When I was growing up, saying please and thank you was drummed into me.  As an adult, I find it REALLY irritating when people don’t remember their manners – I get very grumpy if people don’t say thank you when I have done something for them, and mortified when I forget.

So I really liked the idea that someone in my team and someone in HR put together to have an ‘appreciation day’ at work where, for a donation to charity, you could buy a helium balloon, write a card to your intended recipient and deliver it to their desk.  I just wasn’t sure if it would work in London.  With a few notable exceptions, we’re polite, but reserved in that British way we have.  I just couldn’t see people getting involved and carrying balloons around the office.

But I was wrong.  So wrong :o)

Yesterday, this happened in my old office (where by happy coincidence, I spent the day) and in our New York office.  I was given three balloons for 1) some work I had done 2) for being me and 3) for being ‘the best’.  It made me very smiley, got everyone in the office talking, looked rather lovely and made money for charity.

So because I don’t say it often enough, thank YOU for reading my blog.  I get a real kick out of seeing how many people take a look at my ramblings, and it also helps me find (sometimes with a lot of digging, I admit) the funny side to thing that happen.  Consider yourself a balloon recipient :o)