People, Peanut Butter, and other Pleasures

I'm addicted to peanut butter. Usually, when I say this, people laugh and say, "Oh, yeah. Me too!" Really? You think so? Do you have to limit yourself to buying one mini jar a week? Have you considered it a serious trial when you give it up for lent? Have you come home late one night and woken up to find your laptop covered in fingerprints and have to run to the store to replace your roommate's jar of peanut butter which is mysteriously half-empty (or half-full. Damn you, optimists)? If the answer is no, then you are not addicted to peanut butter.

This little vice is why I was so excited when one of the girls in subscriptions gave me a ginger snap with peanut butter and pumpkin butter on top today(say what you want, it was a wonderful carnival of flavors in my mouth). It wasn't just the food though. Food can be a source of comfort and happiness, but what I found today was even better. People.

I spend my day with my back to the door staring at a computer, a wall, and a corner--much like a child you've put in time-out. I'm half sure that people sneak into my office and make faces behind my back, because I can't see and well, frankly, that's what I would do given the opportunity. Still, Monday through Wednesday I don't see many people unless they need something from me, in which case I'm usually so busy that I have a snarl and a wide-eyed look that tells people, "She might have rabies."

Thursday, however, is when I hand out the paychecks, and everyone likes you when you are giving money. I realized that I feel a surge of positive energy on Thursdays, because it means I get to see people. For a brief moment, I get to overhear office gossip, or comment on someone's outfit, or joke with the subscriptions team over a gingersnap. These pockets of socialization are brief, but I noticed while they were happening that the pit in my stomach that is usually there disappeared. Gretchen Rubin talks about the importance of socialization in The Happiness Project. Even introverts are happier with human contact, she says. I've always thought this to be true, but never noticed the effects as clearly as the fact that when I returned to my office after handing out the checks, I had more energy, less anxiety, and an honest to goodness smile on my face.

Now, I can't ask to move my desk down to the second floor where there are more people to talk to, and I can't just leave my office for an hour to gab with the gals. However, maybe I can relax a little more and make an effort to be friendly to people, that way I can get that burst of energy that comes from laughing over a conversation about the origin of graham crackers (look it up. you may be surprised). Talking to people helps brighten your day. Especially if they have snacks.

Clean it up :)
Do it right :)
Let it go :/

“If you can't control your peanut butter, you can't expect to control your life.”~Bill Watterson

Photo from http://askville.amazon.com/Peanut-butter-peanut/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=63675921