stuck in traffic and couldn't get anyone there to get my # for her (she didn't sound happy about that). But she didn't have the hiring manager's schedule, so... yep, they'll have to get back to me...

Hence... Monkeys. [shakes head]

In honor of that and thanks to a seriously dated email from ND, we give you the monkey links above for your enjoyment.

And stretching this metaphor to the breaking point, since monkeys were used in the early days of space travel (and the bad Tim Burton remake of Planet of the Apes), I thought I would give you this well-researched piece that WPE sent my way this a.m. on none other than the semi-mythological Space Pen.

In terms of personal accomplishments, I finally finished writing MG back today, so it wasn't a total wash...