So… I cryptically mentioned the other day that I am starting to archive old blog posts.
There I was, bawling my eyes out with one hand on the mouse, the other on the bottle–WHY! Why can’t the QUOTA go the OTHER WAY? WHY WHY… and then a dedicated reader and participant in the whole FTB experience reached out and suggested that I NOT delete… Instead, as she grasped my shoulders firmly…shaking me with understanding and fury… She exclaimed.. “JUST PUT THEM SOMEPLACE ELSE!..” And with that the planets realigned and calm spread throughout the land.
So it is with this advice that I have started to compile les Archives — found just up over there… No, not there… THERE – up at the top of the left hand column under PAGES. There you will find the beginnings of a compilation of “yeah I wrote that” words strung together into nonsense-grammatical-sentences — historical rants and raves of almost daily observations. Don’t get me wrong, the duds are being deleted… but as this process continues.. just know that if you haven’t had enough of me yet – there is now a place where you can find MORE.
And it is with this that I am also starting an new “thing” called Two for Twosdays where I republish something from the way back machine… Because the other day while driving I heard Three Strange Days by School of Fish… which took me back a few decades to a time when I used to slip away (sorry mom & dad) to NYC to go to a concert series called Two for Tuesdays at the Twin Towers. And I’m so totally grounded for this. It was awesome– AWESOME I SAY and always an adventure, and while I’m reading all this old stuff anyway… it took me to this piece, written last April.
Can I borrow your headlamp?
Almost 10 years ago (yikes!) I worked at a company that was deep out
in the New Hampshire woods… a company that developed ground
penetrating radar equipment and software. I will give you a second to
think about this.
The radar tools were used worldwide for things
like major infrastructure projects, highway repairs, and my favorite –
archeology and hidden treasures. I was titled the “Graphic Presentation
Specialist” and spent a lot of time looking at pictures of digitized
rebar. It was my job to make radar look sexy. I have always had a
slight interest in science, so this was it wasn’t too mundane for me…
most of the time.
My co-workers were all scientists–geologists
mostly… and when I needed approval on the latest product shot I would
have to go on a scouting hunt through the woods to find the individual
in question.. Once found, they were usually dressed head to toe in
protective jump-suits, not as a precaution–just because they wanted
to–testing equipment in the dank woods. Headlamps were also big in this
office… when at their desks, they all seemed to need the extra
light–despite the mind-burning fluorescents in the ceiling. Gas masks
were also in abundance, although I don’t recall ever seeing or catching
a wiff of any hazerdous chemicals. These were all regular people…
just really smart and into the world underground.
There were some
creepshows– the guys that lurk around unibomberesk. But for the most
part everyone was really friendly and upbeat. They had organized runs
after lunch–big groups of geologists running on the country roads
talking about rocks and rebar. I’m not going to lie–it was amusing…
And, it was a good job. They had awesome beneifts and, because we were
owned by a larger Chinese oligarchy, the 401K was-a-rollin. I probably
would have stayed with the company longer than I did (about 1.5yrs)..
but I began to laugh at the rebar jokes… I began to recognize the
flaws in the digitized software accounts of cracked concrete… I
started to think that the lights weren’t bright enough–can I borrow
your headlamp? It was time to move on… and so I did.
In
2001–after 9-11 and during the clean-up of, I was watching the news.
Still living in New Hampshire — although no where near the woods, I
was of course somber about the course of events when… WAIT – in the
background there… That man… I know him… Hey that’s STEVE from
GSSI–he’s holding a peice of Ground Penetrating Radar equipment!
To date, the company is still going strong, and I will always have fond memories.
You know. I read that part about the ground penetrating radar equipment and began wondering what other type of earth changing shenanigans you were up to. Realigning the poles? Sucking all the magma out of underground chambers? Poking little holes in the ozone with your evil pin?Perhaps it’s time to start that secret dossier now.
That’s so crazy, as that story was unfolding, I found myself calculating the timing, going Omigod, please tell me she wasn’t there in all fo that, or that she was, I couldn’t decide. Then you said you left, then sure enough, Steve was there. I am going to like Two for Tuesdays! There is much to be said for being a baby blogger!
My husband owns a head lamp. He won’t keep it in the house anymore. He says the battery lasts longer when he keeps it at work. I’ve no idea what he’s talking about.
oh just saving the earth, one rebar at a time. I didn’t mention the lunch truck — now that was off the hook.
His office must have super ultra bright fluorescents. The brighter the lights, the more needed the headlamp.
I know. It’s an enigma.I hope you like the 2fer thing… I hope I don’t catch up with myself too fast and just keep duplicating the same posts over and over again.. damn Myth of Sisyphus.
I can’t concetrate with all this talk about penetration…
My thoughts were similar to AVB’s. I can quote one phrase from the Uniform Code of Military Justice (from many years ago): “Penetration, however slight, is sufficient to complete the crime.” (I rarely use the phrase in spoken conversation any more.) “However slight” maybe recalled those distinctions between venial and mortal sins.At least you can say that you were once a Graphic Presentation Specialist. It is always good to be a specialist.
I’m really trying to respond to this.
I was going to comment on how cool it is that you had such a unique experience and such a unique title to go with the unique working experience. But then the talk of penetration… Srly. How does one follow that?!