why i go to work

I have some pretty great coworkers.

This can be illustrated in a number of ways [you know...while we're working or whatever], but some of my favorite ways have absolutely nothing to do with work.

Example 1:

I had been helping my coworker Sue with a convention she was hosting on for a collector's club she's in.  I had no idea, but apparently these collector's clubs can be a big deal.  And Sue collects those Dickensian-looking Christmas villages.  Which I happen to think is pretty cool.

Anyway, as a consequence of helping her out during my down time, she gave me the opportunity of a lifetime:

The chance to hear the great-great grandson of Charles Dickens perform a one-man rendition of a Christmas Carol.  [Yes, it was October, but I'm pretty sure absolutely nobody in that audience minded one bit.]  It was incredible.  And yes, I may have cried.  [Tiny Tim gets me every time.]

To make things even better, my friend Jana got to come along, which is great, since she happens to be a big fan of Dickens [and can probably quote every line of that play verbatim].

And finally, to put the icing on the cake, Jana and I got to peruse through all of the [very mind-blowingly intricate] villages on display.

Here is the Halloween village.

[Sorry for the poor picture quality...I forgot to bring my camera along so phone pictures are all you get.]

Jana Banana reading all of the funny epitaphs on the tombstones.

At this moment in time, I was probably either laughing at something one of the tombstones said or at something Janana said.  [She loves it when I use her nicknames.  Former roommate privilege, you know.]

Ok, I know you can't see this one very well, but it's supposed to be the Courthouse Square in Prescott, which just happens to be where I'm from.  Holla.

A Christmas Village, with details right down to couples holding hands and families coming out of church.

Fact: that black blur is actually a train.

And you thought my holiday yearning was bad before.

Example #2:

My boss, Kristin, went to Iceland for three weeks [that part actually makes me kinda sad] and left us all of the food in her refrigerator [and that part makes me happy].  The goods consisted of things that Tim and I don't usually buy, but of things that we love.  We got to experiment around a lot, which was really fun.

Now, that may or may not look appetizing, but let me tell you: it was tasty.  Stuffed chicken with pesto, peppers, mozarella cheese, and other ingredients which I cannot recall at this time.

Yep, my coworkers are pretty great.

[Jealousy not encouraged.]