Half day! Woot.

I am thrilled that I get to participate this afternoon in a tradition peculiar to large offices in big cities: the office Christmas (sorry, "holiday") party. Sure, organizations in other towns have holiday gatherings, too, but I feel like I've seen the particular brand of debaucherous New York office party depicted in innumerable movies, TV shows, and cartoons.

Today is my first one in this environment, where there will be a lot of people who don’t really know each other, and the potential for insane awkwardness. I’m hoping mine will be like the scene from “The Apartment” with ladies dancing on desks and a cute, young Jack Lemmon drinking just enough nog to get brave and hit on Shirley MacLaine, the elevator girl. Of course, there will be no desks because we’ve rented out a bar, but, you know. I’m fascinated by this ritual not because I think it will be a grand ol’ time but simply because it has been so mythologized in popular culture.

Wish me luck!

P.S. Of course I am sorry to all those out there whose holiday parties got downsized or cancelled. Perhaps you can crash mine!