Work approves of what I do in my free time.

Photo: Suzanne Frayser/Subaru Telescope, NAOJ

I mentioned the annual Volunteer Dinner in a post last month.  For the last several months, I've had the good fortune to have my friend and fellow volunteer Josh as a co-worker, and to get to help train him. 

We've each volunteered over 1,500 hours since 2004, and have both been recognized for "Long-Standing Contributions."  Josh was named "Volunteer of the Year" as a student, and I've been in the running for it the last few years.

Since we volunteer in a field related to our work, and our workplace's press officer attended the dinner and insisted on taking our photo, we kind of knew that sooner or later, work would have something to say about what we do with our personal time.

I'm really looking forward, though, to next year's dinner, because as of late summer, we have two newer co-workers - our old friend Jennie and our new friend Rita - who are also both volunteers.  So next year, there should be at least four people, or two-thirds of our entire department, in the photo!