The Office

by Lawyer Working Girl

As this year starts to wind down, I have to take a moment to reflect on all of the great opportunities that have come my way career-wise this year. One of those, which is the biggest, is the promotion that I received a couple of months ago that I've already shared with you all. I believe that this promotion is really just the start of more great things to come with my company and I am excited about the possibilities. (Another truly awesome thing is receiving my first bonus with the company! WOOHOO!)

Another thing that happened for my company this year was our move to our new office space. For about a year and a half my company was in a smaller building and smaller office space. Then we began to hear talks about moving to a bigger office space, which was the first sign that the company was growing, and that got everyone excited. Now that we've been in our new space for a few months, I look back at our old space, and I'm telling you, it's like going from a Pinto to a Mercedes. Our new space is so much bigger and better than the old office and has new technology integrated in that helps us to stay connected to the outside world (hey, we spend a lot of time at the office) as well as connected with our colleagues in the various offices. I think the new office has even had an effect on everyone's disposition. After all, when you spend a majority of your day at a place, don't you want it to be nice and one that you enjoy?

That got me to thinking about the pros and cons of working in an office. I often think that I would LOVE to be able to work from home where I could stay in my pajamas and post up in front of the TV while I work (especially on COLD days like today). How great would it be to just walk to my kitchen for lunch rather than the breakroom to heat up the lunch that I brought or running out and spending money on food? Although that sounds nice, there are things that I would miss about working in an office.

I read this interview with the co-founder and President of a web application company, whose main issue with the modern office place is also high up in my "pros" column: that it is structured for interruptions. Well, what he calls interruptions, I refer to as the social aspect of working in an office. I love socializing with my colleagues. That's one of the things that makes going to work fun. And the camaraderie, which goes hand in hand with socializing. We build these relationships that are unique in that if we had not worked together, we probably never would have met and would ordinarily probably never be friends (and here I use the word loosely as I do not consider my "friendships" with all of my colleagues to be equal). Also, for some, but not for me, a pro of working in an office means "the office hookup." That's all I will say about that one.

Aside from those two things another pro of working in an office is that you have people to bounce ideas off of. I wonder how many multimillion dollar ideas came from two people sitting around brainstorming? Also, having to go to an office gives me set working hours. If I'm at home it seems that it would be a lot harder to separate time for work and time for personal. Another personal pro is that I get my daily exercise in by walking to the office and back home everyday. Maybe if I worked from home I would carve out gym time, but at least this way, I'm guaranteed to get in some form of exercise everyday.

So, aside from the con in the interview that I flipped into a pro, what are the other cons of working in an office? Ok, maybe he is right that there are a lot of interruptions throughout the day. And there are always meetings. Also, there are the colleagues whose personalities clash with yours, which is really only a problem if you have to work closely with them. There's also gas money/public transportation fare/parking fees involved with commuting to work.

I really can't think of anymore legitimate cons to working in an office. Now, that's not to say that if I were offered the option of working from home that I wouldn't take it, but I guess coming to an office really isn't that bad. So tell me, Working Girls, what are your pros and cons of working in your office?

Happy MLK Day!

We hope most of you had the day off to enjoy and relax (and of course remember Martin Luther King, Jr.!). If not, we totally feel for you. At my old company, we worked on MLK Jr. Day and I was more than a little peeved when I was the only person on Gchat all day.

Without further adieu, we leave you with this very wise quote from one of our favorite TV characters Michael Scott.

"I don't understand. We have a day honoring Martin Luther King, but he didn't even work here."

-Michael Scott, The Office

Who Would You Fire?

I was not a avid The Office fan until my senior year of college when watching repeats became a normal hung-over routine between me and my roommates (hell yes we sprung for DVR). But I quickly became addicted to Michael's comments that made you wince, Pam & Jim's glances of lust, and Dwight's quirks.

