a lil' drama for your boring Tuesday

Once there was a little girl who love, love, loved her job. It was the second best job in the world, and if she ever got the chance to be home with her little boys and spend her days taking care of them, as is the first best job in the world, she would still have tried to find time for the second best job in the world somehow because it was really that good.

This little girl had a fantastic boss who really tried to make everyone feel good about themselves, students really trusted and loved him. He managed to pick the best kids at the University to work in the little office as lovely secretaries, or, more accurately immigration specialists. The boss really knew what he was doing and would often have Immigration Services call him to ask him how to interpret their laws. Cool. The little girl got to be trained by an absolute expert in her second favorite field of interest. The boss would always tell hilarious stories about his past, would interact with the second-in-command, and arguably even awesomer Dr. S. in such a way as would daily generate lots of laughter from the rest of the office.

BUT 

(and here, imagine the sweet bird song and happy tune that accompanies the previous paragraph suddenly changing to the cold fog/heavy metal/life-can-change-in-an-instant music that happens in action/drama movies when the hero (heroine) realizes that something is terribly amiss)

a totally different man comes and takes over this lovely boss's office once a year, as the entire office runs around - literally - in a panic trying to prepare for and pull together an enormous week-long event that celebrates the diversity at the (k, I admit mainly white - but let's not get into THAT again) culturally richly heritaged (yeah, that was grammatically so offensive, I knew it as I typed it but, well, I actually have no excuse to insert here) University. 

K, so just kidding. No real drama here, just an irritated Kiki. He's really not the best boss anyone could ever ask for; he's pretty normal. He's a really good guy, though. I am over a production called Extravaganza, an elegant banquet with international entertainment. We have awesome students and performing groups dance or sing traditional pieces or model traditional dress from their country.

It's just lovely. 

And...I simply do not appreciate fine art.

(today on the way back to my office dungeon after lunch, I walked by a drama student outside the Fine Arts building just screaming her head off at the - no joke - WALL of the building, practicing (at least I hope that's what she was doing) her lines for a play, yelling at King Henry. Poor King Henry Wall.)

Or I just don't get it.

So this project is really good for me. I learn a lot each year and I work my butt off and have it turn out pretty well. My problem, I think, is that I feel the need to run each new act I add through my boss. Now he is not even the littlest bit micromanaging.

Unless you hand the opportunity to him on a silver platter. 

Usually he's good with whatever news I bring him, "we got Japan! Japan NEVER volunteers for Extravaganza!! Yeah Us!" but sometimes he has a problem and then I get all irritated because, well, I don't know why.

Probably because if I never mentioned it to him, it would be just fine.

So today I tell him, all excited, that we will likely have an Indian Hoop Dance at Extravaganza. SOOOOOO cool. (My University pays for my education and someday, when I get my own kids off to college, I am totally getting a Master's in Native American Studies. Something that would do absolutely nothing for my career, but would be so so so fascinating. Tangent.)

Anyway, he looks at me and says, "How is that international?"

I stare blankly back and say (in my head) "How is that not international?" (and out loud) "Um, it's representing Native Americans."

TO WHICH HE REPLIES, "That's American."

To which I reply (in my head) "K, I'm pretty sure that's the most offensive thing you could say to Native Americans more than any race anywhere in the world." (out loud) "No it's not."

The conversation went on and only got worse, but he ended up saying, "OK, well if you can't get anyone else, that's fine to have them."

Ahhh, the problem is, I could have never said a word and had them in the show (they're still going to be in the show. !!!.) and then enjoyed all the comments afterward from attendees on how amazing the hoop dance was. Which will happen.

I think I just need validation.

No, I think I just need him to agree with me.

Because I am, of course, right.

Cool boss. Even cooler after November 19th, 2010.

cultural awareness is for the educated. no? oh.