A Work Weekend of a Different Sort

Last weekend Rod spent all weekend with work people, but we did it in a very non-work environment. Friday was my firm retreat at Snowbird. Our retreats are always so fun because all the people that started the firm get together and reminisce about how the firm started and how it has changed. It is so fun to hear all the war stories and really gives you a sense of how far we have come and why Parr Waddoups (soon to be Parr Brown . . . Congratulations Clark!) is so different.

For those of you who are not familiar with Parr, it is one of the only firms I am aware of that runs on a democratic system. The first day you walk in the door, you have a vote on everything from paint colors, to hiring decisions, to salary. It is very transparent and really gives every attorney a sense of ownership and accountabliity. As a result, I think, it leads to a much happier work environment. I'm not sure if it is because we make very careful hiring decisions because we know that anyone we hire will be voting on all of these important decisions or because the democratic process leads to better decisions and, therefore, happier people, but everyone I work with is nice and seems happy (for the most part) to be there. It is really a great place to work.

After tbe meetings on Friday morning, which included a presentation by one of our founder Federal District Judge Kimball, I headed to the spa for some firm bonding time. A group of us went for massages and pedicures while most of the firm headed off to make their tee time. I had a really fabulous deep tissue massage. It was like a workout, but it hurt so good.



Rod drove up later and we headed for dinner. Our wedding band, Gearhead, provided the entertainment, and all the partiers spent the night dancing and singing.



We closed the place down and then headed to the resort's swanky bar. There, Jeff Hunt, had champagne waiting for us to celebrate the recent bar passage of our new associates, Allyson and Clem. It was so fun, but so hard to get up for meeting the next morning. At least there was a beautiful sunrise as a reward.

Saturday night, Rod and I agreed to host his work party at our house. It did not take too much effort on our part. We had it catered and all the lights were still up from the pre-wedding BBQ (they were so difficult to put up they will likely stay up until they no longer work). Rumba and I did go gather some sunflowers for our centerpieces, though, and Vonnie brought us some pretty red daisies as a hostess gift.

After the game started (GO TIGERS!), the crowd cleared out pretty quickly. We had big plans to make appearances at all three of the other parties going on that night, but we had so much fun at Ari and Patty's Unwarming Party, we didn't make it very far. (Sorry Rob and Johnny!) We did, however, get these very stylish frames with autographed pictures of the soon to be famous Ashleigh as a white elephant gift. How fun!