How can you smile and forecast weather's getting better if you've never let a girl rain all over you

I called Spira on my way home from work to see if she was up for a run. She did not pick up. Maybe she's being a chicken baby, I thought, and is petrified of being out in the rain. Either way, I'll razz her about it the next time we talk. I'd be shirking my duty as a friend if I did otherwise.

I, however, was not a chicken baby; I braved the elements and went for a run. Whenever I passed someone all bundled up under an umbrella, I imagined they either thought I was an idiot or a dedicated athlete when they saw me in shorts, a couple of shirts, and baseball cap. The truth lies somewhere in between, I think, slightly favoring the idiot side of the equation. It was a good run, though; it means a lot that I'm willing to exercise in less than ideal elements.
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I ran into Ellen in the parking lot as I was coming back from break yesterday. I've had similar encounters with her before and every time we meet she uses the occasion, almost as if we planned it ahead of time, to complain about the job. Yesterday it was "I don't blame Deb for leaving. I wake up every day debating whether I should come in."

I do not share her view of the job. I've worked in some absolutely crummy places, with some terrible, maladjusted people. I've worked in conditions so cold I once resorted to stuffing paper towels in my boots to warm up my feet. More than once I've had my physical well being threatened at a job. Christ, I bet everyone I know shares similar and probably worse experiences. So, yesterday, when Ellen told me she's never been in a work environment as toxic as this one, I thought of perspective and how it shapes us.

You see, my job, compared to some of the beauts I've had, is hardly what I consider to be toxic. When Ellen said that, images of Jeff thanking us for doing our jobs as we leave every day appeared in my mind. Already, they've bought me lunch more times than my last few jobs combined. No, this job is not toxic. If Ellen truly believes that it is, then she must have worked at some pretty comfy places and should consider herself blessed.
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Well, I'm about done with you. I'm going to watch last night's episode of The Office, the funniest show on TV, past and present. Bold claim, huh? Later on, I'll probably regret making it, even though history may prove that I'm right.

Before I leave you, I'd like to welcome Janelle, one of the loveliest people I've ever known and a fine writer, to this site. I've posted a link to her page in the sidebar--I hope she doesn't mind-- and I encourage you to check out her writing because, as many of you already know, you're in for a treat. I don't know how frequently she'll post, but I'll be checking in daily and will devour whatever she offers.

And one more thing about my dear friend. Though I see her little these days, I think about her often, with fondness and admiration. She is one of the few people I'd go on a long road trip with because I know we'd have some meaty, thoughtful conversations. Her well is deep, my friends. And this speaks to why I love her so much and why I eagerly anticipate reading her work on a (hopefully) consistent basis.

I will now, after discovering that The Office didn't air a new episode this week, set my sights on finishing The Trials of Henry Kissinger.