Dontkareoke

For some strange reason, starting this year, the powers that be in my firm decided to expand their so-called "tradition" (formerly reserved for the most part for first-year associates), of requiring new attorneys to sing at the holiday party. Since singing is a talent that I totally lack, I decided to sing a duet with one of the female attorneys in the same predicament. My wife was not pleased, and to make matters worse, we were required to sing "Endless love."

In a heated email exchange, I perceived this trilemma:

1. Comply with the rule, and be embarassed;
2. Break the rule, and thus the core values; or
3. Get the rule changed so that it doesn't apply to you, and perhaps fail to do so, collapsing the trilemma into a dilemma

Take your pick, but I think all efforts should be applied to #3.

Ultimately, I agreed to abide by whatever expression of their rule determined by the powers that be, no matter how unjust, non-uniform, or non-compliant with the principles of estoppel, waiver, laches, etc.

Ugh. It appeared that I was merely adding another chapter in my voluminous and growing book of embarassing moments. That's when I got the idea that I should sing Diana's part, and she should sing Lionel's. Armed with my dictaphone with a really cheesy micro tape recording and donning headphones so that no one else could hear the music, we sang. I have no idea how terrible it was, but needless to say, they wouldn't let us finish the song.