learn dutch

So today I went to have lunch outside on a picnic table outside of the building where I work. It's a nice sunny day, possibly the last one we'll see for a while. To my chagrin, there were no free tables. There was one table where two older gentlemen were eating and talking. I didn't recognize them, but I could have assumed the would be from our international division. I approached the table and asked: "Do you mind if I sit here?" They replied affirmatively, and as I sat down, one of them said: "As long as you don't mind if we speak Dutch." I said "Not at all, go ahead." So I opened up my newspaper and started eating and reading, and these guys went on conversing in Dutch. As I ate, I thought to myself- 'well that was nice of him to ask, and certainly unnecessary. i guess he thought i might feel uncomfortable if they sat there and spoke a different language. but i don't mind at all. but wait, that's a weird thing for them to assume. i wonder if he said that, not to make sure i didn't mind, but to make sure i didn't speak dutch, so that they could continue their private conversation without censoring themselves because i was there.' so suddenly i did not feel grateful, but more like a little paranoid. i started wondering what they were talking about. i started to wish that i knew how to speak dutch. then, i could pose as a provincial american, but effectively easedrop on dutch conversations... after a while they stood up and i said "have a nice day".

Welcome to Wendy's

During my lunch break I had to go to the car dealership and buy a replacement rear-view mirror for my wife's car. On the way back to the office I stopped at a drive-thru Wendy's to get lunch. I honestly can't believe how fast it was. One second I was placing my order, and the next thing I knew I was driving down the steet, steering with my knee, with my change in one hand, and a soda in the other. I couldn't handle it, and I was a road hazard before I knew it. At the next intersection the light was red, so I was able to pull myself together a bit and get the soda into the console, the change into my pocket, and some fries out of the bag.

eye contact

every day on the way and the way out of the building where i work, i say hello to the security guard. i look him (or her, rarely) in the hi, and i annunciate "good morning" or "good night". most people just keep their head down and don't look at them, or maybe, mumble something. but i go out of my way. mostly, they are polite and say hi back. they don't seem to appreciate it, really. i think they think i am somehow partonizing them.

there is one guy who works the desk on the other side of the building. he's younder, my age. i only go by this guy every so often. he looks me right in the eye and says it before i do. but it's weird. i don't like it. it's not like he is staring into your soul- he just does it in a weird way- it's hard to explain. he's the only guard I don't say hi to. when it's him, I look away. but like I said, I don't usually go by that desk too often. i think if he switched to the entrance by where i park, i would start going in a different way.

WFMU-FM 91.1/Jersey City, NJ; 90.1/Hudson Valley, NY

I love listening to WFMU live on the web while at work. The only problem is, my company monitors to see if people are using too much bandwidth. Now, while I chose the skimpy 20Kb Windows Media web stream option, I still worry if someone in the IT dept is looking at some report and going- "someone call this guy's manager". That would be stupid because I think I work faster and I am less distracted while listening to music on headphones. It's not like I'm listening to Howard Stern or something...

anyway, I sort of have a headache, because I think maybe I didn't have enough coffee this morning...

Bubble Boy

Ok, I haven't blogged in a while. So here are some tid bits from the past few weeks of my life:

I watched my 1 year old son taking a bath, and I was in awe as I witnessed him contemplating a large bubble, which he had scooped up from the bath water. There was something so precious about it. He was completely amazed as he inspected it and poked it with the index finger of his other hand. Children appreciate the wonders of the every day world. I guess it's one of the perks of being a parent- you get to witness this; and in doing so, you get some of that everyday wonder for yourself.

I went to a worthless, silly broadway show when I could have been spending a nice day elsewhere in NYC, like at a park or something. Note to self: do not accept tickets to shows that you have no interest in seeing.

Lastly, for the first time in recent memory I ordered a spicy dish at a mexican resturant- and for once, I actually got something spicy. Damn, it was good. It reminded me of a good Thai dish.