So the past few years, I would DVR Grey's and dutifully watch The Office because I couldn't not watch it as it first aired. But these days my love of The Office has faded. And now I turn on Grey's (even though Izzy is dying - wait what?!?) and watch The Office on Hulu.com when I get bored.

In a recent article in the LA Times, writer Jon Caramanica argues that The Office is slowly fading and the reason is Michael Scott. His solution: fire someone. And if we're getting specific here, he says fire Michael Scott.

Caramanica writes, "Early on, taking after Ricky Gervais' David Brent on the original British version of the show, Michael was a catalyst for misbehavior and ill will. He was difficult, verging on unlovable; you almost had to shield your eyes watching him, so great was his capacity for awkwardness." He argues that Steve Carrell isn't playing the character like he used to - and he even physically looks better. He has better hair, better posture, and we almost feel sympathetic towards Michael Scott. Which should not be the case.

And I have to say that I whole-heartedly agree. Something is off (come on, I would rather watch Grey's obviously something is off).

The article goes on to say that Steve Carrell isn't the only problem - Jim & Pam are even annoying...Jim especially. The article describes Jim as being "smug and self-satisfied"...again, I agree. Before, Jim used to deliver one-liners that weren't blatantly stings, but now it's like he's not even trying. His one-liners are borderline cruel.

So who is keeping the show afloat? Sidekick storylines - plain and simple. The Accounting corner is probably one of the only reasons I tune in any longer. Oscar, Kevin, and Angela are a great combination that always ellicit laughs.

And my favorite character who doesn't get nearly enough lines? Kelly Kapoor. She is hilarious! I love her pop culture comments, her need to stay thin by eating tapeworms she buys from Creed, and she (like me) loves her birthday. So let's give her some new story lines please.

If it were up to me, I would fire Stanley. Ever since he blew up last season, he has become my most hated character on the show. He's sarcastic yes and sure sometimes he makes me grin, but his bad attitude is killing me slowly. Quit already! And give us some new Office blood.

P.S. Where the hell did Ryan disappear to?

Working Girl Rents The Office (UK)

I really wanted to write a post today about my irrational fear of recessions which turn into the Great Depression 2008, but WG1 convinced me that was a really bad idea since I know nothing about finance or banking (aka why my fears are irrational). Just in case you wanted to know, I also have irrational fears of mice and Amy Winehouse (her beehive filled with crack really scares the shit out of me). 

Anyway, I decided to forgo my previous idea and instead write about my past weekend. While most 20-somethings were partying it up in the citay, I stayed home...in my bed...with ice cream...and watched the original version of The Office on DVD. 

As an avid fan of the American version of The Office, I expected great things and many laughs. What I did not expect was only 6 episodes. Yes, in the United Kingdom a "series" is only 6 episodes. A full season of episodes in the US is around 22 episodes. So I think you can see why I was disappointed. And color me surprised that The Office in the UK only lasted for two seasons. 6+6=12 (just in case you are mathematically challenged like myself). 

All right so despite my initial shock to learn that I could watch the entire two seasons in one day, I learned that I really love the original Office and that America completely and utterly stole the entire idea and story plots for their own. The American characters Pam & Jim -- yep, they were Tim & Dawn in the UK. Michael, Dwight, Kevin, Jan -- yes, they're all products of the original as well. And the entire first episode is almost exactly the same right down to the stapler in the JELL-O bit (minus the accents of course). 

After you see beyond the similarities of the two shows, you absolutely fall in love with The Office. Ricky Gervais is amazing at making you feel bad for his character socially awkward David Brent, but five seconds later he has the ability to make you want to jump into the TV to punch him for his sexist/racist remarks. His comedic timing is spot on. Which of course leads me to his supporting characters (which there are a lot less of). My favorites of course were Gareth (the Dwight of the show) and Tim (who is just so adorable that I want to eat his little face). Gareth is more weasel-like and smarmy, but a former soldier which makes for great jokes. Tim makes your heart melt. Swoon.

