revelations of inadequacy

A new look! I like the colors but don't liked the squashed size as much. Since I'm an amateur, I'm limited at this point to the pre-fab templates at blogger.

...So we were working away this afternoon - Jim and Gao were busy with a telecon on their side of the office and I was modeling away on my side, when BAM. The electricity disappeared. The curses I heard shouted out from one end of our hallway to the other were amusing. Jim and Gao were, of course, only mouthing them since they were on the telephone. I, being the good officemate that I am, exclaimed a few curses in a little tiny voice, so as not to disturb their telecon.

A bunch of geeks without computers is akin to a pack of armadillos without armor (I just made that up - how do you like the Texas reference? And do armadillos really move in packs?). We reverted to aimless wanderings through the darkened hallways, occasionally picking up pieces of paper, but were unsure what to do with them. Wasn't there once a way to place marks on these sheets without the use of a printer? Even the journal articles that I needed to catch up on were online. We found some flashlights and made a few jokes about them, but those can only carry you so far, really. Coffee makers don't work without electricity either. It was a pathetic sight all in all, yes it was.

My life's work would be rendered completely useless in the case of an apocalypse. Put me at the back of the line for those you want as a citizen in your post-apocalyptic village. Oh wait - I can knit! There's a useful skill that I have. Maybe you should move me to somewhere in the middle of the line instead.

In all seriousness, it's a little frightening to realize how dependent we are. I mean, we all know we are, but to really think about it makes you nod your head and purse your lips in concern. Try it.

In any case, I don't think it's the apocalypse now. I think someone backed into a transformer and knocked out electricity to NASA and the adjacent Air Force Base for a few hours. All will be well again tomorrow, I'm sure. The geeks will be back typing away at their computers, the coffee makers will be dripping, and the air conditioner will be humming, despite it being November. But that's for another post.