What I Do & Things

Warily, because it is wise to be cautious, and somewhat begrudgingly, because I can hold a grudge, I note that Ass't Man (AM) is learning how to work better with people.
Yesterday I watched him not lose his cool when a customer yelled at him for something I personally KNOW he didn't do. The customer went away, and then they came back and yelled at him some more. AM just kept apologizing "for the misunderstanding". Impressive.
That's hard to do when you're being slandered.

This sort of thing happens not infrequently at the store––(and most anywhere you work with the public, in my experience--snotty library patrons have yelled at me, though not to that extent)––so he's getting plenty of practice with WOO-sah (staying calm under stress).

So... CAUTIOUSLY I say that Ass't Man may be heading toward being an asset. Asset Man?
Maybe. I hope.

At any rate, the work relationship between us continues to impprove.
I'm a big believer in the power of little gifts, and the other day AM saved this donated green T-shirt for me, which I hung up on the wall by my desk.
Not only was it nice to get a little gift, it was nice to feel known.
I mean, this sums me up pretty well:

Other things I've garnered from the store for my area, like a magpie:
French leopard hair clip, on beaded owl hanging;
urban wildlife poster; vintage little doll;
postcard of Chet Baker; a couple kids' drawings found in books;
yellow bear stick-pin, and crocheted doilie;
card of Lesotho fashions (from the V&A?);
vintage Christmas snowman decoration;
Captain America, the endearingly square Avenger, looking beautifully sad at the wreckage of civilization;
and, Crow, if you're reading this, note your hand-drawn envelope on Capt. America's shoulder