Unfortunately, I think I may be a bit prejudiced when it comes to which I enjoy more. I watched the American show first, and there are more episodes to keep me occupied. There were some things about this version however that I liked more. Overall, it seems more believable. And from watching the special behind-the-scenes featurette on disc 2 I found out that they really shot the show in a real office building (not a set!) and that they were so loud that they were asked to tone it down by the other offices in the building. I also felt like the characters are a tad more believable. Every single one of them seemed like they could work at my office. But I truly think that is the nature of British television - it's all shot in a way that makes it seem more real (unless it's East Enders, sorry but not real at all). 

Also, the whole premise of The Office is that it is being shot as a documentary. Sometimes when watching the American version you forget that, but with the UK version it's obvious because it's choppy and not all the scenes fit perfectly together. But that's the point! So I love that aspect. 

But as an American I am a lover of happy endings. The full circle is something I expect. And The Office in the UK could care less if we want Tim and Dawn to live happily ever after. 

My recommendation is to rent the entire 12 hours when you have a free Saturday lying around. It's a great substitute for bad Lifetime movies. 

Quaaa. Quarr. Quab. Quall. Qwer. Quobbity! Quobbity Assurance!

Oscar: Well this is what happened. Uh, Ryan's big project was the website. Which wasn't doing so well. So Ryan, to give the impression of sales, recorded them twice. Once as offices and once in the website sales, which is what we refer to in the business as misleading the shareholders. Another good term is fraud. The real crime, I think, was the beard.



Last night was The Office season finale and while I, like most people, was disappointed by the Jim and Pam anti-climatic ending, I do have to admit that the writing was back to its old milk-coming-out-of-my-nose funny. WG1 and I were literally laughing out loud the entire time, which I think cancels out the fact that Jim didn't end up proposing to Pam last night.

It was Toby's last day in the office and of course Michael was estatic. I guess I never really understood why Michael hated Toby so much, but I do know that it's hilarious. For Toby's going away party, Angela has only budgeted for a butter cream cake and a slideshow "with just two pictures of Toby."

Michael suggests that instead of this lame party they throw Toby a bash that resembles a New Orleans funeral with his "shoe money". Michael apparently gets a check for about $50 for his birthday from his grandmother every year, but since she is now quite old she sends him about eight-nine checks a year. Michael has been keeping this money for a rainy day...in his shoe. So, he busts out this money to celebrate Toby moving to Costa Rica.

The showering of money leads to what I think was the best subplot: Phyllis vs. Angela in the battle for the best party planner of the office. Angela refuses to plan this elaborate party that Michael wants thrown (anti-gravity machine anyone?) and Phyllis steps in to plan it instead.

This episode also welcome Toby's replacement Holly, the new human resources representative, who Michael and Dwight decide to induct into Dunder Mifflin with some old fashioned hazing, which Dwight defines as "a way to show a new employee that she is not welcome or wanted." Dwight is the only person to go along with this joke however, telling Holly that Kevin is "slow...like, in the mind". So she is super nice to him and now he thinks she has a crush on him. Poor Kevin! Guy never gets a break.

I think Holly might be just what this show needed, someone for Michael to love! I don't know why - but I just want Michael to find someone to love. Is that weird? Anyway, Holly and Michael are a match made in heaven. So what does Michael do to declare his love at first sight (or hear as he says)? Make each other awesome mix CD's and exchange yoda talk, of course.

On to the more pressing issues of the episode. Ryan got arrested! Yes! I so knew this was coming, but I have to admit I really thoguht it would be for his cocaine addiction. And it's just a hunch, but I think Jim is the one who figured out that Ryan was entering the sales twice since they had that phone call early on in the show about how he needed to enter the sale on the website too. If Jim turned him in and told corporate, I think he might just get Ryan's job next season. Which would work perfectly because Pam got into the Pratt School of Design and has to move to New York for three months. Fingers crossed because Jim didn't get to propose during Toby's farwell funeral!

