Today I made the mistake of acknowledging that I heard the conversation going on in the lunch room. As they ate, the admin ladies were trying to remember a movie where a manikin comes to life, and I thought I knew one possible answer. I joined in the conversation (while across the room at the sink washing my bowl) saying something I thought might be of interest to them on that topic.
The reply: "uh huh." Then silence.
I somehow managed to hault their conversational progress by participating.
Lesson learned.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
tissue crisis
When I get a cold, my asthma takes over and I get a disgusting, wet, 4 week long lung hacking cough. Such as now.
At times like these, I greatly value the boxes of tissues people have given me. I have one at work (or rather, had one, since I used the last bit yesterday) and one at home (now nearly empty). Unfortunately I can't carry them around with me, so I carry around a roll of toilet paper in my bag. I think it is very practical. Why not carry a roll of tp? It's cheap, compact (at least more so than a tissue box), abundant in supply (much better than the portable tissue packets that will be gone in 30 minutes), and easy to get to. But I have encountered resistance to this concept. Some people just don't think tp should be carried around like that, or they find it extremely funny. I think it is funny, but still practical so I keep doing it. In fact, one of the tissue box gifts was a result of my last evil cough, from my roommate. Along with the tissue box was a note saying she hoped this gift would help the bathroom supplies last longer. It was a lovely joke, and it did help the supplies slightly:)
I didn't always carry tp around. Once upon a time, I wasn't always sick or having a runny nose. My current job is death to my health. Apparently. My tp days started when I was studying abroad in the UK at Cambridge. I discovered that I was very allergic to something in the air, and I could not stop sneezing. Being in a foreign country, naturally I could not find familiar allergy remedies and I didn't know what to take. My solution: steal toilet paper from the bathrooms (because I was in classes and could not go to the store) so I could blow my little nose to my hearts content. I carried tp around with me the whole time I was there, and even took some home with me on the plane. I kept that tp roll for a few years as a souvenir of sorts, but finally just finished it off:) It was a thrill using foreign toilet paper, let me tell you. I had people tell me after getting back that Benedryl definitely exists in in England. I must not have looked in the right places. Alas.
The most remarkable thing: I was just gifted with a new box of tissues! Not 5 minutes ago! I blow my nose with such high frequency that running to the bathroom each time is not efficient. Having run out of tissues at work yesterday, this morning I got some tp reinforcements from the bathroom in anticipation of much nose blowing today. But to my delight one of my cube neighbors (a cube mother, to be precise, who takes care of me) knew of my misfortune and brought me a new box.
My tissue crisis is over.
At times like these, I greatly value the boxes of tissues people have given me. I have one at work (or rather, had one, since I used the last bit yesterday) and one at home (now nearly empty). Unfortunately I can't carry them around with me, so I carry around a roll of toilet paper in my bag. I think it is very practical. Why not carry a roll of tp? It's cheap, compact (at least more so than a tissue box), abundant in supply (much better than the portable tissue packets that will be gone in 30 minutes), and easy to get to. But I have encountered resistance to this concept. Some people just don't think tp should be carried around like that, or they find it extremely funny. I think it is funny, but still practical so I keep doing it. In fact, one of the tissue box gifts was a result of my last evil cough, from my roommate. Along with the tissue box was a note saying she hoped this gift would help the bathroom supplies last longer. It was a lovely joke, and it did help the supplies slightly:)
I didn't always carry tp around. Once upon a time, I wasn't always sick or having a runny nose. My current job is death to my health. Apparently. My tp days started when I was studying abroad in the UK at Cambridge. I discovered that I was very allergic to something in the air, and I could not stop sneezing. Being in a foreign country, naturally I could not find familiar allergy remedies and I didn't know what to take. My solution: steal toilet paper from the bathrooms (because I was in classes and could not go to the store) so I could blow my little nose to my hearts content. I carried tp around with me the whole time I was there, and even took some home with me on the plane. I kept that tp roll for a few years as a souvenir of sorts, but finally just finished it off:) It was a thrill using foreign toilet paper, let me tell you. I had people tell me after getting back that Benedryl definitely exists in in England. I must not have looked in the right places. Alas.
The most remarkable thing: I was just gifted with a new box of tissues! Not 5 minutes ago! I blow my nose with such high frequency that running to the bathroom each time is not efficient. Having run out of tissues at work yesterday, this morning I got some tp reinforcements from the bathroom in anticipation of much nose blowing today. But to my delight one of my cube neighbors (a cube mother, to be precise, who takes care of me) knew of my misfortune and brought me a new box.
My tissue crisis is over.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
survival
Even though not inspired, this is what was on my mind today. Part 1, of course.
How to survive at work.
1:
When in need of amusement, be sure to go in the break room during lunch to refill your water bottle or wash something. The admin ladies (taking their forced lunch hour) talk very loudly on a variety of topics—the more amusing when heard only in snippets.
Today’s snippet:
“I didn’t know she was a transvestite. Is she taking hormones?”
“What about Dexter? Have you seen him? He’s the complete opposite.”
I have no idea who Dexter is. I mistakenly thought she was asking if anyone had watched Dexter’s Laboratory on Cartoon Network (my favorite cartoon! Especially the episode at the ant colony where Dee Dee does her dance and saves the day).
2.
Water your plants. The free baby plant that came with your cube can be your best friend. Invest in a $5 pot. Beware of overwatering…
If you have a plant that flowers, take a picture immediately. The flower will be dead within 48 hours. Insert company name here sucks the life out of everything.
Someone gave me a bromeliad for my birthday last August. It bloomed its one long awaited flower 2 months later—on a Friday. It was dead when I came back Monday. Sigh. At least I have a picture:) See above photo.
sunrise
I blog when inspired. But I have had no inspiration for quite some time now (obviously). I think this is because I am too busy/sick/tired/stressed/loathing job to notice the inspirational things going on around me. I did see the sunrise yesterday though (while driving to work). It was beautiful (and surprisingly quick). I did not have inspirational thoughts to blog about as a result of observing the sunrise, except to recall a poem I wrote last week on the way to the airport:
fluffy blanket in the sky
celestial pillow
by lr for kt with love:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)