my favorite posts of 2024

by Alison Green on December 19, 2024

Here are my favorite posts of 2024, in no particular order:

1. how much can I pet my cat on video calls?
Because this is asking the important question.

2. I spent a ton of time helping 2 employees who hate each other … now they’re dating
Because people are so weird.

3. I think our intern prank-called us
Because the kids are alright.

4. can I bring a friend-with-benefits back to my hotel on a work trip?
Because this hits perfectly at the intersection of work and life that’s so interesting.

5. our admins hate all the coffee I buy the office, but they insist I have to keep trying
Because … what!?

6. men are hitting on my scheduling bot because it has a woman’s name
Because of course they are.

7. my new hire’s office looks like a dark, flickering bat cave
Because this is hilarious and yet you’d have to address it, and that combo is my favorite.

8. the plant saver, the altruistic horse, and other stories of kindness at work
Because this is lovely.

You may also like:
{ 46 comments }

{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }

  1. Dr. Rebecca*

    I wish we’d gotten an update on #7, because I am SO CURIOUS as to what was going on there. Like, my first thought was migraines, but as Alison mentioned, he’d had plenty of time to let the OP know what was going on…

    Reply ↓
    1. ferrina*

      Right?! I need to know what happened after OP addressed it again!
      Also, this can’t be the only way the John is ‘rebelling’, right?

      Reply ↓
    2. physics tech*

      Me too! And that it had already been addressed once or twice and the recent grad continued to backslide into their Batcave ways just made me so curious!

      Reply ↓
    3. post script*

      Same! I hate the typical overhead fluorescent lighting in offices too. A couple of nice floor lamps with warm-toned bulbs might have gone a long way to make it look inviting and be comfortable for the occupant.

      Reply ↓
    4. Slow Gin Lizz*

      I too want an update on that one. If there were a way for OP to pivot John to being less public-facing and focus more on the other aspects of his job, I’d say that was the way to go, but I also think OP would have said if that were possible. So anyway, I’m wondering what happened after OP told John he needed to keep his office more approachable and if John is still working there (somehow I doubt it).

      Reply ↓
    5. Anonymous Cat Lady*

      I work with someone who is sensitive to light and sometimes gets migraines from it so that was also my first thought. Then I got to the part about actual burning candles and was like “Huh?!” We definitely need an update!

      Reply ↓
    6. Generic Name*

      No disrespect to the OP, but I found it amusing that they were like, “He has a public-facing role, and the department’s priority is to serve the public. He is bad at serving the public but otherwise good at his job.” Uh wut? I’m curious about the portion of the job he is “good” at.

      Reply ↓
  2. Blinded By the Gaslight*

    Thank you so much for all you do, Alison! It’s been a hell of a year. I hope 2025 is kinder to us all!

    Reply ↓
  3. SarahKay*

    Story #8 with the list of kindnesses is lovely and amazing all over again. Thank you, Alison, for highlighting it to us.

    Reply ↓
    1. Me*

      Yes. I really needed this. A special patient of mine just died. I hope her family can take some comfort in knowing how well and how much we cared for her.

      Reply ↓
    2. Anonariffic*

      Imagine if they broke up! Though I suppose we all would have seen the news article about “entire office building wiped off the map, witnesses describe the explosion as ‘almost nuclear,’ no apparent explanation of the cause of the incident.”

      Reply ↓
      1. Margaret Cavendish*

        Oh, I guarantee they broke up! And then got back together again, then broke up again, then got back together again except now they’re in a poly relationship with a third person, then they’re married, then they hate each other forever. And so on, all the while making sure that everyone in the office is aware of the drama.

        There is zero chance that these two went from drama queens of the century to being stable, professional, mature adults who either are or are not in a relationship.

        Reply ↓
      2. BowTiesAreCool*

        I have been imagining they broke up since this letter was first published! I’m 99% certain they have, at least once, and that it ended up being OP’s headache.

