One of my collaborators gifted me a bottle of scotch as a token of appreciation for some work that I did pre-quarantine. Coronal times meant that it had to be ordered and shipped directly from the supplier to my house, rather than say, being given or mailed in person, but it still made me feel really appreciated. When I opened the box I thought about whether my current supervisor would ever do anything like this for me, but it was so absurd that I didn’t really consider it further. I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that the work is its own reward, but I think it’s nice regardless to get a gesture of thanks like this.
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