Mixing work and pleasure (and a new poll!)

To kick things off on this topic, allow me to share the results from last week's poll:

While this isn't exactly a scientific poll, I'm very happy so many people participated!  Looks like most people are split between avoiding it altogether or going for it as long as the two of you don't work together directly.

I used to be of the camp that work and love do not mix, period.  I was always very sensitive about my work reputation, and worried about the disaster that could take place if something didn't work out.  But I have to say, the older I get, the more I think that opportunities to meet a lot of intelligent, gainfully employed, eligible guys are limited, and if I have access to such a pool of men at work every day, why would I automatically eliminate the pool with no exceptions just because I think it might be weird in the chance that something actually goes somewhere and then just so happens that it doesn't work?  I still think it needs to be done carefully, but I think I'm much more open to it now.

This wasn't inspired necessarily by a specific case.  Well... not entirely.  Okay, so maybe there is someone I would like to get to know better.  Despite the nudging of co-workers, however, that is about as far as my interest currently goes.  He was very nice to me by introducing himself to me, and I like that, so I wanted to know more.  Am I ready to just dive in and ask him out?  No, and I don't think that's the right next thing to do.  I think THAT is what leads to the awkwardness.  But what I WILL do is chat with him now and then and see if a friendship develops.  And we'll go from there.  If at any point he turns out to be a creep, no harm done, right?  We're just work acquaintances.  Yeah, you're right, it's a little wimpy and maybe too safe.  I guess that's just how I roll.  Taking this pressure off makes it a lot easier for me to talk to the guy, though.  I am the world's biggest chicken, after all.

So enough about that.  I have something else on my mind now.  Which brings me to my next poll.  Once we see some results for this one, I'll write a little.  See how this works?

Trying to stay positive,
Skeptic