For some reason it seemed shocking to me when a co-worker mentioned on Wednesday morning, the day before my 60th birthday, that I had spent more than one-half my life working for Fitchburg. While I know that fact, I wondered why I was taken aback at its mention. I think it was the pure nature of the statement in which I recognized some level of my life moving on. Or, it could have been related to the fact that two evening meetings on Tuesday kept me at work on Tuesday from 6:45 am to 11:45 pm. Having started work the next day, Wednesday, at 6:45 am, I think a tired mind and body may interpret things differently than a rested one.
Wednesday, December 20, was my last day at work for the year, and while my goal this year of not having lost any vacation time was not met, I was closer than in any past year. When I arrived at work early that morning, I saw a Happy Birthday sign hanging over my office door. I then realized that is the reason a staff member, Susan, who assists with Plan Commission meetings was engaged in talking to a citizen at 11:45 at night rather than packing up and leaving to get home. She wanted to hang the sign up. As I entered the office card was on my desk, congratulating me on my 60th birthday. Fittingly the card said: 60? That's not Old ... That's Retro. Which is Very Cool by the Way." It was my coworkers way of picking on me being so behind the times that I am ahead of the times. Retro is cool. They especially like my flip phone. Yet it gets better, as I was coming back from the copy room I saw one of our city clerk staff dropping treats off at our floor. Having had a long night, I forgot about bringing treats in for my birthday, so thinking it was treats for Christmas, I jokingly said, “Ruth, thanks for bringing in treats for my birthday." It was only later when more appeared that I was told that this was in fact for my birthday. Ruth brought in cheese cake bars, and gingersnaps, Susan, who was up late at the meeting with me last night had a husband who made brownies for her to bring in, and Anna, the city forester, brought in chocolate beet cake with homemade whipped cream. They thought 60 is an age to recognize, and decided to celebrate this event.
It turns out Susan was only being nice to the citizen when as she was leaving the meeting room she noted to him how he had stuck around for the whole meeting. She did not think she would be engaged in a fifteen minute conversation, as who would not want to get home at that time of night. Later in the morning the director of the Senior Center and the social worker brought up their packer of information they give out to senior citizens. The social worker even included her business card which is, they said, the size of a cell phone. In pulling out my flip phone to show how much larger the business card is than my phone, they had a laugh at my plain simple phone. They had a good laugh. The business card is large to fit the large print for senior eyes.
Wednesday, December 20, was my last day at work for the year, and while my goal this year of not having lost any vacation time was not met, I was closer than in any past year. When I arrived at work early that morning, I saw a Happy Birthday sign hanging over my office door. I then realized that is the reason a staff member, Susan, who assists with Plan Commission meetings was engaged in talking to a citizen at 11:45 at night rather than packing up and leaving to get home. She wanted to hang the sign up. As I entered the office card was on my desk, congratulating me on my 60th birthday. Fittingly the card said: 60? That's not Old ... That's Retro. Which is Very Cool by the Way." It was my coworkers way of picking on me being so behind the times that I am ahead of the times. Retro is cool. They especially like my flip phone. Yet it gets better, as I was coming back from the copy room I saw one of our city clerk staff dropping treats off at our floor. Having had a long night, I forgot about bringing treats in for my birthday, so thinking it was treats for Christmas, I jokingly said, “Ruth, thanks for bringing in treats for my birthday." It was only later when more appeared that I was told that this was in fact for my birthday. Ruth brought in cheese cake bars, and gingersnaps, Susan, who was up late at the meeting with me last night had a husband who made brownies for her to bring in, and Anna, the city forester, brought in chocolate beet cake with homemade whipped cream. They thought 60 is an age to recognize, and decided to celebrate this event.
It turns out Susan was only being nice to the citizen when as she was leaving the meeting room she noted to him how he had stuck around for the whole meeting. She did not think she would be engaged in a fifteen minute conversation, as who would not want to get home at that time of night. Later in the morning the director of the Senior Center and the social worker brought up their packer of information they give out to senior citizens. The social worker even included her business card which is, they said, the size of a cell phone. In pulling out my flip phone to show how much larger the business card is than my phone, they had a laugh at my plain simple phone. They had a good laugh. The business card is large to fit the large print for senior eyes.
As I celebrate my 60th birthday tomorrow, I was appreciative that persons thought my birthday was significant enough to celebrate. It was a nice end to the work year, for a community that I have worked for over half my life.
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