Flamboyant and Your workplace (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

I have to admit it: I let out a groan when I saw Gattina's selected Photo Hunt theme -- and this even without thinking how to combine it with the one that Sandi had chosen. Put another way: I really don't like thinking about my workplace and work on weekends -- and am so very glad that, unlike with some previous jobs, I usually don't have to go to work on Saturdays anymore!

But then I got to thinking of the fun, quirky side of my workplace -- including that which stems from it being the first and only place I worked at where people were actually encouraged to communicate via Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger (as opposed to, say, over email or the phone, or -- you know -- face to face!).  For somewhere along the line, some bright spark decided that this mode of communication would benefit immensely from having emoticons along with the more usual words on screen... and before you knew it, quite a number of us got to accumulating a pretty impressive of fun, colorful -- and yes, sometimes also flamboyant! -- emoticons!

So attached did I become to my emoticons that earlier this year, when it was announced that Windows Live Messenger would be discontinued and we'd be switching to Skype instead, I just had to snap a couple of photos of my collection of them for posterity.  And yes, Skype has emoticons but it doesn't allow for personalized ones like Windows Live Messenger -- and dammit, I really miss my Hello Kitty, Tuzki and ones!!!

With regards to the third photo from the top: that's a view taken from one of the balcony areas of my workplace where the views really sometimes can be quite beautiful.  For the most part, there's not much time for lingering while I'm in the office -- but I couldn't resist going out to take a few photos that particular afternoon to remind myself once again that Hong Kong, even the views of it from my office, really can be beautiful! :)