Lionel Ritchie: In The Office?

When you think office decor, your first thought is likely "how can I integrate pictures of Lionel Ritchie into my work space?"

Consider using a picture like this on your office wall or even in one of your work meeting rooms to captivate the attention of your colleagues.

By the way, I am not making fun of Lionel Ritchie at all. I am simply saying from the experience of having this at my desk, it is a great conversation starter. For example, if someone comes to your desk because they're going to ask you to do something, they may become distracted by this picture. They may stop mid-sentence and say, "why do you have that picture up?"

This is your perfect chance to change the subject. You can talk about how you found the picture on this super cool blog (note: I am talking about this blog). You can talk about how you love Lionel Ritchie. You can talk about how you like his hair in this picture. You can start singing "Dancing on the Ceiling" and see if a Glee-like spirit takes over your office area and everyone starts singing and dancing along (note: I would seriously be so jealous if this happened to you...seriously).

Hopefully through the art of distraction, your co-worker will leave feeling confused and will forget what they were going to ask you to do! Give it a try. What do you really have to lose?

Janitorial Supply Catalogue - A Way to Liven Up Your Work Day

What could make your day at work better, than to receive this beautiful shipping supply specialist magazine FEATURING Janitorial supplies?! My colleague is so nice. She has decided to give me a page from this catalogue every day as a product of the day.

So, if your work day is dull, why not do something similar? You could send random janitorial supply product pages in interoffice mail (without indicating who it's from) to people that you work with or that you don't know. Try it and see if that doesn't at least somewhat liven up your day.

Note: this is in no way meant to be offensive towards those who are interested in janitorial supply service products.

Help To Get Through a Dull Day

Last year, I posted a My Favourite Things article which listed all of my favourite Dull Co-Worker posts (after all, Oprah isn't the only who can have favourite things).


Since it's been awhile, I thought I would share with you some more of my favourite posts in the hopes that they will help you get through a dull day.


Getting Hammered At Work

The Do's & Don'ts of Office Romance

Today's Work Horrorscope

There's No Accounting For Taste

The Best Birthday Gift

The Continuing Chronicles of Adults Who Have Been Bullied By Children

This post is a follow-up to check on my friend who was bullied by children not just once but TWICE. For more on her saga, please see my post entitled: Adults Being Bullied By Children: The Untold Story.


The Dull Co-Worker (DCW): So how are your wounds healing after the bullying?


BFF (Best Friend Forever): I still get stressed when I see children outside when I go for a walk. So far nothing else has occured. I feel that like the saying goes "time heals all wounds."


DCW: Do you ever see the children who taunted you?


BFF: No. I've never come across the little girl who had the plastic gun, but I have her little face memorized. I can see her mocking me.



DCW: How about the boy who commented on your highlights?



BFF: I didn't see his face because there was a large group of children. But I am getting my highlights done in a month and I am a bit worried. Should I go darker instead of blond?



DCW: It is traumatic when bullying leads to one questioning their next hairstyle. Do you know that my article on you being bullied was my highest post for the month of May (note: I only had one other post that month but I wanted to make feel better so I told her this in hopes of cheering her - plus I was hoping that the bullying didn't stop her from getting the highlights)? How does that make you feel?



BFF: It makes it worthwhile that I endured that pain if I helped one other adult who was bullied by a small child.


Are you an adult who has been bullied by a small child? If you want to share your story and help others around the world who face similar traumas, please email thedullcoworker@gmail.com. Bullying: it's not just involving children anymore.

Staplers - Simply Stunning

Product Review: Swingline 405

As you can see by the picture above, I have a beautiful stapler at my desk! I would like to do a product review of this stapler in case you are ever at Grand & Toy or Staples and are unsure of what to buy.

First of all, what I love about this stapler is that it works (except when it's out of staples).

I also like how it's black, which is a staple colour (not just a stapler colour!) as it goes with everything. Plus, black is slimming! I look slimmer when holding it!

That is my product review.

Oh, one more thing, as I type this, my co-worker (who is not dull), wanted me to remind you to put your name on the bottom of your stapler in case someone takes it accidentally.

Finally, I want to conclude today's post by showing you this heavy duty stapler for larger staple jobs. Beside it is an example of a box of staples. It is always good to have these around.

