Peace and Tranquility

There is something to be said for starting a 2000 piece jigsaw puzzle. There's the obvious time commitment, the space commitment (I added the leaves to our dining room table to accommodate the thing), and the fact that you actually HAVE to finish it or you will feel like a complete failure as a human being. I know this because last year we gave up on a 1000 piece puzzle of Bart Simpson that was the tiny picture in picture puzzle that finally drove us mad. I have one piece of it sitting on my china shelf as a constant reminder of my failure. This gift, though Jack asked why my aunt would torture us with such a complicated puzzle, will be my savior, my chance to redeem myself as a part of society. I started it last night, with Jack lasting about 15 minutes, and me putting in a couple hours and I got about 75 pieces together. It will be a good winter project and I will be gluing it together and hanging it in my cubicle. Yes, those are the twin towers in New York. I was the one who called my aunt and uncle and told them about the attack since they were up north at the cabin in their own little world of wood ticks and deer without the benefit of constant streaming news. I think the picture will be a wonderful addition to my new plan of Cube Decor 2006...more on that later...

Speaking of the cubicle here in the farm...it's actually nice to be back to the quiet and normalcy of the cube. Things here don't change...files come in, files go out. I never talk about my job because it's painfully dull. At this point in my life, dull is good. Maybe someday, I'll want the excitement of a jet set lifestyle and the thrill of climbing the corporate ladder and stepping on all the little people on my way to the top, but not today. Today, I'm happy with my quiet padded walls, my big mug of chai, and my mp3 player.

It makes the vacations all the more meaningful.