Determined fun.

It's rained for days.


As a member of the Fun Committee, it was my job to cheer everyone up. So, with the rest of the Fun team, we decided that first thing Friday morning, we'd lay out little packet of sunshine-related gifts on everyone's desk so when they come in, they'd at least have something fun to brighten their day. This bundle of goodies was to include: directions for the sun salutation (some yoga move - don't ask me), a small cardboard sun, some oranges, and a sunflower.

Unfortunately, I was responsible for collecting and distributing all these gifts before 8:00am in the morning.

Being the good little worker I am, I started well before Friday. I picked up the cardboard suns Wednesday evening. Thursday - the first dry day in weeks - I printed, stapled, and folded the sun salutation instructions. I figured I would have plenty of time to collect the flowers and fruit from one of the markets downtown before coming to work in the morning. But what do I know?


When I began my commute this morning it wasn't raining. However, when I got off the T in Downtown Crossing without an umbrella and wearing my leather jacket, it was pouring. AND the market by the T stop was out of sunflowers. Figures. Still, I picked up 20+ oranges (which - by the way - are not easy to carry along with two of my own heavy bags) and moved on. Through the torrential downpours I trekked to the other Downtown Crossing market three blocks away. Apparently they never sell sunflowers. However, I realized that from this market, I could walk directly to work and pass a tiny flower shop on Franklin Street, so off I went. But they were out of sunflowers too.


This is the point when I think many others would give up. But how could I? The team was counting on me, man! And my hair was already dripping wet, my gym bag was already soggy, the oranges already strained my back, and my sneakers were already soaked through. What was the point of quitting now? It wasn't like I could show up at work looking decent or dry.

So I walked another several blocks out of the way to the IP flower shop. The florist didn't look up when I walked in the door. It was before 8; he was still getting ready to open up. "Wet day, huh?" he asked. As if the raindrops still falling off the tip of my nose weren’t an obvious enough sign I wasn't thrilled to be there.

"I need some sunflowers."

This is when he finally looked at me. Drops of water fell off my curls and ran down my cheeks. "Yes," he said, "Yes, you do." I forced a wet, soggy smile. There are no funner flowers than sunflowers. "How many?"

Twenty sunflowers and way too much money later, I found myself back in the rain heading towards the office. It was already 8:15 and people would start arriving any moment. Time was short. But miraculously all four sunny fun gifts ended up on everyone's desk before they showed up with coffee, and overall, the Fun Committee was successful again.



*check out more pictures at Boston.com

CHRISSY CAME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEA!!!!!


(AND I've kidnapped her for several nights over the next few weeks... : )

TIME

I read the annual “100 People Who Shape the World” edition of Time on the train home.


What a great tribute to the movers and shakers of this world. Wrapping up the last page, I smiled to myself: “Someday,” I thought, “someday I want to be listed in this.” And somehow the idea creeped into my mind that maybe someday, if I truly work hard enough, that may just be possible.

There is something wonderful about believing the entire world is truly at our fingertips.