elevated tension

We humans like space, distance from those who we do not have a familiarity with. It’s interesting to watch how people act when this natural desire for space is hampered. A good example of this is in the elevator. Elevators are small, cramped and enclosed. You must stand quite near others. Sure, there’s the sliding to the corner trick, but that only works up to a certain body count.

I don’t know which is more awkward: being pressed against others in a full elevator or standing in the enclosed silence with just one other passenger. With the single passenger, there’s an almost pressing need to fill the silence, make small talk, something. Instead the silence grows thicker with ever floor.

Then the door opens and you meet fresh air and open space.

big grin

TheCallowQueen had a good weekend. Yay!

green light

Dune is totally warping my brain. A few nights ago I dreamt a green light woke me up in my old bedroom. The furniture was sparse and pushed back against the walls. Bleary-eyed, I looked up at the green light. It was a long globe in the center of the ceiling. It seemed to be filled with a greenish liquid. Giant rats rolled around inside the liquid, fighting and biting each other. It was eerie. Not my usual kind of dream to have. And, G-man, I blame you.

in the ghetto

Did you know that I lived in the ghetto of Johnson County? First of all, the idea of there being a bad part of town in white, middle-class, snotty Johnson County is a bit funny. Second, I think I live in a great area. I've got good highway access. I live next to a beautiful park. It's just a short hop to the Plaza. And the rent's cheap.

My roomie and I were out at dinner recently with friends when the topic of where we'd like to live came up. I'd love to consider remaining in Merriam and finding a house here. My friend said Merriam was her second-to-least favorite city in Johnson County. Apparently, Merriam is JoCo's slums. This made my roomie and I laugh. We grew up in Wyandotte County, and to us Merriam seems upscale.

My roomie mentioned this to her sister who now lives near the Shawnee/Lenexa boarder, and her sister admitted that her husband didn't like for her to be in Merriam after dark. And these aren't the only two references I've heard recently about Merriam being JoCo's slum.

It's just funny. My roommate and I think we're moving up and we move from one avoided place to another. I guess it's not that much of a surprise. My roomie and I see more to Wyandotte than poverty and crime. I actually saw little crime or violence growing up there. So, it makes sense that we don't see the faults in Merriam that others in Johnson County see. As for crime, someone egged my brand new car at 99th and Glenwood. Overland Park better watch out or it could be the next Merriam.

a lost weekend

Much of my weekend was devoted to watching "Lost" in preparation for the season premier this Wednesday. My efforts paid off. I've brought four into the Lost fold. May the island be happy with my contribution.

And I've made a good dent in reading Dune. It's beginning to warp my thinking, which I bet the G-man will be happy to hear. During the "Lost" episode where Boone is mega hurt, all I could think about was how Jack was making a poor water decision. In Dune, they live on this planet with very little water. Never mind, this won't make any sense to those who haven't read the book. Anyway, the book's concepts are lodged in my head and pop out in the oddest settings.

And Nanette (my iPod Nano) and I are having a good morning at work.

highs and lows

My editorial director is out for two weeks. My managing editor is gone for the day. That just leaves the assistant editor and me to take on a 36-page supplement that we didn't know had to go to pre-press today. We just go the final imposition (layout for the articles and ads) yesterday afternoon. The author was still missing chunks of his articles and some photos.

My editorial director called to tell me the supplement WOULD go out today. Is he crazy? Things got worse. The author decided that he couldn't give us his changes over e-mail and the phone, so he came in instead. Not only is he drawing out the process. I'm getting nothing done. And he's harassing my assistant editor. If he attempt to get into it with her one more time about problems that aren't even her fault, I'm going to have to take him aside and have a chat with him. (Either that or watch the assistant editor kill him.) This is just not acceptable.

On an up note: My iPod Nano came in the mail yesterday. It's wonderful.

question of the day

From under the lid of my mango white tea: What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about?

Deep thoughts to consider over my lunch break--maybe too deep.

blood

I gave blood this morning. Then I blacked out. I woke to a huddled mass of Community Blood Center workers yelling my name. I think one of them had been tapping on my face. My shoe was dangling from my ankle, and my book had fallen to the floor, so I knew I must have been shaking too.

The other blood-givers' eyes were huge, and they stared at me. For the next hour I was pumped with apple juice, water, and Oreo cookies. They took my blood pressure and pulse again and again.

Back at my desk I learned that I'd won a prize in the raffle: a red plastic bracelet that reads, "GIVEBLOOD."

I keep telling everyone I'm fine. I ate a big lunch like they told me to. And now, sitting here, I feel exhausted. Maybe I'll go home early.

subject missing

I realize that I’ve posted nothing on this blog about Katrina. I’m sad and frustrated by the whole thing. I’ve stopped watching most newscast about it, which is almost the same as not watching news. Even so, I'll still listen to NPR, but then TV news really pales in comparison with NPR.

I'm really not going to comment on this much. I wouldn't do the topic justice (and my ranting would become a little annoying). That is all.

come get lost

The new season of LOST begins on Wednesday, Sept. 21. And I thought the best way to begin season two would be with a season one LOST marathon. We're working on a short schedule to fit in all 24 episodes before the season premier. (Dang that DVD release date.)

The LOST watching schedule:
Sunday, Sept. 11, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 18, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 21, 6 p.m. with the season premier at 8 p.m.

Let me know if you're interested in stopping by (be it for a few episodes or the whole dang thing); seating is limited.

Come and enjoy my addiction.

rush, hurry, but be careful

Gee, people! Everyone's hounding me today. They're so hungry for something, I half expect to find one of them trying to gnaw of one of my limbs in an attempt to get something from me. If they can't have their article, their photo, or whatever else they came for, it seems they'll settle for a finger or a toe, though a few have wanted an arm and a leg.

Whew! What a morning!