No, instead Andy stole the perfect fireworks moment and proposed to Angela, which I have to admit was hilarious. Can I even imagine the hilarity that this wedding will bring? No. I can't even fathom it. Andy's overly preppy parents. Hilarious. Kelly asking to be a bridesmaid. Hilarious. "Mr. Andrew Bernard. Has a nice ring to it." Hilarious.

Angela & Dwight doing it in the office and Phyllis walking in on them. Priceless.

And finally, Jan is pregnant! But Michael is not the father. Yikes, bikes. Instead, Jan got sperm from a sperm bank, which resulted in one of my favorite quotes from the evening: "If I was 22 and I had lots of time...to have lots of children, then sure let's let Michael have a shot at one of them, but honestly I have to make this one count." Now Michael thinks he's going to be a Daddy. All I have to say is wow.

One last side comment, for the majority of this episode Jim was looking a little greasy and scraggly. Producers of The Office, Jim needs a shower or a hair cut. Pick one and do it Jim Halpert.

I have big expectations for next season. My predictions: Dwight will stop Angela's wedding, Michael & Holly are going to elope (at Sandals in Jamaica), and Pam & Jim will be together forever.

Oh, and Jim will finally wash his hair.

Yea, Kiss Her. Kiss Her Good.

Andy: Hit about twelve hundred balls last night in preparation for the day so hands are a little tender. [shows blistered hands to camera] It's actually not funny at all it's incredibly painful.



Was anyone else actually yawning throughout The Office last night?

I mean, there were a few highlights for me. One being when Andy face-planted his golf cart into a sand trap on the golf course and the second when Andy showed off his battle scars from practicing his golf swing the night before to impress the client he, Jim, and Kevin were playing a round of golf with in this episode. Apparently, I'm loving on Andy today.

Otherwise, I was cringing. The plot lines had potential, but didn't deliver.

Michael, Oscar, Darryl, and Pam head over to Valley View High School (Pam's alma mater) to recruit interns for the summer. Of course, their booth is lame. No one wants to sign up to work there and Michael scares away the single interested person in the internship by calling him "funny-looking". Because Michael isn't in the office, everyone skips out for the day. They just left? What!? When Michael isn't in the office they usually have an Olympics or some other type of event. But no.

No, instead we watch Angela and Dwight not talk to each other the whole episode. Dwight and Angela were alone in an office together and nothing happened! Wtf! I was hoping for some heavy petting in the break room. Not stone cold silence.

I think this episode was more about setting up story lines for the finale next week. For one, Jim is actually trying to sell paper these days because Ryan put him on probation, but mainly because he needs money to ask Pam to marry him! Yay! I hope that is in the season finale. Please, make this a happy season ending writers. I need it after the writer's strike has been ruining the show lately.

Pam is starting to look for a new job. All I have to say to this is: finally. But even though I want to see Pam succeed, I would seriously hate for her not to be the Dunder Mifflin receptionist anymore. I'm torn here.

All in all, this was a very disappointing episode for me and I need the finale next week to blow my socks off or I will be depressed until next season from lack of laughing.

Fluffy Fingers

Dwight Schrute: There is this yellow zigzag that does give Ryan the authority to discipline Stanley,--
Michael Scott: Great.
Dwight Schrute: However in so doing, it zigs past your name, hence zagging you and making you appear weak. That's the yellow color, yellow, for cowardly.
Michael Scott: What's the pink?
Dwight Schrute: Menstrual cycles.


This was probably one of the more serious (and I use this term loosely) episodes of "The Office" that I have ever seen.

Before we get to the real meat and potatoes of the episode (a.k.a. the Clash of the Titans a.k.a. Stanley vs. Michael), what is going on with this Ryan vs. Jim plot line? Ryan paid a little visit to the Scranton branch this episode and flat out told Jim his job was in jeopardy because he spent too much time flirting at the reception desk and goofing around. Seriously intimidating. But I think Ryan's coke problem will be revealed before Jim can be punished. And I even predict that Jim might be getting offered Ryan's job (just a thought!).

