round peg, square hole

On my way home from work last Friday I was opining to X just how disastrous I think work cubicles are in the running history of the human race. Just like building on swamp land, getting involved in a Ponzi scheme, or voting for Bush in 2004, I recognize that at some point people must have thought it a good idea. Probably at some point in the late 70s or early 80s there was an inept decision made, with best intentions, by some company in Cleveland to change the office floor space from wide-open swathes to manmade caves of misery. There is absolutely no benefit to the cubicle live that I can discern. What I once again noticed this morning, and something that’s bothered me since being here, is that while walking around the joint you notice just how many people have mirrors mounted on their desks so they can see who’s either passing by or violating their space. Life through a mirror? Of course, there’s never been a cubicle designed that allows its hibernator/prisoner to actually look outward into the World – look at the damn wall. The wall!

L. is at her clay-thing camp this week and gave me a call this morning to let me know she’d made it into Falls Church on her bike. The camp hours aren’t the greatest (11a-3p) so we took a bike ride yesterday afternoon and covered the route, rules of the road, and any other questions she might have. I think that by the end of the week she’ll feel well chuffed at having been out and about on her own during these rides into town. The roads all have sidewalks and the route is about 95% residential – no worries.

Is my vacation here yet? Where is it?

The trick is to be grateful and hope the caper doesn’t end any time soon - David Carr

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