As someone who's loved both classical and pop music from early childhood, I can't really empathize, but I'm glad to give you a few pointers if you really want to put minimal effort into learning to appreciate or like classical music. Watching "Fantasia" is great; showcasing classical music along with new animation techniques is what its purpose was. Going to live performances is even better. Listening to classical music on the radio or in any recorded form is for those who like it already. Live performances are more engaging, and perhaps your local orchestra does some fun performances aimed at introducing younger people to classical music. These performances are good for anyone because they mainly stick to well-known classics that we can all hum, but can't quite name. Also, even though I think they're kinda kitschy, but that's probably just because I'm an elitist, try buying one of those "Best of Classical Music" compilations or "Best of Mozart" compilations. They're usually not half-bad, and are good if you get confused by the number of different recordings of one piece. Finally, try watching some movies based on classical music, like 1984's "Amadeus," a great and dramatic (if not historically accurate) movie about Mozart's life and music, or "Immortal Beloved," which is about Beethoven, or even more recent movies like "Shine." Hopefully this will help you in conversing with your pop-music-challenged colleagues.

In my opinion, those "best of" cds always leave out the "best" parts of the music. (I also feel that the "classics" like those in Fantasia are too played out to be of much inspiration anymore)

My recommendation--try out Beethovens 9th. Dont do anything else while you give it a listen. If there is ever a peice of classical music that can rock your world, this is it. (Beethoven was like a punk rocker in the 70's during his time. very shocking stuff) He employed pretty radical techniques and innovations in composition. If you like that, try his string quartetes as well--they are incredibly powerful. I also recommend shostakovichs string quartets and symphonies. Stravinsky is good too. These guys were all pretty intense. I would leave opera for later.

personally, I cant imagine my life without classical. But I also love metal, classic rock, punk, industrial, jazz, opera, ambient etc etc just as much. I think its about maintaining an open mind..Oh--also, when you listen try to dig deep under the obvious melodies (the violins etc) and listen for the layers of sound created by the other "backbone" instruments. i think one of the qualities that makes classical so freakin great is the many, many layers of sound that only a symphony orchestra can provide --also it has an uncanny ability to lull you into a complacent state then BOOM! suddenly your swept away by a torent of sound--it envelopes and consumes you as you become a prisoner of its intensity.
you might also wanna look into the different instruments and read about em a little. I know that one of the things that turned me onto classical when I was younger was studying the instruments and learning what they did in the orchestra. they are really amazing and if you have any interest in instruments at all, it wouldnt be so much like pulling teeth.

oh well enough advice. it seems that I have gone on a tangent..

I agree! The problem with identifying classical music is you can't Google the lyrics! So how do you identify those classical masterpieces that have pervaded our culture? Try www.kickassclassical.com. It's a site I put together to help just such a problem.

I would only be half-alive if classical music didn't exist!

One piece I do recommend which has a story and even at my age (mid-to-late 20s) still find infinitely entertaining is Prokofiev's 'Peter and the Wolf' - it's a bonus if you can find the version narrated by Sting!

I think, sometimes, people forget that classical music needn't be taken so seriously, it scares people away (says the music school rebel that got booted out). Perhaps you should just ask your colleagues what their favourite pieces are, so you can chase them up? It might help you understand the 'fuss' so to speak if you listen to some pieces that they enjoy listening to.

I don't play or listen to too much to 'classical' music due to injury on my first instrument (it's too sad to only listen); I had to learn an older instrument more common in Shakespearian times, but it's fine, as corny as it's going to sound, I found my joy again.