There is a two-week period each August that sensible and sensitive federal workers dread more than any other time. And it happens every year and few federal offices are immune to it.

And if the legend is true, it starts right about now. Look around you. Will you survive another encounter with IT?

The situation is better in some years, when the heat and humidity are low, and worse in others when it is hot and muggy and even the most staid of civil servants start shedding clothes. It varies from region to region and agency to agency. But it seems to happen just about everywhere, except maybe the White House.

An IRS worker in suburban Maryland says “this place must be where they got the idea for the Rocky Horror Show. People of both sexes show up in absolutely unbelievable garb. A lot of them reveal things that should be labeled ‘Top Secret’ and then locked away. It is pretty bad all of the time, but August is worse.”

A fed based in Texas, nominates her office for the worst-dressed-award. “It is always hot and usually dry in Austin in the summer. That’s our trade off for being able to wear short-sleeves (sometimes) in the winter. But this year has been especially hot, in the 100s, and some of my colleagues appear to have been just rescued from weeks in the desert. Maybe they should issue us uniforms.” Doris in Austin

A DC based fed says his office, which he calls the “Homeland of Spandex”, gets really, really bad this time of year. “Most of the people doing the bare midriff look shouldn’t be doing it. If not for themselves than for their fellow workers. And we’ve got a guy who wears shorts, as in short-shorts, that would be banned on any beach in France. You don’t want to sit across the aisle from the guy on the Metro (our subway) if you get my drift.” Nick

So how is it at your place? Are these folks exaggerating or is it even worse than that. What have you seen (that you can talk about) passing by your cubicle? Let us know. Contact me at: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

While you’re answering questions

Voice your opinion and help Mike out at the same time. FederalNewsRadio and Washingtonian Magazine are teaming up for a survey titled “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government” to appear in an article for the November issue of the magazine. Suzanne Kubota

A starfish can turn its stomach inside out. That must make them a lot of fun at parties.

And Stan the Man has reported in. He says there’s been lots of news about vehicle mileage. “For pure mileage, the record holders are the Spanish. As far back as the 15th Century they often went 500 miles on a galleon.”

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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