Peanut Butter
Last Friday wrapped up a very intense two week project that was well worth very limited sleep and a Thursday all-nighter. After quickly enjoying Friday IxD fika post project review (I never skip Friday IxD fika) I flew to Stockholm that evening, exhausted but excitement overruling, to meet Ben for another 48 hours in Stockholm. The first 24 hours was quite lovely, hitting up our favorite lunch spot, checking out the David Lachapelle exhibit at Fotografiska, and general aimless wandering. The second 24 hours took a very miserable turn as I succumbed to food poisoning Sunday morning from our Saturday dinner. While I was barely beginning to feel better Sunday evening, I could hardly stand by myself and consequently skipped my overnight train back to Umeå. Sleeping in a shaky train car didn’t seem the logical route that night regardless. Feeling drained but able, I caught a day train back on Monday, though unfortunately missed the opening lectures for our new project. Needlesstosay, not an uplifting start to the week.
After arriving to school today (Tuesday), myself and others noticed two bags of four jars of peanut butter on the empty desk next to mine, technically my former desk. We all discussed and assumed it must belong to a Canadian second year in IxD who had recently returned from internship. Not going to lie, I was a bit jealous. It is well known at school that I easily go through a jar of peanut butter a week – bread, crackers, carrots, apples, bananas, cookies, oatmeal, plain – you name it, it’s on it.
Lunchtime arrives in studio, and so does Nils Erik, a usability expert from Stockholm who lectures different classes from time to time at UID. He was involved with our larger last semester project, and thus aware of my peanut butter consumption as well as lack of variety and purchase options in Umeå. Turns out not only had he brought the peanut butter for me as a gift, but he even had to check a bag in order to take it on the plane, which he would not have done otherwise. I know my cheesy side often emerges on this blog, but the gesture was truly thoughtful and such perfect timing.
And yes, I already have a plan to pay it forward.