So my dear friends, I hope you enjoyed this product review. If you have any staplers you'd like me to review that I didn't mention, please let me know.

Oh yes, this is about the stupidest, dullest post I've done to date on this blog. I'm sorry you wasted 5 min's or less of your life reading this. Sorry for your life.

Big Calves & High Boots: The Saga Continues

Back in January I posted a blog entitled Big Calves & High Boot Don't Mix. I didn't think this would be such a big hit. Seriously, can someone tell why this post has become so popular?

I know I posted later in the year an update to my saga and did report later that I somehow lost weight in my calves so that my high boots were starting to fit better, and I could actually zip them up!

Enter, disappointment.

Last night I once again donned some high boots (which I hadn't worn in awhile) in an effort to be chic (a girl can't be dull all the time). Well, once again the cursed big calves came into play and yes, I had problems zipping up the boots. I was bound and determined though that I would not let these big calves and poorly made boots get the best of me, so I crammed every bit of my limbs into them and managed to succeed in zipping them up. Now I was in some pain, mind you, but I was not going to let them stop me!

At this point, I'm thinking I should write a Bridget Jones type diary and see if Rene Zellweger and Colin Firth could capture all of this on the big screen and bring my story to life.

Sample Screenplay:

Rene (playing me...with calf implants, of course) enters a dreary insurance cubicle (resembling my desk area) and says,
"I'm in so much pain...these bloody boots are killing me!"

Colin (playing my love interest and holding some boring insurance papers) stands there with a look of disgust and remarks,
"That is because your calves are so bloody big! It looks like you can't even zip them up all the way. Why are you even wearing those boots? Those are for skinny calved women Bridget. Your calves certainly aren't small!"

Rene (realizing that this is not yet the moment in the movie where they are about to kiss, has a look of contempt towards him and his insurance papers),
"You are such a bloody A&@! Why don't you just bugger off and leave me alone!"

Riveting, don't you think?

Stay tuned....who knows what else will happen in Bridget Jones Diary: Tales from the Big Calved Years.

Adults Being Bullied by Children: The Untold Story

WARNING: This post is very disturbing. Read at your own risk.

Today’s post will deal with a shocking and incredibly alarming new phenomenon that is sweeping across my city: adults being bullied by kids.

Here is my interview with one of the victims of bullying...my forty-something best friend forever (BFF).

DCW: I hear you were recently bullied two times within the same week by children, is that correct?

BFF: That is correct.

DCW: Do you mind if I ask you some questions about it or is it too painful?

BFF: No. A week has passed and the wounds are healing so we can talk about it.

DCW: Tell me what happened on the evening of April 18th?

BFF: I was walking with a friend and we were talking, and I was looking at the people in the yard. This little girl, who looked 7 or 8, had a plastic gun. She looked menacing. She was smart enough to know not to say whatever she was saying out loud as her mother was there and she mouthed the words (not sure what she said) but she snarled when she said it and pointed the gun at me. She was mocking me but I have no idea what she said.

DCW: That is very disturbing.

BFF: Yes

DCW: How did you react?

BFF: I was trying to figure out what she was saying. At first I thought she was cute and was saying something playful until I realized she wasn’t.

DCW: What was the second incident?

BFF: I was walking alone and there were a bunch of kids out playing and one little boy said “hi” and so I responded saying “hi” then another kid said “bye” so I said “bye” and then a third kid said “yeah, your blond is real” and I didn’t respond. What was I to say? “Thanks”? I had no idea so I kept walking. (Note: my BFF has blond highlights. She is now insecure about them).

DCW: Does this make you not want to go for a walk?

BFF: Every time I go on those routes I am very thankful when those kids aren’t out.

DCW: Do you think you would ever say anything to the kids if you saw them again?

BFF: Well, I don’t think I should be bullying kids. Its’ not a good practice.

DCW: Do you think you’ll wear a ball cap to cover your highlights the next time you go on that route?

BFF: I did think of that. My other thought was just to say “thank you.”

If you or an adult you know has been bullied by a child and have been keeping this a secret, know you are not alone. I have started the Adults-Against-Adults-Being-Bullied-By-Children-In-Canada-And-Around-The-World support group. The problem is real and help is available.