[risotto_groupon]

I often have a hard time networking because I was raised by two very serious people who took their jobs very seriously. I made the mistake of moving to Chicago where it seems like the accepted way to "make friends" at work is for everyone to pick someone to be "Dwight Shrute" and they bond by crapping all over them as much as they can.

I can't begin to tell you how utterly distasteful, unprofessional, and pretty shocking this I find this considering I work in a field full of nerds.

I have no qualms about leaving workplaces with toxic cultures like this (about 90% in Chicago). I have no desire to recommend or be recommended by people who's idea of bonding is forming a clique of bullies, find job security in doing as little training and professional development for new employees as they can get away with, and excuse their own poor performance by drinking until they can't remember their own name.

My work speaks for itself and has been enough to get me in the door wherever I want to go at the salaray I deserve.