Things (2.1.2024)

I retired from full-time work on February 1, 2024, and Dave retired and was released as bishop the next week.  There was a profound change in the "things" that identified us and that we surrounded ourselves with.  I emptied out my shareholder's office with its 24th story, full-length windows several weeks earlier, but I returned to take photos of the "things" about the office that I had so taken for granted, for 23 years, that I had never photographed them.

There was the lobby sign with its Chinese characters that no one could interpret.  The characters stayed on the lobby wall even after Dentons severed its relationship with its Chinese office, after America-Chinese relationships became strained.

There was the long conference room table that I furtively referred to as a "phallic symbol".  

And there were the spectacular city views from my office window.  By the time I retired, I thought of that office a "cube" boxing me in.  However, when Camille looked out my office window, while helping remove furniture, she said, "The view is so beautiful that I'd want to work in this office all the time."  I now work at home and equally enjoy the view out the window at the flowers in my garden.

Dave also left an office he had enjoyed for many years at the LDS Hospital office building.  He received many goodbye gifts, including this door wreath made by a friend.  

Dave surrounded himself, in his office, with things he loved, including photographs of wild areas of Utah.

One "thing" that evoked many memories was this envelope with Dave's name, as bishop of the Hilltop Ward.  For five years, his volunteer job as bishop, on top of his fulltime job at work, had consumed his days.  Being bishop brought many opportunities and sweet experiences.