I’ve worked at quite a few different places over the years, and at times there seems to be a sense that I’m spending time at a magic show. There’s always some kind of trickery being pulled one way or another, and it’s all an illusion — just pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
The biggest example of this was my time at 944, a place made up of some very bright people, but it was all smoke and mirrors. I tell this story all the time, but it bears repeating.
When you walked into the front office of 944′s HQ in Scottsdale, it was hard not to be impressed. Smack dab in front was a water feature with a 944 topiary, which just screamed “we have money.” There was always a pretty (if not beautiful) receptionist up front, positioned behind a zebrawood desk and modern furniture that was so modern that it was uncomfortable to sit in. Oh, and the 944 cover with Paris Hilton was there as well, just in case you had any doubts of who they were and how important the magazine was. For sure, people were impressed when they walked in the door — I know I was.
But 944 was really just like that fancy water feature. At first glance, it really looked cool — lots of detail, fancy rocks and modern zebrawood surrounding the base — but if you took a closer look, it was all just a façade. The zebrawood was really a laminate, and if you peered around the left side of the base all of it was peeling off. The water feature rarely worked, often leaving hard water stains on the glass that were almost impossible to remove. And it leaked too (right onto a power outlet, I might add), making it dangerous to work in the area, or even just walk by. Oh, and the topiary wasn’t made of real bushes, although I suppose that wouldn’t make much sense since there was no light to keep them alive. Regardless, the water feature was a joke amongst us in the office, and later, among those who were cast off like so much discarded trash when the house of cards all fell apart.
Although I’m fortunate enough not to be in a situation that’s full of smoke and mirrors today, I will say that I come across these people all the time. They always want to baffle me with their bullshit, and sometimes I just want to believe them. But every time I do, I think back to that water feature and just take an extra moment to take in my surroundings and see if they’re really full of shit. Usually when I do that, I can see the curtain, and behind it is a little man working levers furiously.
Smoke and Mirrors
I’ve worked at quite a few different places over the years, and at times there seems to be a sense that I’m spending time at a magic show. There’s always some kind of trickery being pulled one way or another, and it’s all an illusion — just pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
The biggest example of this was my time at 944, a place made up of some very bright people, but it was all smoke and mirrors. I tell this story all the time, but it bears repeating.
When you walked into the front office of 944′s HQ in Scottsdale, it was hard not to be impressed. Smack dab in front was a water feature with a 944 topiary, which just screamed “we have money.” There was always a pretty (if not beautiful) receptionist up front, positioned behind a zebrawood desk and modern furniture that was so modern that it was uncomfortable to sit in. Oh, and the 944 cover with Paris Hilton was there as well, just in case you had any doubts of who they were and how important the magazine was. For sure, people were impressed when they walked in the door — I know I was.
But 944 was really just like that fancy water feature. At first glance, it really looked cool — lots of detail, fancy rocks and modern zebrawood surrounding the base — but if you took a closer look, it was all just a façade. The zebrawood was really a laminate, and if you peered around the left side of the base all of it was peeling off. The water feature rarely worked, often leaving hard water stains on the glass that were almost impossible to remove. And it leaked too (right onto a power outlet, I might add), making it dangerous to work in the area, or even just walk by. Oh, and the topiary wasn’t made of real bushes, although I suppose that wouldn’t make much sense since there was no light to keep them alive. Regardless, the water feature was a joke amongst us in the office, and later, among those who were cast off like so much discarded trash when the house of cards all fell apart.
Although I’m fortunate enough not to be in a situation that’s full of smoke and mirrors today, I will say that I come across these people all the time. They always want to baffle me with their bullshit, and sometimes I just want to believe them. But every time I do, I think back to that water feature and just take an extra moment to take in my surroundings and see if they’re really full of shit. Usually when I do that, I can see the curtain, and behind it is a little man working levers furiously.