you can tell a lot...

...about a person by the gift for which they trade at a white elephant party. this was the case at my work party yesterday afternoon. after over 60 of us tore open our gifts, we began to nudge and prod our way through a crowded room, trying to hawk our wares.

i watched a bewildered 20-something male walk slowly past, sizing up my friend and i as he tried to determine if we would take his bait. i mentioned to him that the book he was cradling was likely a gem--Jhumpa Lahiri's latest work, "Unaccustomed Earth." He looked at me quizzically and replied, "really? Do you want it?" "No," I responded. "I'm super stoked about my jump rope." Later, I saw him walking around with a sex-themed board game, his gait much more confident.

A colleague from Paris was stumped by a Kleenex box cover in the shape of a face with a protruding proboscis offering the next tissue. I was of no help; who would want THAT? Later, I saw the new owner proudly displaying his new gift due to a swap of an austerely-decorated bowl.

Alas, a workmate was unable to trade her pair of golden Thinkers. We suggested she keep them at her desk and do multiple reps with each to improve her muscles during long phone meetings.

And yeah, I'm pretty stoked about my jump rope.