We’re conducting S–E–X Talk Week here at the MidnightDBA #Awesomesauce blog, in honor of everyone’s favorite subject. In deference to the fact that this is (against all odds) a professional blog, and SOME companies aren’t fond of “that” kind of talk wending its way through the office intertubes, we will be using the very clever analog for the “S” word: 53x. We’ll also keep all this on the up-and-up, shall we?

Last week, SQLServerCentral hosted four editorials on the differences between men and women, from four different women: me, Jessica Moss, Julie Yack, and Wendy Pastrick. We had some great reading, and great debate in the forums after publication, but it wasn’t until the fifth editorial (by Steve Jones) that the subject of 53x came up at all. In all the talk about differences and similarities, difficulties and advantages between the sexes, we four never once mentioned the elephant in the room. I know I figured that since it’s just not a part of the professional sphere, it shouldn’t be mentioned at all.

The thing is, this industry is made up of people, and people have 53x on the brain. Who’s 53xy, who had 53x on TV (or IRL) last night, who among your preferred-gender office workers might be interested in 53x. (Be honest, now…being married doesn’t eliminate attraction to others. No, I’m not hitting on you, so stop looking at me like that.)

Generally speaking, men and women are different about 53x. From long friendship and partnership with hubby Sean, who is very open about such things, I’ve learned how very differently men think about sex than women. For one thing, it appears that it’s not a myth that 53x is on men’s brains about 90% of the time. This was a real revelation to me (many years ago)…I know I can run a good deal of a day without the subject coming up. The “who gives a flying crap?” upshot of this particular factoid is multifaceted:

• It can affect how women conduct themselves (see “Actually, It’s Totally Smart To Flirt Your Way To The Top“, or as I like to call it, “Unbelievably Bullsh*t Career Advice“),
• How we dress (I’ll have more to say on THAT this week), and
• How we interact with each other at work (there’s far too thin a line between “asking you out” and “here’s your restraining order”).

Stay tuned this week…we’re going to get into office romances, office dress, harassment (of course!), and all kinds of stuff to make your HR department wonder.

Happy days,

Jen

http://www.MidnightDBA.com/Jen

Postcript – QnA:

- Q: What does this have to do with SQL, exactly?

- A: Have you ever been to PASS?