On to the Clash of the Titans. Wow, Stanley, wow. This plot line was a little too serious for my liking. I thought for real that Stanley was going to be fired for his 'did I stutter?' comment. That was seriously an intense little battle. However, I did like that we saw Michael get a little bit of respect from Stanley at the end of the episode. My heart goes out to Michael Scott and his awkwardness, and how he has no friends -- it's like he can't help himself! And then I remember what it's like to work for a boss like Michael and I commend Stanley for saying something (even thought it was entirely inappropriate).

Also, please, please, please tell me why Michael didn't use the 'fluffy fingers' technique. I kept waiting and waiting for him to start tickling Stanley, but nothing. Very disappointing.

I also had some side thoughts. Did Angela look a little puffy to anyone else? I think she might be real life preggers because they are only showing her from the face up. I hope this doesn't mean she'll be gone from the show for long after the birth! Angela is one of my favorite characters with her scathing glares and her love of cats.

Jim and Pam. Sigh. I can only hope that someday I fall in love with a Jim Halpert-esque man. I loved how he "proposed" that Pam go get him a nice, hot coffee for their brainstorming meeting with Michael. How long do you think the writers are going to tease us like this? I would love it if Jim just randomly stood up one episode and said, "Pam, will you marry me?". That would probably make my 2008 a whole lot brighter.

I Would Like Chicken Fingers and a Midori Sour Please

Bartender: Here you go.
Dwight: Wait a minute what is this? I didn't order this.
Bartender: For you. [points to basketball players] From them.
Dwight: Oh. [pours out the drink]
Ryan's friend: What are you doing man?
Dwight: Not safe. Anything could've been in there. [to the girls] Nice try.

And the quest for someone to “bear” Michael’s fruit continues.

Ryan, former temp turned New York manager, comes back to the Scranton office to talk to the branch about sales and why they need to stay in on a Saturday to convert their sales that they made on the phone to sales made on the Internet which couldn't originally be made on the Internet because of a little sexual predator problem the new Dunder Miflin social network had. To which Kelly responds, "If I had made a website that had this many problems, I would kill myself." Classic. Which reminds me, can we please get more Kelly-isms on this show? Thanks.

While there Ryan admits that he gets “unreal" girls at the clubs in New York, which of course translates to Michael as an open invitation to stalk him by getting Ryan's whereabouts from his assistant, because according to Michael it's not the horniness, it's the loneliness and he needs a girlfriend STAT (yes, caps were necessary).

Michael and Dwight enter Club Prerogative (love the Britney reference!) and surprise, surprise Ryan is actually excited to see them. And it seems that they only friend Ryan has is a very, very short bearded man who Dwight says resembles a J.R. Tolkein character. I have to agree with Dwight on this one. Later in the episode Dwight makes out (yes, full on tongues a real woman) who he refers to as an Amazon. To Dwight, New York is like a sci-fi fantasy novel. And again, I would have to agree with him.

Back in Scranton, Jim & Pam come up with the brilliant idea to convince the whole office to just work late on a Friday instead of coming into work on a Saturday. Everyone agrees and are then stunned to find out that the parking lot has been locked and they are now stuck in the office. Ok, so blah blah Jim calls the security guard, they can't remember his name blah blah. The best part of this entire plot is when Pam winds up to throw a football and clobbers Meredith right in the face.

And I would love to high-five whoever wrote the extra super awkward scene where Toby practically paws Pam right in front of the entire office. He then announces that he is moving to Costa Rica and is "going to jump the fence and jog home now". Superb writing.

Ryan has a drug problem? Yikes, bikes. Even more frightening, letting Michael and Dwight sleep in his apartment. I wouldn't want to see the aftermath of that in the morning.

