Oh, nuts!

I really want my desk and office to be a welcoming place that people like to visit. It seems like the easiest first step toward that goal is to set something edible out and watch the buzzards circle. I usually lean toward seasonal offerings (mini candy bars at Halloween, candy canes at Christmas, etc.) but I don't want be blamed for contributing to a parish-wide influx of tooth decay. A few months ago I discovered a desk accessory/snack vessel/conversation piece that has developed quite a following: the dual nut basket.

As you can imagine, the nuts go in one side, and the shells go in the other. I'd consider using peanuts, but the Montessori school down the hall from my office has a strict "no peanuts" policy (and all the peanuts I bring to work, usually a pound or two a week, go out the window to the squirrels).

Pistachios have been my favorite nut pretty much forever; to me they're the filet mignon of nuts. They definitely cost a bit more than peanuts, but they're SO worth it. I'm not aware of a better brand than Wonderful Pistachios. The salted variety (is there any other kind, really?) is absolute perfection. Most of the shells practically fall open in your hands (those few that don't get tossed out to the squirrels). It seems to me that Wonderful Pistachios have a more luscious green color reminiscent of avocados (if you have a horror story about how they get that way I don't want to hear it; nothing will make me go back to the twig color of lesser pistachios). They always seem to be on sale everywhere, too! I thought for sure I'd have to put away the basket on account of feeling a financial pinch from keeping it filled with pistachios, but it hasn't yet come to that, thankfully. I had to laugh: one Vestry member looked at the basket and asked in astonishment "Is it self-replenishing?" So it would seem! I hope we don't all burn out on them any time soon; I can't imagine a more perfect snack. Oh, and speaking of "burn": are you wondering what becomes of all those shells? I pour them into paper lunch sacks and use them for fire starters! Talk about being green…

Wake Up and Hear the Coffee

The office at St. Peter's has a new soundtrack: the dull roar of a coffeehouse! A friend of mine recently turned me on to this hipster version of white noise, coffitivity.com. I must admit, when I first heard about it I was skeptical; how long would it take for me to go insane with this thing rolling in the background? Would I get the jitters, or just crave java all day?

I emailed the link to my work account, and clicked on it as soon as I powered up my computer. Astonishingly, I've had it going almost constantly ever since! There is something oddly comforting about the clattering, chattering din of a desktop cafe; I'm starting to wonder how I ever got anything done without it! True, a hot cup of coffee on hand at all times enhances the experience, but is unnecessary. According to Coffitivity, research shows "it's pretty hard to be creative in a quiet space. And a loud workplace can be frustrating and distracting. But, the mix of calm and commotion in an environment like a coffee house is proven to be just what you need to get those creative juices flowing!"

I truly believe it has helped my creativity; I've had an especially productive week that ended with my cleaning my desk to an unprecedented degree. However, I think there is room for improvement. I wrote to the Coffitivity team and asked them to incorporate more actual "coffeehouse" noise into the mix, such as milk being steamed, beans being ground, orders being called out, texts being sent and received, laptops powering up, etc. I wonder if they'll write me back? In the meantime, I'll stay tuned. Maybe all of a sudden I'll hear someone head out for a smoke and know they're working on keeping it real!