If you have a staff job, you might want to get down on your knees and thank the universe for TDA_Boulder and its Happy Hour Virus. Now, you too can leave early on Friday, just like the big bosses, with a perfectly thought-out alibi.
TDA_Boulder is a Boulder (obviously), Colo., creative services agency that takes "creative" to new levels with its Happy Hour Virus. This is a gimmick designed to make it look like your computer has gone bust on you, leaving you no alternative but to storm from work in frustration headed for a source of solace that will be known only to you and friends and family.
Here's how it works: Go to HappyHourVirus.com site.
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That's pretty much it. Once you get there, it's pretty self-explanatory.
For those who don't want to go there yet, but are still curious, here's what happens.
The site offers a three-step process to freedom from work for the rest of the day.
Step One: You tweet to your pals that you will be leaving work soon. Step one offers this message to post on Twitter:
Leaving work early thanks to the #happyhourvirus. Head to happyhourvirus.com if you want to join me.
Step Two: You are prompted to selecte a screen mode to break your computer. Your choices are a) Kernel panic, which, in four languages, tells you your computer has gone whank on you and you need to restart; b) broken monitor (this writer's choice), which fills your screen with an insane pattern that no one would mistake for anything but a busted monitor; and 3) blue screen of death, which is just as advertised: your monitor becomes a royal blue and you are given a dizzying array of options and warnings that no reasonable person would try to deal with on a Friday.
Step Three: "Make frustrated sigh, exit building."
In case you're curious, TDA_Boulder describes its workplace philosophy thusly:
"We are all better employees if we achieve something called work-life balance. However, pursuing that goal is not always an easy task in today's corporate culture. Please use the Happy Hour Virus to leave work early and enjoy the company of friends, family or co-workers. We are aware that this might jeopardize your productivity the following day, but we are willing to take that risk on your behalf. And if this sounds like a philosophy you could live with, learn more about us here," with "here" providing a link to a job application.
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