Sidenote: As WG1 and I watched Michael order chicken fingers and a Midori Sour at the nightclub, WG1 turned to me and said, "That sounds like the greatest meal ever."

Indeed, it does WG1. Now I know what to get you for your next birthday meal.

Bye, Bye Miss Chair Model Lady

"Hello Oscar Meyer Wiener-lover. I bet, that you have a bunch of very liberal girl-type friends, who trust you implicitly, because they know you'd never touch them given your condition." -Michael Scott

Michael Scott is single and has decided to swear off women (or rather just one woman and that woman is Jan). "Ladies and gentlemen, would you please open your supply catalogs and turn to page 85?" So begins Michael's search for a new passionate love affair. Three weeks ago Michael was supposed to pick a new chair to purchase for his office, but his recent break-up from Jan has left him pining over 'chair model lady' on page 85 - a woman who he claims is professional with a light in her eyes who looks like she would love to curl up on a couch. To me, she looks like a girl that got fired during my first week of work for being on Gmail too much (which scared me off Google Talk for a good two weeks).

This brings us to Michael's great plan of having each of his employees write the name of a eligible bachelorette that he can call to go out with on an index card. Insert Kevin's witty answer of his good friend Wendy, a hot and juicy redhead, who turns out to be the fast food restaurant chain. Sidenote: I think if Kevin and I could just meet once we'd be bosom buddies in no time that could enjoy snacking on Frosty's and baked potatoes.

Out of pity (or perhaps just to get Michael to choose which chair he wants to purchase so she can get his swivel, high backed office chair for herself), Pam sets Michael up with her landlady. Of course, Michael acts with the decorum of a -- actually, I don't know even how to describe him on his blind date with Margaret. I mean, he said she was like talking to a 'sweet old lady on the bus'. Oh, Michael, how you entertain me.

While Michael is out meeting Pam's landlady, Dwight has promised to bring the chair model lady to Michael so that she "can bear his fruit". Turns out (after much investigation), that Deborah Shoshlefski a.k.a. Chair Model Lady died in a car accident while driving stoned. To get closure, Michael and Dwight visit her grave site. Bye, bye Miss Chair Model Lady.

Subplot that made me laugh: Kevin & Andy's mission to get their parking spots back. I would love to see more of these "Five Families" of the five companies in the office building in later episodes -- particularly Paul Faust or "Cool Guy Paul".

Subplot that made me tear up: Jim is planning on proposing to Pam. Is it true that all my dreams could come true? I hope there are many more "will you wait for me to tie my shoe?" moments to come this season!

And later, I'm stopping at Starbucks and ordering a large hot chocolate with caramel and a shot of mint.

"The Office" is My Office

It was week two of my first job out of college and I had just received a meeting request from my CEO for a "Family Meeting" that coming Thursday at 5 p.m. My first thought was, 'It's official; I am working for Michael Scott' and my second thought was, 'I wish Jim Halpert was here to raise his eyebrows and smirk at this e-mail'. It was there and then that I realized I was working at 'The Office' - as in if a camera crew followed me around my life would resemble Pam's (since I am also a lowly assistant).


I started watching "The Office" because of my lovely college roommates and it became a tradition to watch it on Thursday nights with a bottle of 'Mommy's Time Out' wine (one for each of us of course!) and laugh at these poor schmucks who have to work at a paper company. As I sipped my chilled white wine I always thought how great it would be to work in an office like that one - full of Olympic games and hilarious co-workers like Dwight. But let me tell you, it's not all it's cracked up to be.

First off, those "Family Meetings" could not be more painful. Our CEO talks about the state of our business, birthdays are announced, two year anniversaries and promotions are celebrated and then the "Employee of the Month Award" is given out. Ring any bells? Yes, we have our very own Dundie awards. And I'm not gonna lie, I would like to win.

