Back when our offices were on Barstow Street, each year during the (absolutely massive) downtown Trick or Treating event, the Volume One staff would pull together to transform our entire office into the “Tunnel of Terror.” It was a chance for everyone to take the day off and work as a team to build a rather impressive impromptu haunted house. For real, the thing was good and more than a thousand people went through each year. It’s been five years since we last did it, and to be honest, I miss it. And I miss a lot of other weird/funny stuff we used to do. (Pillow Fight anyone?) Of course, a lot of other things have replaced the hijinks of our earlier days. Bigger events, bigger initiatives, The Local Store & Volume One Gallery, and now my involvement with the new Oxbow Hotel & The Lakely across the street. There’s no mistaking the fact that we’ve grown up a bit. I just hope not too much. It’s sometimes hard to gut-check our own company culture. It’s certainly different than it once was – not worse, just different – and I think that’s a normal transition. The key is to not let it be a boring transition. A good thing about Halloween is that it’s a great opportunity to give yourself – or your organization – a bit of a youthfulness test. It’s a time to engage in childlike foolishness, perhaps even embarrass yourself a little, and grow from the process. It’s good for you and everyone around you. Happy Halloween.