Present Monkey Lives Inside A Giant Present

For those of you that don't know.......I (Lin) am Present Monkey. I was given this name by my sweet Daughter-in-law Lisa when she saw how I react when in close proximity to presents. I can't remember when it first happened but I become overwhelmed with giggles as I look at presents. It doesn't matter if it is in a store window, on the television, or for someone else. There is something magical about looking at a package that might have something hidden inside.....well, even if it was empty I would still get the giggles looking at it.

I have, on many occasions opened a present given to me and babbled happily at the thoughtful gift inside, only to promptly re-wrap it so I could look at it for the next few days! My family and friends know this is coming and smile ever so kindly as they glance at each other as if to say, “We knew she would do that!” “At least she likes what we got for her!”

Playing with the Holiday Display at the Charles Schwab office.

I couldn't resist hugging this one at Vectors Coffee Shop.

There is a woman at the University I work with who is in her senior year and somehow manages to go to school, be the coordinator for an extra curricular horse club, and work 25 hours a week. Not only that, she is planning her wedding at the same time. Her name is Kaila and I adore her! She is smart, funny and has more common sense than most people 40 years older than her. No matter what she does, or where she goes, her life will unfold with love and humor as she and Robert make memories for the next 70 years or so!

When I was on vacation in Chiang Mai for a month, Kaila decided to give me the present of a lifetime! She told me it took her about a week and then to finish it she and Robert came in on a weekend day!   I know now she was paying attention to my behavior around presents!

I have never laughed so hard as I did when I walked into my cubicle! I literally had tears in my eyes! EVERYTHING !!! was wrapped. My phone rang shortly after I set down my bag and I had to unwrap it to answer it. As happy and as giddy as I was to see this, I was very close to tears of unhappiness because I had to unwrap my small file cabinet to get to my coffee cup! I asked around until I found someone with a box cutter so I could carefully cut out the paper from around my monitor. I just had to leave a paper frame!

Going back to my desk after lunch the other day I gasped, “Oh, someone left a present on my desk!” I busted out with a laugh as I realized it was my computer wrist rest!

A few large pieces of paper have fallen off the wall, but my goal it to keep as much up as possible and finally un-wrap my area on my last day of work on August 8^th, 2014! Yes, I will be THAT person. If I annoy people....too bad! I will leave them with a story about the “Crazy Present Lady” that used to work for the University. I guess it is better than being the “Crazy Cat Lady!”

So for the next few months, as I am surrounded by Snowmen and Santa Clause I will start and end my day with a smile and a giggle. I feel safe and secure and very cozy working in my own personal present!