How do you cook a pandemic?

So everyone here is talking about the swine flu. You can hardly miss it if you watch even one second of news coverage. WHO keeps updating the world by the minute and, of course, it's the talk of the water coolers in every office. Ours is no exception.

While I appreciate being in the know when I need to be I don't know if the barrage of constant information is a good thing. There is a certain amount of panic involved when I hear people talking about this and now every innocent sniffle or sneeze is cause for some to worry. Still there are those here who must worry...

My friend is married to a Mexican man who is now attempting to go through the legal immigration process he previously diverted. In order to do this, he must leave his wife and two small children and return to Mexico for an indeterminate amount of time. He's waiting right now for his attorney to tell him when that trip will take place. For us here in the US, we are looking at swine flu as something that can still be managed adequately. For my friend and her husband, they are looking at sending him to a hard hit area of Mexico with little clean water let alone proper medical care. As of this writing, 184 confirmed deaths due to swine flu in Mexico and many of them were in the area he is headed. So, that puts a different perspective on the whole thing.

Though I know the media always puts a dooms day spin these things, it's hard not to worry when it can and will affect someone you know. I also think it's easy for us here in the US to sometimes think it can't happen here. But does that really matter? If it's happening somewhere, shouldn't we be concerned? Doesn't what happens to those around us matter? It should. I still hope it does.

My office or, as I like to call it, my own personal piece of heaven....

This is where it all happens. This is the "think tank" where great minds meet to make even greater decisions. This the heart of the agency where ALL the hardest work is done. This is where I spend hours playing Text Twist and looking for weird stuff on Craigslist! Haha! Seriously, this is my office...love it or leave it.




It's important to have many Dum Dum Lollipops when working in Social Work. Sometimes it's all that gets us through the day. Well, that and the vodka...



Having the right kitschy stuff staring at you from your computer is essential. In this case, the Beanie Babies were my idea. I have no idea who's teeth those are. They just showed up one day.



I call this thing the "Intruder". It can mess up the best of days.



Sponge Bob is my co-pilot.



I find I can't have enough pens in my desk at any given time. That's because I rarely take the time to actually check which ones work or not so it's always a crap shoot going in there for one.



My tiny little Rolodex. Honestly, I don't know why I have this. I never use it. All my contacts are kept on the computer.



Miscellaneous crap. A true professional cannot have enough of it. Office supplies you will never use but will fill your desk drawers nicely and make it look all official and stuff.