This is only the beginning of the similarities between my work place and the fictional one on NBC. For instance, the way Michael Scott is constantly putting his foot in his mouth by insulting his employees. Welcome to my life. These family meetings are open game for our CEO to insult us. He called out one of my co-workers who had gotten divorced, married, and then divorced again in her 5 years at our company (eek!) and once told a horrifically inappropriate story about an employee's hare lip (yea, I don't even think I need to say 'eek' for you to know that is oh so very wrong).

As the Marketing Coordinator, I often have to plan office parties. In this respect I am like Angela the resident party planner with almost no budget (I'm lucky if I can the OK to purchase a cheese platter). In my almost year long career I've had to help plan a few office parties and they all stand out for one reason or another.

At our holiday party, our legal team (which is oh, just one person) sang "I Like Big Butts" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. A sexual harassment lawsuit in the making? I think so.

I also helped plan a 'tea party' for some beauty bloggers and was then forced to play maid/waitress and serve all eight bloggers plus The Boss and the President of my company while being videotaped for a streaming video for the beauty blogger's website. I am now famous for being able to serve green tea and organic muffins and low-fat brownies. Embarrassing? I think so.

My favorite party I planned was what I have dubbed the 'Funeral Party'. In an effort to make our company more green, more global, and more fresh and young, our company turned our magazine completely digital. And then our CEO decided to have a party to celebrate the 'death' of our print magazine...with quesadilla platters, cheese & crackers, and those 'brownies from that place I love down the street'. Was he serious? Of course.

All we're missing is our very own Dwight. We are currently taking applications for a paper-loving beet farmer. He'll fit right into our little 'family'.

Hey Babe

"The Office" is back on NBC and I've never been happier that the writer's strike is over. I've even had a personal countdown going on my calendar at work (slightly embarrassing to admit but I'm committed to this TV show 100%). 

The episode is almost completely shot outside of the office at a dinner party in Michael's condo. Michael has been trying to get Pam & Jim to come over to his and Jan's condo since they started dating but they have always dodged the bullet. While I don't think Jim & Pam could ever run out of excuses (a flood, a fire, a avalanche), Michael finally tricks them into attending a dinner party with Andy & Angela. Jim + Pam + Andy + Angela + Michael + Jan = my new favorite "The Office" episode. I can hardly sit still as the Scranton sign welcomes me. 

Pam & Jim enter Michael's abode and I can't stop thinking about how awkward it would be if I had to go to my boss's apartment for dinner. He'd probably make me ride his motorcycle and call him "Boss Hoss". And you think I'm kidding. 

A tour of Michael's condo reveals that Jan has an office and a workplace...to make candles. Jan is now a candle-maker. 

Andy & Angela arrive and Jan announces that the dinner needs to braise for three hours before they can eat dinner. This means that three hours of awkwardness will now ensue. Jan plays her old assistant's new CD and tries to get Jim to dance with her (awkward), the party plays charades while Jan & Michael play "Who Can Make Their Guests Feel More Awkward?" (super awkward), and during a "girl moment" in the kitchen Jan tells Pam she knows all about her and Michael's past relationship (super, super awkward). 

As a small side note, Pam & Jim's relationship will forever be my favorite in television history (Meredith & McDreamy, Joey & Pacey, Ryan & Marissa all pale in comparison). During the dinner party, Jim tries to leave by making up a lie which ends up only being able to save him - meaning he'd have to leave Pam behind. Is it just me or would only Jim be able to get away with this? I'm still in love with him. Sigh.

Dwight shows up (YES!) with his former baby-sitter as a date (DOUBLE YES!) and his own Tupperware filled with beet salad and chicken legs. 

It's official. This dinner party episode has made my Thursday night. I just watched Michael being driven away by Dwight in his souped up car to avoid Jan's abusive ways after the cops broke up their loud dinner party.

7 days. I've already started my countdown for next week's episode. I'll see you there babe.