Oh crap, she's up!

Flunking students, no matter how few, is a not so pleasant, but sometimes necessary part of my job. I got through it this week looking out for things I can summarize for Friday's Fave Five and I'm glad that there always are:

1. The maya(s) came back! and this time it had a companion. They flew away quickly but left a feathery promise they they'll come back again, and they did. It looks like I'm going to have regular visitors who prefer jasmine rice over pumpkin seeds. I'm happy to oblige.

2. Pre-meeting breakfast and post-meeting lunch. The complete menu went online 19 hours ahead. It's varied and delicious. The accompanying conversation at the actual feast was kept to a professionally nonchalant level. No insane politicking. No obnoxious surprises. We breathed normally and didn't have to worry about indigestion.

3. Exploring our new office. Building 18 is not quite finished yet, but since our department had to move in before the second term commences, we had a once-over. Not bad. It was fun briefly watching engineers at work. The construction men were courteous.

4. Little gifts. They're from colleagues who are back from their holidays abroad and they're accumulating in my drawer. There's a dainty letter opener from Seoul, a charming pencil from Myanmar, a chocolate candy from Brussels, a bottle opener from Singapore, and a teddy key holder from China.

5. E-mailed advice. I seldom hear from this former college roommate who's now in LA, but when she lets me know she's still kicking, she sends me nice messages, and I was amused by this Sisters' Day advice:

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, "oh crap, she's up!"

~ Visit Susanne of Living to Tell the Story for more faves ~