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Don't worry Kristen, I have just the trick: Inanna, the Babylonian goddess of love, fertility and war. She was the boss of heaven, and she couldn't even take a vacation without people trying to muscle in on her territory. Once she went to visit her sister Ereshkigal in hell. You think the TSA is a pain? At each gate of hell she had to relinquish one item of clothing. Finally, when she ran out of clothing, she had to relinquish her personality, her authority, even her soul! Buck naked and a mere shell of a body (which is exactly how flying coach can make anyone feel), she finally got to hell and her sister killed her.
Drama, blah, blah, blah. She finally worked it out and went home to discover that her own husband--Dumuzi--has moved right into her office. He wasn't even mourning her death! He was laughing over how he'd used the pension fund to buy himself a new corporate jet. This during a recession when he'd totally cut healthcare benefits!
Inanna took one look at him and she was all, "You are out of here, dude!" She totally canned his ass and made him take her place in hell. The bastard!
Good news though, Inanna was able to reclaim her position. She sold the stupid jet. Re-funded the pension and became an active advocate for a single-payer health care system.
Inanna reminds us that work (and vacations) can be hell. When that happens, all you can do is hold on to the things that make you you. Don't relinquish yourself. Not for anyone! Not for the TSA. Definitely not for coach! And absolutely not for difficult co-workers and unpleasant bosses. You belong to you. Become a guerrilla agent for yourself. When I had the crazy boss, I installed a large plastic goose in my cubicle. Tragically, that was my daring attempt to stick it to the man. It wasn't much, but everyone thought that goose was pretty strange, and that made me feel rebellious. You can't own me corporate America! Not then! Not now! Not ever! (Of course, that might mean more if corporate America actually wanted to own me. Damn you corporate America! Why don't you want me?)
Channel Inanna: When dealing with job stress and drama, when co-workers are horning in on your position, when work just isn't what you want it to be.
Need a goddess? I got goddesses! Post a comment explaining what you want a goddess for. Then check back in a week or two to see what you got. It's fun! It's free! It's what all the cool people are doing. Are you cool?
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23 comments:
A goose? Margaret, you are a wild and crazy girl!
Yes, I talk a good game, don't I? But in the end my rebellion are pretty tame. I still have that goose.
Margaret, you are a scream.
And I comment on your tours. They're quite Wodhousian.
Ah! but that goose! That was a special goose with hidden meaning.
I love Inanna - now that I'm retired I don't have the work related jackasses to deal with, but we all have someone, maybe even a husband with ambitions to take over.
work (art history) related obsessions: what a wonderful comparison this image makes with Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:
La_nascita_di_Venere_(Botticelli).jpg. Cool goddess, too, thanks!
Gosh, if only I had known about Inanna while I was working...
AH: You do comment on my tours, but it is not the same.
Star: Interesting contrast indeed. Thanks for the perspective.
Just came across an interesting site: 1930s photographs of socialites as ancient goddesses: http://www.westward.iofm.net/godessgallery.htm
... enjoy!
Star: That site is amazing! I will have to do a post all about it, and, of course, I will credit you. THanks so much!
LOVE it. LOL always so entertained when I come here:)
Inanna is definitely a goddess I want on my side!
I have a pretty good boss and pretty tame co-workers right now but I'm still dreaming of starting my own (writing) business.
The president of a Bay Area PR agency I worked for in the early '80s was a nutcase from the word go. He ended up at Napa State Hospital and the agency went kaput. I ended up at the largest advertising and PR agency in Palm Springs. Funny how things work out.
I LOL'd when I read about the goose because I could totally picture you and your cubicle. I always kept a small bottle of bubbles that I'd pull out and blow at times.
LOVE your take on Inanna. You're hilarious, girl.
Bec: Good luck with your business. I hope you can make that dream come true.
PIO:I think my old boss was insane too. Real anger issues. And now you're riding on Rose Parade floats. Funny how things work out.
Deb: And I can picture you with bubbles. You have to fight the power however you can.
That was hysterical. Classic Margaret. I'm going back to re-read (I rarely do that so take it as high praise)
Enjoyed this - I had a boss from hell once, and could have done with a large plastic goose myself.
Have I missed more of your walks? I don't always check out South Pasadena Patch - I head up to Altadena most of the time.
Thank you Margaret. Being myself is so easy ... and like simple things, easy to forget. Channeling Kristen/Inanna. I will come out on top!
Love your witty words
I needed that. Thank you.
Kristen: glad you approve.
Stacey: how are you? Writing anything lately?
You're hilarious, Margaret! I really need to be more timely with my visits here. This weekend I booked a flight on Southwest to New Orleans for Jazz Fest. Southwest is worse than coach! And I'll be joining a gaggle of gals - for vacation! What was I thinking?! Well, Inanna will get me through - and she'll help me when I'm back in the office with the post-vacation blues.
She's a bad-ass goddess, isn't she? Then again, aren't they all?
Thanks for sharing this with us, now I know who is Inanna. :)
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