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I think I may have only mentioned this once in the blogosphere, but way back in November, I met with the Publicity Committee of the Department of Chemical Engineering to start brainstorming some interior decor ideas. The Department is getting ready to move to an entirely different site and a brand new building in a couple of years, but until then, they are looking for inexpensive ways to spruce up their current facility's common spaces. Last week, I got the chance to meet with the committee again and present a few of my initial suggestions. The feedback was really positive, and I came home feeling like maybe I do know what I'm doing when it comes to design. Anyway, the next group gathering is in March (when Matthew and I will be stateside), so I'm going to do more specific research and send all of the information to the administrator, Elena. Hopefully, they will be just as accepting of my ideas while I'm absent as they were when I was present. Also, I wanted to share that the Department was kind enough to feature me in last month's Staff Room section of their newsletter! (Apologies. It might be hard to read the actual text, but you get the idea.)

To be quite honest, I'm a little embarrassed. I sent one of our engagement pictures to the newsletter team because it was one of the only professional photos of Matthew and I that was stored on my computer. (I wasn't about to send them a wedding pic. That would have been strange.) But, I'm flattered that they took the time and effort to include me in their community! Never in a million years would I have anticipated such an opportunity to exercise my areas of interest here in Cambridge while Matthew was studying his. I guess I need to quit saying "never." Never thought I'd live in England. Never thought I'd get to use my talents. Never thought I'd go to Fashion Week. Blah, blah, blah. Clearly, I can never say "never" again.

And furthermore, Sela from Touch of Africa featured my previous post (Clothes Culture) on her company website and facebook page. I wrote it intending to bring some publicity to her enterprise, and she ended up showcasing my writing and photography in return. Again, never had I imagined that anyone would care to read anything that I wrote. But, thanks to comments and encouragement from all you readers out there, I am beginning to think differently. Using the statistics information from Blogger, I can track how many times my blog is viewed and from what countries. So far, it has been read over 6,200 times by people in at least 10 different countries!!! Insane! Never would have guessed our lives as Okie emigrants would mean something to that many people. Apparently, it's not just our parents keeping tabs on us. Thank you for investing in our adventures and exploring along with us! It means more than you know.

Finally, I wanted to mention a couple other things that I never anticipated having to deal with while living in a first world country. 
1. Separate faucets for hot and cold water. Why not just combine them into one like everywhere else? The shower only has one spout, meaning that it can be done. I even asked the maintenance man who came to inspect our boiler system, "Why are there two separate faucets? Wouldn't it be more efficient (and less painful for your hands) for the water to mix?" He couldn't give me an answer, and he's an expert! Come on, folks.
2. A washing machine detergent drawer that must be emptied every time it is used. The slots in the drawer fill with water and turn gunky if you don't completely dump them out after each cycle. This does not leave me confident in the cleanliness of our clothes and linens. Why doesn't it drain like every other washing machine in the world? I must say I am looking forward to owning a washer (AND A DRYER!) next year that doesn't require constant maintenance and doesn't sound like a semi-truck is roaring through our kitchen.
3. Ice crystals taking over the refrigerator. Poor hubby has had to employ my hairdryer in a melting scheme to unfreeze the ice box in our fridge. I don't know how it happens, but ice just builds up on the 'ceiling' until it's covered. And then, the contents in the fridge don't stay cold because all of the cooling energy goes into maintaining the ice. Blast. Well, at least Matthew looks good fixing our problems. I like his dressy casual approach to home repairs.

He got mad at me for sneaking up on him and taking this picture because the camera flashed and he thought he had just electrocuted himself.

Sometimes I feel as if nothing around here can moderate itself. Every appliance seems to operate on extremes. Blazing hot or frigidly cold. Filthy or spotless. Frozen or melted. For a country that has endeared itself to me in so many special ways, it sure does not impress me with its selection of home appliances. And I don't say all this to sound bratty and unappreciative. I recognize that I could be getting my water from a nasty stream, washing my clothes in a bacteria-infested puddle, and getting salmonella from lack of proper food storage. These things were simply unexpected bumps in an otherwise nicely paved road that I never anticipated traveling down. Like I said, I'm training myself to never say never again.