Thursday, June 15, 2006

reach out and touch somebody's hand - just make sure it's clean

I work behind a desk all day - at the end of a long hall, with no officemates, separate from my department, across from the men's restroom. Sounds glamorous, I know. Hey, how many people can say they've seen Ben Stiller go pee? Well, I technically didn't see the actual peeing but I watched him go in AND I watched him come out. So, there. I also had to direct him to the correct door, as he was originally heading into the ladies room. Silly, Ben.

I digress...Point is, it's lonely down here. Real lonely. The ONE thing that I have to keep me company (besides the agents, writers, etc who call me on the phone...actually only looking for my boss but boy do I appreciate it when they pretend they want to talk to me) is my computer. I have my computer. I know that while I stare blankly at my screen there are, at that very moment, a multitude of other restroom watchers and clock punchers who are doing the exact same thing. We all just want so badly to connect with people but have to resort to choppy IM convos or time lapse email exchanges to make that happen. Heck, even as I write this blog I'm envisioning hundreds of little cubicle elves bringing it up on their screens and reading (and laughing). I haven't even posted it yet and already I feel as though my writing this blog with fulfill this desire I have to interact with people while being chained to a crappy black rolly chair with one bad wheel.

These 9-5 existences (which are actually more like 8-8...come on, you know who you are) are literally draining those of us who thrive on social interaction. A voice on the other end of the line or a cute, witty one liner in an email is not enough to get me through. Sorry, Charlie, but I need the real deal. Don't get me wrong, I have totally been swallowed by the tech culture. And sometimes it actually is fun. Yeah, I blog. I have a couple email accounts, buy things online, use Netflix, stalk friends on thefacebook...but none of it is a substitute for meeting someone for coffee or going over to someone's house, kicking off your shoes, and chatting over a bowl of Ben-N-Jerry's. I know things are only going to get worse, not better. Society is making it harder and harder for those of us who simply like time to talk to someone face-to-face to get our fix. But I think, for me at least, I have to make a conscious effort to keep it old school. What do I plan to do? Well, for starters, I am starting to correspond with three of my best girlfriends through good ole handwritten letters. You heard me...snail mail. I think it's such a personal gesture, plus when we're old ladies we'll have these bundles of letters all tied up with, I'm imagining pink ribbon, that we can reread and reminisce. It's so Charles Dickens (think BLEAK HOUSE here).

So, for all of you out there who just watched an old dude with a thinning hairline go to the bathroom for the third time in 2 hours, just wait for him to come out and offer up a "hello." Maybe even a handshake...ok, that might be risky. But, you have to start somewhere.

2 comments:

xoxo said...

Um...we write notes to each other on the kitchen counter...does that count?

You're smart--smarter than me...

DO you know who Brainy McBrains is? I thought I disguised it well enough... I can't hide anything from you and your scully esque detective skills...

Anton Seim said...

I'm the younger version of the man with the thinning hair line who repeatedly goes to the bathroom all day, the only difference is that I'm going poop.