TOCK's Zoo

Today saw a luncheon with folks I have known and worked with for up to twelve and a half years.  They took turns around the table with memories of working with or knowing me.  That was fun, but almost a little like being at my own funeral because how often do people really going around a table talking about you? 

Don talked about my boss Chuck and how he heaped accounts on top of me because I was the one who would get it fixed.  Interesting to find out in hindsight how/why I got so much work.  :)

Lynn is on the left and was the one who hired me at BellSouth over ten years ago.  She went white water rafting with me ten years ago.  The last time I went before last month.  Marcia is on the right and I have known her since the second month of 1998 when we worked at Sprint.  I knew Marcia before I met Todd.  She talked about the sign that was made and hung on the outside of my cubicle at Sprint, designating that space only for Todd and no one else.  Both of these ladies were at our wedding.

Here's my Cas.  Cas is the reason why I started selling beads on Etsy.  She encouraged me to try it and gave me so many pointers and tips.  She has been a wonderful sounding board!  And now two years later, I have had over 500 individual sales on Etsy.  Wow!

Martin has been a friend of the family since I was in elementary school.  He worked with my Mom for years before he hired on at BellSouth like his Mom.  Martin wrote up countless puzzles and mathgrams for me to figure out on my own when I went on vacations as a child.  In my adult life, we have gone family vacations with our own children.  Martin talked about when he was helping me prepare for my first interview at Sprint and towards the end I looked at him and said "Mart, I don't know that I really want this job.  I think maybe I just want to join the Peace Corps."  And then there was silence.  And more silence as he looked at me and I looked back.  I'm sure he wanted to strangle me, but he remained silent.  Until I broke the silence and said "Ok, I'll take the job if it's offered."  And that was the end of that.  I did not join the Peace Corps.  I was offered the job at Sprint.  And I accepted. 

Rob is on the right and makes the best crab boil I've ever tasted.  Must be his Cajun roots!  Rob also spent a few months in the hospital at the end of 2009 with double pneumonia and the H1N1 virus.  He was in a coma for a couple of weeks while his body was healing.  We spent many nights around the dinner table saying prayers for this man and his family.  Now, he is as good as new and only a small tracheotomy scar to show for it.  He will tell anyone it was a miracle that he came back because the odds the doctors put on him coming back were slim to none.  I believe him that it was a miracle.  Faith is a good thing.

Six months later I met and started dating this wonderful man.  We will be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary in less than two weeks.

Somehow the camera did not get handed off to take a picture of me with my friend Ozanna.  She took all the above pics with my camera.  Oz could be my second Mom or a close Aunt.  I have worked with her on and off for the past three years, but she gives me grief like no other.  Like we're family.  

Today made me realize how very fortunate I am for having walked into such long lasting friendships and second families through my work.  In a culture where it seems work is absolute drudgery, I am thankful for working with people I consider my extended family.  We have shared in each others' wedding days, births of our children, tears at funerals and birthday parties for our children and each other.