My muse...my Moose. Wherefore art thou?

Some of you (ok...a lot of you) know that last year, while still at BBBSA, I had an intern join me in my work. Holly Moose was a true find! Many of you have worked with interns and know how it can be hit or miss.


But not Holly! She was all about the work!  She inspired and challenged us.  Granted, there was the occasional misstep, like the time she was put in charge of one of the CEO's nationwide calls and half the country couldn't dial in for about 20 minutes.  She claimed the need for 'accommodation' because her hoofs interfered with her ability to dial "all those numbers".  We, of course, complied.

There was also the time she had to be written up for sneaking into Sue's office at night and eating her walnuts ( some excuse about dietary needs, that were certainly of no concern to Sue and I!) Again, Holly claimed that the work environment was not meeting her needs, so we gave her access to the nuts and to a few plants around the office.  We learned to value Holly's differences and the ways in which they made all of us better humans.

Regrettably, shortly after Holly joined us, she was kidnapped.  Rumor had it that employees who had been 'released' the year previously were involved.  The entire incident resulted in a slew of ransom notes and threats which only served to slow me down on my real work.   


Standards deliverables had to be delayed by an entire quarter while I struggled to negotiate with Moose-nappers and do my job.  While the 'nappers'(as Holly likes to call them) were never identified, rumor is that the Mossad was involved (or was that the Moose-ad?), possibly in some effort to eliminate non-Kosher meats.   HR provided her with the number to EPA...EAP...?... services for help with PTKS (Post-Traumatic-Kidnapping-Syndrome).  But my respect and admiration for Holly grew ten-fold.  What she endured to be able to continue working with us!

Through it all, Holly prevailed. Once returned to BBBSA, Holly jumped right back into the CEO chair, nibbling on walnuts and single-hoofidly finished all the samples, templates, tools, and coordinated the webinars around Standards. Holly turned out to be amazing!

 Then I left BBBSA. And while my colleagues were professional and polite about my decision, it was Holly who was top of mind for them. When I drove into Philly on my final day to take all my nic-nacs home, Holly was no where to be found. Not in her cubicle, not in the kitchen sniffing for garbage, not in Charles's office, playing CEO.

I arrived in Denver at the National Conference only to be confronted by Holly's union Rep (when did that happen?) Apparently Holly no longer wanted to intern with me.  Not at BBBSA.  Not at my new job.  "Never ever," was how her Rep delivered the news to me.  Some nonsense about how I created an unsafe work environment, failed to meet her needs, made her do all my work - nonsense!

Imagine my disappointment and bitterness.  Nearly 9 months of work together and this is how she felt!  But it wasn't over.  Oh, no. 

To my amazement, I learn that Holly had negotiated to stay at BBBSA and intern with her new BNAMFF (Best-not-a-Moose-Friend-Forever), Sue!  And what's more - she wanted to work on the new project - AIM360 with "those nice girls".  


Apparently, while I thought Holly was off making copies and filing, she was off cozying up to the AIM360 team!

So now Holly Moose is preparing for a new adventure.  Despite rules against moose-ization with Moose interns and staff, Sue has managed to break the rules and has started 'girl weekends' with Holly!  Last weekend it was mani-pedi's, a new skirt and clogs for Holly:  her new life is getting ready to begin.  I am left to seek solace in reflecting back on all I have learned from Holly; all the ways I have grown; all the warm memories I take with me.  The definition of Muse is "to gaze meditatively on, be astonished".  Holly Moose you have truly been my muse.