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Savoring newness

There were changes at work and delightful, personal bits came up. My faves this week are about them:

1. Easy adjustments. We were handed new keys. Our new office sports a mini-kitchen with automatic taps.

High back swivel chairs roll efficiently to our whim. The bathroom is supplied with extra fragrances. There's a snack table that doesn't seem to run out of food. Is this still a faculty office or what? We are so tucking in nicely. I heard the lecture and meeting rooms of Bldg. 18 are quite high tech. Maybe when things are not just positively new but also provide state of the art convenience, the situation easily becomes a fave.

2. Gallant security. The new building is patrolled by a new team of guards. Reflective of Thai politeness, these men in uniform do more. They salute faculty members on their way out at the end of the day. Fairly amusing but I got to behave accordingly. The only other time I experienced this type of safety was when I used to drive through residential security when I was married. Now single and no longer driving home to rows of large townhouses the salute is still on (lol).

3. Good scores. Life is a piece of cake during midterms, for invigilators that is. The happy part is that most university exam takers got above median scores. One student made only one mistake.
If someone perfects at least one subject in the finals, I'm ready to party.

4. A pretty wall. Staff livened up the entrance of my apartment. They changed the wall tiles from urban drab to a bit of rustic hue; and hung flowers that make me feel like I'm in the country, not whirling endlessly in a busy metropolis.

5. Love notes. You've probably heard or read about Elena Desserich, a 6-year old girl with cancer who wrote love notes to her family before she died and hid the notes everywhere in their house for them to find. Cynical comments poured in. I dwell on the heart-warming quality of the story. It nudges me to be grateful for and pay attention to my healthy five-year-old's little handiwork - a sketch of my face with six fat strands of upright eyelashes and a pair of elfish ears. Under it he writes H-A-L-Z-E and proudly exclaims, "Mommy, look!"


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

Comments

Ebie said…
Love the swivel chair, especially when you "sit" for a living, hehehehe, desk job!

Have a great weekend!
Anya said…
I have the same flowers we call those "Geraniums" and they are only in our country in fall :)))))
Melli said…
Oh Hazel! I always LOVE your bright bright smile in your posts! Such a pleasure to read about your favorites!

What "cynical" comments could people POSSIBLY make about a child expressing her LOVE that way??? That's crazy!

Being saluted! THAT has to put a little bounce in one's step! LOL!
Carrie said…
I'm smiling big time over your son's drawing. Thank you for sharing that!
Kari said…
Good the hear that you are enjoying your new office.
The wall does look pretty.
Barbara H. said…
Congratulations on the new office! And the guards sound great. The wall and flowers are pretty.
Lisa notes... said…
Wow - sounds like some great adjustments at your work. Sweet.
I love the hanging flowers. A nice touch to brighten up your day.
Susanne said…
Number 6 is so sweet! Stories like that do make one step back and take notice more of what our own children do for us.

Sounds like your week at work was great, filled food table and all!
Brenda said…
How wonderful to have a new office. And I'm sure your flowers do a lot to cheer up your home. Sounds like a good week.
Hazel said…
Melli, I was a bit turned off too by the cynical comments on Elena's story. The parents wrote a book about the love notes and it was published. I am guessing that's where the negative comments spring from, some say something like 'cashing in from a child's tragedy is really low' But it was included in the news that proceeds of the book would go to a cancer charity.
Anonymous said…
I'm sorry -- that #1 sounds like you made it up -- too ideal! So nice to have comfortable working conditions :-) #3 and #4 are lovely too. And I just heard about those love notes today in the news. Just the headline made me feel teary.
Willow said…
Hazel, Your son's drawing is precious! I'd save it forever. Your new offices sound great, especially the security guards :)
Hazel said…
LOL nikkipolani, I'm sorry too but I didn't make it up. Did I mention that they're just starting to bulldoze the front of Bldg. 18 for another thing going? The bosster happens to be very rich. He seems oblivious to recession :-)
sleigh beds said…
Flowers make our working environment more attractive.

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