virtualberta

This evening is the CAPT's monthly Social Hour. As the new Brand Marketing Manager of the CAPT Executive Committee, one of my responsibilities this month was to create nametags.

Simple.

In the U.S., I would have just gone to the nearest Staples and bought one of those Avery packages, which comes with software templates for designing nametags, and perforated sheets to feed through the printer.

Except that I'm in Taiwan. There are no Staples! What did people do before there were Staples? A-ha! They shopped at Mom-and-Pop shops. Except that as a foreigner here, I'm not sure where these shops are.

Eventually, I went to two bookstores to find those perforated sheets. Realization #2: there are different brands here, and none of the stores carry the perforated sheets. This realization came after I picked up many, many packages, scrutinized the contents, and then in desperation, finding a sales clerk, and, with a combination of miming and my basic spoken Mandarin, making my wishes understood.

The nametags got created sans Staples and Avery office products. (Thanks to my cousin Jenny for providing her color printer.)

Although those big box stores and global brands are making the world more uniform, and thus, less interesting, there are times when a familiar name is reassuring and efficient.

That thought is not so reassuring. I like diversity. But I should save that thought for another day and get my tush to that Social Hour.