The Bathroom: The New Water Cooler (Can You Digg It?)

Ok, that was my (lame) attempt at being cool. Anyhow, I was thinking about my summer job and my past jobs and I realized that I have never been able to congregate "around the water cooler". I'm feeling a deep sense of deprivation, and considered writing this letter to my current employers:

Dear mom and dad/my current employers,

Please buy a water cooler. I want to congregate while fulfilling my basic hydration needs.

Sincerely,
Your annoying daughter/employee

PS - No, I don't think Sarah's/my sister's solution of "Get it from the tap you !@#$%^&" is a good one.

Anyhow, I don't think it is going to happen. For one, I don't think any employee cares enough about water from a water cooler to go to the trouble of putting those heavy water jugs in (plus I don't think I myself have the brains to figure it out without spilling, oh, 75-99% of the water).

So to fill the void, I've been trying to figure out where a good spot would be for everyone to congregate. I naturally thought of the photocopier because people in my department already sort of do congregate there. It would be easy enough to convince all the other employees to do it, once they saw how cool us pre-pressers were. Plus, "photocopier" has the same sort of flow as the word "water-cooler".

I was seeing some real potential, but also some real drawbacks. For one, the copier is in the dark, which isn't really conducive to non-bizarro conversation. It's also in a hallway with high traffic, so I don't think jamming a bunch of people there would be the brightest plan ever.

One place I do see with some real potential is the front bathroom. The other day I went in there, cold as an icicle because of the overactive air conditioning, and realized that there was HEAT in the bathroom! So already it has my vote as a place for congregation as it is the warmest place in the building.

Also, it is a good location! CSRs can't really leave the front desk, but if we all congregated outside the bathroom, they could join in the congregation fun without ever leaving their posts! And you totally want to include the CSRs because they know everything that goes on in the company. Brilliant, I say.

And sure, if everyone congregated in the front hall by the bathroom, no customers would be able to come in with work for us. But I see that as a golden situation, for if customers can't bring us work, there is less to be done therefore leaving everyone more time for social congregation outside of the bathroom.

I see major potential for company downfall... perhaps this is the real reason we don't have a water cooler.