When Work Life is a Lot of Fun

I've worked for Emerson for 13 years. While I enjoy working there, the overall company culture is maybe not known as the most fun or laidback. I've always been lucky to have really great co-workers - but we've been spread out across the country. So the "home office" life has been less exciting. Yet there I was in the last two weeks of June with four fun work events lined up! That almost never happens - and it was great because the whole family got to be involved.

When I changed positions in January, I also moved offices from our Eden Prairie building to the Bloomington building. My commute involves the "big road" (freeway) now, which I don't love. But I work right across the street from a lake with a running/walking trail around it. So I am able to get out and run a couple miles several times a week. 

When the group that owns our building sent out an email about a 5k run around the lake, my whole work group decided to do it together. We have several non-runners who elected to do the 3k walk, while a few of us did the run. I was really proud that I was the first finisher of the running contingent. I missed my goal time by just a few seconds. I'll get it next race! We had a box lunch together, enjoyed outside, and then went back to work. At least we were all sweaty together!

Then the day after the 5k, I got to take Quinn with me to the Shakopee office for STEM Day. She was in the 6-year-old group and I was a volunteer in the Demo Room. So for four hours, I explained how a level switch worked to kids ages 6-15. Fun fact: I didn't know how one worked until approximately 90 seconds before my first demo. By demo 24, I pretty much had it. I was rock solid at explaining it at a 6yo level and really prayed that no teenagers asked me any questions! Q had a blast and enjoyed that a few of my co-workers recognized her. We ate lunch at the Emerson cafeteria and she thought she was big stuff!

Then the next week, my work group went to a Twins game together. We had the suite at Target Field for the Thursday day game. The weather forecast was not awesome, but the game was only delayed about an hour. It ended up being an 18 inning game - but since we had carpooled, we only stayed through 10. Everyone had evening commitments and we wanted to get out of downtown before the traffic got too terrible. At one point, a couple of my friends decided to run out to get a pretzel and asked me if I wanted to come with. I declined in order to watch the game. When they came back, they waved their phones in front of my nose. They had run into Tony Oliva and took pictures with him. Dang it!!! 

In case the baseball game wasn't enough, we took the kids to Emerson Night at the local water ski show that night. My co-worker Brian is one of the skiers and we have all been hoping to go anyway. Dec had t-ball, so he and Mike met us at the show once he was done. It was longer than we expected, but the kids had a blast. They especially loved the jumps and the pyramids - and the water skiing dog. The girls even made Brian a sign that I dropped off in his office on Friday. I wouldn't be surprised if we made it back to catch the show one more time this summer.