All the Comforts of Home

In the photo: Bloomsbury Bird and Benson Bird host the Badger's birds. The Badger had gone to a race for a few days and we cheered him on from far afield.

It pleases me that I work in a place where my every comfort matters and my little eccentricities are not only tolerated, but encouraged. I have a deep-seated need to be surrounded by things that are beautiful to me and that please me. My job is stressful to say the least, and several times each day I need to have my eyes land on something lovely, my ears take in sounds that please me, and I frequently jump out of my chair to do stretches or weights and bands. It keeps me from running away screaming or from seizing up into a fetal position whimpering.

We recently moved from very cramped quarters to a spacious and, probably, damned funny new office. We're on the second floor with a large deck that's ours alone. I sit up in the treetops with my doors thrown wide open and get the effect of working outside. For whatever reason (we didn't do this) both David's and my offices have mood lighting - go figure. It's restful and I figure the lower light might shave a good 5 years off of me. We have the best technology on the planet and I spend my day at the big dual monitors, watching our service teams move around the valley on GPS. "What is that chucklehead doing, driving around in circles at 53 miles an hour for the last 7 minutes?" We needed some storage space out on the deck, so Troy built us a miniature barn!

Because I am a nester, we have sweet little plants and homey little touches everywhere. But what startles people and brings smiles and comments are our pets. David and I eac keep beautiful betta fish - when I need to slide away momentarily, I focus on Mr. Redfish who glides in his water with the little front fins going a mile a minute. David brings his much loved shih tzus a few times a week, just because he can.

But my favorites, by far, are the birds. My birds (our company mascots, because we're not birdbrains) live in a veritable parakeet palace. They're placed near a sunny window so they think they're outdoors (because they are birdbrains and are easily fooled). They chirp and twitter all day long, and they draw the attention of everyone who steps into our office. They make me laugh out loud several times a day and I am treated to the sight of manly men stepping over to their home and making kissy noises at them or talking pookie-pookie talk. Sometimes a customer will ask me over the phone if I am somewhere with birds, and if I've deduced that customer has any sense of humor, I say, "No, sir, those are the voices in my head channeling through the telephone."

I guess what I really had to say today is this: I had the big career. It was grand, the pension is wonderful, I felt very accomplished, it's over. I worked in the sterile offices of corporate America. The money was great and last winter I eBayed off more cute little suits than the law allows. That's not what I do any more. Now, I work as hard as I ever did, but in a place where what matters, right after succeeding in business, of course . . . is that everyone is comfortable and feels good. It suits me better. It's a rare Monday that I don't come in and say, sincerely, "I am so happy I have this place to come to."

In my ears right now: Mellencamp, "Cherry Bomb"

Why I like it: One of the best nostalgia tunes ever. Fiddle music! Fun and funny. Wry.

Something that charmed me today: Bloomsbury Bird and Benson Bird, just like every day.