Renewed Faith in the Goodness of Human Nature

Often it doesn't take much, especially this time of year, to warm the heart and make a person think that the world is not that bad a place afterall.  Such a thing happened to me today.

Over three years ago I had a business trip to Minneapolis in the dead of winter.  I stayed at the Radisson there and in the business suite, where I hung out in the mornings before heading to the office on the skyway, I met a concierge whom I liked and we hit it off.  At the time I was reading a Christopher Moore novel.  (Love me some Christopher Moore) and she enquired about it and I gave her some details.  A couple of days later, I saw her again and had finished the novel and wanted to share it with her.  It was a hard-back book so I thought I should probably indicate that I would like to have it returned, and did so by putting my name and address on the inside cover.  Well, my husband said that I was silly for "loaning" it to her and that I would never see it again.  After several months went by, I conceded that he was likely right and I would have to buy a replacement for the book so that I would not have a hole in my Christopher Moore collection. 

Well, today, out of the blue, I got a package in the mail from Minneapolis.  Not remembering having ordered anything from Minneapolis, I was puzzled, but it was clearly addressed to me so I opened it.  And there, lo and behold, was my Christopher Moore novel.  There was a nice postcard inside saying that she had run across the book and felt she had better return it.  Of course, the address I gave was my business address here and she also added that she hoped I was still employed here.  (Thankfully, and for many more reasons than the return of the book, I am).  She also related that she is no longer working at the Radisson and is currently unemployed and hoping for a better year in 2011.  I too hope she finds a job.  I was right when I loaned her the book - she's a nice gal.  ;)

So I think I have a book on my shelves at home that has strayed too far from its owner and which I've had for a lot of years.  I remember who it belongs to and think I will pay this forward and return it to its rightful owner.  Okay, now before you get all judgemental, it was loaned to me by a lady with whom I worked about a decade ago, and shortly after the loan, she left the employment of the company and I never heard from her again.  Granted, I did not make an effort to find her, and she did not include her address on the front inside cover - but I could have tried.  Believing that kindness merits and begets more kindness, I am inclined to do just that.  I'll let you know if I find her.

Attending a Captivate Class in Portland

Well, I attended my last class for the quarter at UW last night, and then when it was done, got in my car and headed south to Portland.  I'm attending a Captivate class at a training provider here.  The problem is that I didn't arrive in Portland until about 12:30 a.m., and I'm staying with a friend so we stayed up talking like a couple of magpies until about 1:30.  We're both just KNACKERED!  And computer training is always soooooo riveting anyway.  It's a friggin' challenge just to stay upright - nevermind actually learning anything! 

But it beats being at the office for a couple of days and this is something that I have been feeling like I need to do for a while.  I'm getting tired of dropping everything I'm doing at work to train someone on a software feature - so this ought to save me some time in the longrun.  But DAMN!  I'm tired today.  :)