What is it that you have lost and found?

Have you ever found someone else’s property? How did you feel about it? It happened to me a couple of times: a wallet, an ID card, a jumper. 

It is interesting how differently we act with different objects. When I found the wallet, I immediately gave it back, but with the jumper it was impossible. I tried looking around in search of a potential owner (it was in a park), but I found no one nearby who could feasibly wear a man jumper that size. I then started asking to the passengers, but everyone declined owning that specific item. 

I am a very honest person so I could not take it home with me, even though it was an expensive brand and looked really nice. I ended up leaving it there where I had found it hoping the person who lost it would remember where to go search for it. After not more than ten minutes a lady came by, saw it and just took it. It could have been the legitimate owner, of course, but since it was a man’s jumper, I honestly doubted it. 

This is when I felt silly: why did I not take it for myself? Well, I suppose it is because I would be able to renounce to any lost and found things of mine, but I could never live without self-respect, dignity, and the awareness of being an honest human being. Honesty cannot be lost and found again. Once it has gone, it has gone for good.

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Backpacks or trolleys?

A few days ago, I went shopping in a big mall. While strolling from shop window to shop window, my attention was caught by a store selling school equipment. In their very nicely arranged window, stood a particular school bag, right in the middle. What struck me was that it did not look like normal backpacks for school at all. I suddenly felt old.

Maybe because I felt disappointed in the distance I perceived with a world that did not belong to me anymore, I decided to look into the subject and sat at my desk with the laptop in front of me to do some research. When I went to school, all that mattered to me was trend – I wanted to have a bag that would match my style, and the fashion of the time. I believe this is still valid for older kids, but what about younger children?

It so happens that nowadays wheeled backpacks for school are the trend. They honestly look like suitcases – those trolleys we usually have with us on short trips. These bags have a long handle so that kids can pull them easily, no matter how heavy they are. They also look very well built and long lasting. And I must admit that, after a first look, I was able to say that backpacks for school with wheels are better than normal ones. Solving the problem of weight on a child’s shoulders simply changing the way they carry their backpacks, makes these bags smart and useful, with a huge benefit on the children’s health. I must admit that, after having observed them for a while, they also seem to me pretty nice. 

Naturally, also normal backpacks for school have improved since I last bought one for school, and they are much more comfortable too – and probably more adapt for teenagers. They now have nicely padded and ergonomic shoulder straps which help distribute the weight evenly on the shoulders and back. They also are more resistant and very often built with a water-resistant material which guarantees a better protection of the belongings we carry. They also tend to have more compartments (including one for tablets/laptops) so that order and organisation are simpler and more efficient.

In conclusion, I must say it was interesting to stop for a moment and have a look into the world of young people. We too often forget to look around, to consider the life of others, and it is a shame, as it makes us forget who we were and how we changed while growing old.

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All the attributes a good desk chair should have

If you work at a desk, if you spend your days sitting in an office, a studio or at home you certainly know what a desk chair is and how important it is to have a good one. If you are new to the topic (maybe you just started your career or changed work), here are a few pieces of advice on how to select a good desk chair.

First of all, why is it so important? Well, sitting long hours is not good for our health because it increases the risk of chronic health problems: heart disease, diabetes, back, shoulder and neck problems, bad blood circulation. In addition, if this was not enough already, too much sitting can be bad for concentration and can lead to depression. While it is best to alternate periods of sitting to movement (walking, stretching, jogging), we all know this is not always an option, and even if we are able to do some exercise, when sitting we can hurt ourselves. How? Sitting on the wrong chair. This is why we need a desk chair, and not whichever desk chair, but a good one.

How do we tell a quality desk chair from a bad one? You have to look into some of its features. To start with, check that the backrest and seat are adjustable. The lower back has a natural curve that tends to flatten when we sit long hours forcing us into a wrong posture. Secondly, pay attention to the material the chair is built with, which should be durable, with sufficient padding, and it is best if it breathes, dissipating moisture and heat.

Also the armrests are an important element of a good office chair, as they can reduce pressure on the lower part of our back. Finally, ensure that the desk chair you are about to buy has a good stability.

It is clear that a decent desk chair will not come cheap, and since you want a long-lasting product you should not search for a bargain, rather, you should see it as an investment for your health and your productivity in the long run. Similarly, if you are an employer and are looking for chairs for your employees, remember you are in charge of your workers’ health and that taking care of them will repay you back – research shows that workers using a good quality desk chair work longer hours, are happier and have a higher productivity rate.

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