        Reply ↓
  7. Meaningful hats*

    For the prank call one- my younger sister used to make prank calls/emails/AIM messages posing as me, without my knowledge. The worst was when she emailed my soon-to-be college dorm roommate from my account with a list of all the “rules” I would be imposing on our dorm. Think things like no friends allowed in the room, no lights on after 8 pm, no crunchy foods, etc. The poor girl, understandably, thought I was crazy and asked to transfer to a different dorm. I didn’t speak to my sister for the entire rest of the summer. She’s lucky it worked out- I’m still friends 20 years later with the new roommate that was assigned to me after my sister scared the first one off.

    Reply ↓
    2. Blarg*

      I had an on-again, off-again boyfriend whose little brother would do this to me back in the late 90s when we were in high school. I went off to college and the ex went off on a church mission (clue to the challenging nature of our relationship), so I did not expect to hear from him for 2+ years, cause that’s how it worked. About six months later, I get an ICQ message from him. I just rolled my eyes and told little brother to stop playing around. Turned out, my ex decided not to go on the mission after all, but it took him calling me on the phone — long distance! — to convince me that it was not little brother playing around. 25 years later, we are still friends. His brother — still a brat.

      Reply ↓
    3. Elsa*

      The summer before I went off to grad school, my brother mailed me a rejection letter “from” the university I planned to attend. He created fake letterhead that looked like that university’s letterhead, and wrote a letter explaining that the school was rescinding their admission offer to me after learning of my evil ways in a conversation with my excellent brother. It had me going for a minute or two until I got to the brother part.

      I loved the letter so much that I had it up on my wall for a while after.

      Reply ↓
  8. GoodNPlenty*

    Reading the acts of kindness thread was so lovely. In my 52 years of employment I never saw this in action but it is heart lifting to know that it’s out there in the ether.

    Reply ↓
  9. dee*

    I loved the acts of kindness thread – such a reminder that people can come through when you least expect it and most need it.

    The puppy story reminded me of the day I lost my own family dog. Was the same age, mid-twenties, working my first job as a lawyer. I was in a different town and wasn’t able to get back home in time, so I learned about my dog being put down over the phone with my sobbing family. Was a wreck when I went to work the next day. My boss saw I was upset and being a dog lover, told me to take the rest of the day off, no problem. Went home, picked up a book, blanket and a sandwich, walked to my favorite park. And just as I had settled in I remembered with horrible certainty that I was supposed to be in court that morning. You’ve never seen someone sprint so fast down a hill.

    Reply ↓
  10. juliebulie*

    I am stunned by the horse story. Not that I know a whole lot about horses, but I didn’t know they could do that.

    Reply ↓
    2. Quinalla*

      So much this! I sent this one to many people being like this is why we still need to talk about DEI people. This and the 10,000,000 other things happening, but this story yup just kind of encapsulates it!

      Reply ↓
        1. Leenie*

          Ideally, it might help men to see women as people and colleagues instead of as bots who are there to receive unwanted passes.

          Reply ↓
  14. Liz the Snackbrarian*

    Still waiting for LW 7 to clarify if John was using ridiculous tapered candlesticks and not just subtle Bath and Body Works candles. I feel at that point you go big ass candelabra or go home.

    Reply ↓
  17. Ms. Teacher Person*

    My favorite story/stories were the ones Alison shared about her mom. I still laugh about the card she sent when Alison turned 26.

    Reply ↓
  18. MB*

    Man, a whole comment section on Number 2 and not a single person taking up the clear “Well, that was Much Ado about Nothing” joke.

    (It was much ado about SOMETHING and good lord, there’s no way Beatrice and Benedicta – or Beatrice and Benedick, to be completely honest – are going to stop the drama everyone wants them to stop.)

    Reply ↓
  19. Safely Retired*

    I finished the acts-of-kindness thread just in time. The next tissue sticking out just changed color, marking the end of the box is near.

    Reply ↓
  22. Jane*

    #5 makes me incredibly grateful to work in an office where no one is a weirdo about our coffee situation (we have a Keurig machine, and since Keurig coffee tastes like plastic to me, I have removed myself from the equation entirely by either bringing a thermos from home or treating myself every couple of weeks at a local coffee shop I like)

    Reply ↓

Leave a Comment

Before you comment: Please be kind, stay on-topic, and follow the site's commenting rules.
You can report an ad, tech, or typo issue here.

Subscribe to all comments on this post by RSS