Yesterday, the student employees began to invade my office space with boxes of marketing materials. Soon, I couldn't even see over the boxes. Outside, dropcloths, masking tape, and paintbrushes.
The new paint color matches the college brochures perfectly! Sarah did a great job of choosing, and the others are doing a great job of painting.
All this activity reminds me of my very first job -- working in the paint department of a community hardware store. The pay was low, but the people were awesome. J.B. Hostetter's and Sons was the best place I ever worked.
I miss the hardware store. The job combined chemistry with art and design. I learned to respect the hard work of construction workers, of painters, electricians, and plumbers. There is a camaraderie in human labor that I miss in the professional and academic circles.
Quiet, hardworking Lancaster County men and women run deep. I miss the hardware store.
Paint paint paint. Art for everyone. Bright colors celebrate joy.
Friends, thanks for reminding me.
