Tommia's Tablet

RBF – Really Bland Face

Came across this article in the New York Times the other day only to shake my head and laugh. It’s official – no matter what kind of job you have, how hard you work, etc. – for some, it will only be “Face Value.”

I recall a time when, walking down the hall, I failed to make eye contact with someone and when I did, I said ‘hello’ with a slight smile because the person I had passed provided me enough work to extend my hours (and cancel my plans) for a week.

What  happened? The person I passed went to my boss, who in turn, called me in and questioned my performance and attitude. Did it matter I had already put in a long set of hours before this passing? Did it matter that I had (yet again) gone a better part of the day without a real break – where breaks were hard to come by? Did it matter that my focus was on the new projects provided to me by this person?

No.

I was instructed by my boss to 1. Smile more and 2. Bring my tone up an octave. (I’m an alto, not a soprano – but I digress). These two items were actually a part of my performance review for the quarter: Smile more. Bring voice up an octave.

Really? Based on one person’s feedback when most folks I knew saw me for the frequent smiler I was (and am)? I enjoyed reading some of the comments that followed the original article.

In the scheme of things, there are far more important things to ponder and pay attention to.

Ever have a gathering place with family that was as good as a secondary home of sorts? That’s what the Country Dinner Playhouse in Denver, Colorado was. A great time to get together, enjoy each other’s company and marvel at the performance on the stage surrounded by four sides of seating. Of course it’s gone now – progress. But the memories remain.