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Donna Lake sits at her office desk and asks Milo the raccoon, ‘MILO, DO YOU HAVE A PEN?’ A poster behind them reads ‘Thrive.’

Riley the black cat presses buttons on a copier. The copier display says ‘OUT OF PAPER

Finley the goldfish floats above Drew the sloth’s desk and says, ‘WE DON’T HAVE ANY SUPPLIES!’ Drew sits calmly in an office chair beside a purple lava lamp.

Forge the shark gestures beside an empty whiteboard easel with a hanging tag that says ‘SOLD.’ A wall sign reads ‘CORPORATE WELLNESS INITIATIVE’ with ‘Breathe’ and ‘Reflect’ crossed out, leaving ‘Thrive.’ An off-screen voice says, ‘SURE, I CAN THROW IN AN EXTRA TONER…’

Transcript

Panel 1:
Action/Setting: Office. Donna Lake sits behind her desk (laptop open; nameplate: “DONNA LAKE”). Milo the raccoon stands near the desk. Poster in back: “Thrive.”

Dialogue (Donna Lake → Milo): “MILO, DO YOU HAVE A PEN?”

Panel 2:
Action/Setting: Riley (black cat) stands at a copier/printer, pressing a button. Copier display: “OUT OF PAPER.” Background includes the big “Thrive” poster.

Panel 3:
Action/Setting: Finley (goldfish) floats nervously above Drew's desk with a purple lava lamp. Drew (sloth) relaxes in an office chair, looking unbothered.

Dialogue (Finley): “WE DON’T HAVE ANY SUPPLIES!”

Panel 4:
Action/Setting: Forge (shark) is in the conference room gesturing to an empty whiteboard easel with a hanging tag that reads “SOLD.” On the wall: “CORPORATE WELLNESS INITIATIVE” with large words “Breathe” (crossed out), “Reflect” (crossed out) and “Thrive,” plus a small label that says “WITH FORGE.”

Dialogue (off-screen): “SURE, I CAN THROW IN AN EXTRA TONER...”

Thriving

Posted on May 6, 2026 by donnalake

Donna Lake Headshot

From Donna's Desk:

We have reached the stage of the Thrive program where “thriving” is measurable, but pens are not.

This is what happens when you put points on a whiteboard and forget to include reality in the scoring rubric. People start optimizing for what’s counted, not what’s needed. And suddenly the office operates like a tiny economy where basic supplies are a luxury item and toner is a form of influence.

Transcript

CHOOSE YOUR STARTING POINT

Thriving

From Donna's Desk:

We have reached the stage of the Thrive program where “thriving” is measurable, but pens are not.

Meanwhile, the rest of us are trying to do actual work with an “Out of Paper” message blinking like a moral judgment.

I want my team well. I also want them equipped. Wellness is not a poster, and productivity is not a scavenger hunt.

If your workplace has ever introduced a metric that accidentally created a black market, I see you.

Goals and reality need alignment. Let’s keep at least one pen in the building.

Donna

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About Donna Lake