Between the Darkness and the Light

So yesterday there was some leak at the plant and we all got evacuated. It was really rather exciting. The emergency alarm went (it's like a fire alarm crossed with a fog horn and really really loud) and we all had to go to our nearest collection area just like the good little trained drones we are. Other than the fact that it was freezing cold and drizzly out it was nice to be out of the office. The ambulance came by to check who was at our area and offered blankets to those who were cold. I will admit that being the week willed woman I am (Only sometimes... I detest being cold and I only had a light sweater on... well... a t-shirt too =P), I decided that rather than pretend to be warm I'd ask for a blanket. So I slipped and slidded my way over to the ambulance (it had been raining for the past week and the place where we had to go was VERY muddy) and was rewarded with the guys fireman coat. Hehe... those things are so warm. I need to get one of them. Anyhow, a while later the ambulance came by again and said we all had to get in and go up to the front office. When we got there they said that we wouldn't be able to get back into our offices until one (at the time it was about eleven or perhaps earlier) so we could go home if we had keys. One of the EIT's was going my way and offered me a ride. She drove me home and I got to take the rest of the afternoon off (while still being paid). The whole thing worked out rather well as I didn't have anything to do and it looked like the day would drag on forever.

Today I was working on the computer and the little speech thing for the assistant popped up rather unexpectedly telling me that "You can get hurt if you run with scissor". Uhmmmm... Okay... I thought you were only supposed to tell me about computer related things. Strange.

Pixel Pixies, Gollum in the Gears, or just an on-going case of Jinx? Strange things often happen when I'm around electrical things. Not all the time, and not at regular intervals, but every so often something weird happens. My grandmother has never been able to wear a watch as they won't keep time for her. It doesn't matter what watch it is... they all do funny things. Perhaps I've inherited whatever it is that she has.

When I walked past the radio in art class it would usually go all static-y and the same thing happened a couple times with our TV. One of the weirdest was when I was sitting in front of the TV and the remote was on the top of it. I went to reach for the remote and the screen went static-y... I pulled my hand back and the normal picture came back... I went to reach for the remote again and the static returned. Maybe this can be explained by me simply getting in the way of the signal, but other things have happened that don't seem to have a logical explanation. I'll turn on a light and they'll all go out (kind of like what happens when they burn out), but if I turn the switch off and try again they'll come back on. One time they did this I tried turning off the switch and turning it back on, but it didn't work. I tried it a couple more times and it still wasn't working. I turned off the switch and called mom. She came over, turned on the switch and... it worked fine. There have been lots of things like these and I don't think I'll mention them all, but the latest merits an entry all of its own.

If you don't know, I've been working as an office assistant for the last two months for the transcanada people that are located on the same chemical plant that my father works on. It hasn't been all that fun and I haven't really had anything to do. Most of what I've been doing is data entry, filling, and indexing the many many manuals that have been terribly neglected.

A few days ago I was using excel to create an index for a manual of some sort. I was typing away and then turned around to ask one of the guys I work with a question. I turned back and found that the last work on the screen was not one that I remembered typing. I'd been using caps lock and the last word ("The") was written the same as I just wrote it in brackets. That, added to the fact that what I was inputting was all numbers and strange combinations of letters got me a little bit puzzled. Oh well I though... maybe I just had a brain lapse or something (not that uncommon for me =P). Anyhow, I deleted it and kept typing. A few cells down I paused to look at what I needed to input next and I saw a "....." appear on the screen all of it's own accord. The dots then turned into letters. "day of the" was now written on my screen. Okaaaaaaay thinks me... we now have "The day of the". What comes next? Delete and keep typing is my general game plan until I get a few more cells down and the dots that turn into letters are appearing at an alarming rate.

Here is what my last message from the Pixel Pixies was... (the bold is what I wrote and everything else was written by... well... your guess is as good as mine)

"4" SC5501, 4" 5502, 4" 5519, 3" SC5505, 3" SC550five to the 550 one the only thing I can say anything in the NL one of the only thing I have a say in an era there have been a year or one of the FAA and the yen the the F. A. F. I. F. have a high a price that the only thing I have..."

I called the two guys that were in the office and we all watched as the little dots turned into the very strange message that appeared on my computer screen. That is all that was typed. After that there were no more strange messages and all the other things that I've typed since have progressed in a mundane and usual way.

There you have it. If anyone can explain this... well... that would be lovely. If not I shall continue to attribute it to the pixies in my computer. I shall leave you know with an expert from Charles de Lint's story Pixel Pixies.

"I hate computers.

Not when they do what they're supposed to. Not even when I'm the one who's made some stupid mistake, like deleting a file I didn't intend to, or exiting one without saving it. I've sill got a few of those old war-horse programs on my machine that don't pop up a reminder asking if I want to save the file I was working on.

No, it's when they seem to have a mind of their own. The keyboard freezing for no apparent reason (this has happened to me before). Getting an error message that you're out of disk space when you know you've got at least a couple of gigs free. Passwords becoming temporarily, and certainly arbitrarily, obsolete. Those and a hundred other, usually minor, but always annoying, irritations."

It's a wonderful story by a wonderful author. If you haven't read any of his stories I highly suggest them.

I need a hug.

I remember what I was annoyed about. I was annoyed that the comments say "1 comments" and that they are stupid and don't appear in another screen. Bah! What kind of a comment system is that! I was also annoyed that the colours in my blog look good,but on every other computer they look stupid. That is because the screen is wonky on my computer and doesn't show colours how they actually are. Stupid thing.

As a side comment I had a lovely weekend. *happy sigh*

I don't know why, but in the last few minutes several things have annoyed me and I feel the need to share them with my readers for no particular reason or another. Firstly, I am annoyed at people who mainly post lyrics on their blogs. This is directed at no one in particular... lots of people do this... and they all annoy me... even though they may be, and most likely are, wonderful, loving people. Once and a while posting an entire song on your blog is suitable and can inhance and further what you are trying to say. However, when used repeatedly it quickly loses its effect. Secondly, I am annoyed that everyone in the place where I work is leaving. This means I will have nothing to do? again? like always. Is it too much to ask that if you request a summer student there is something for them to do and some people around the office? I think not. Thirdly, I am annoyed that dad is leaving for a week and a half so I don?t have anyone to eat lunch with.

For those of you who don?t know, I?m working at the same chemical plant as my dad for the summer. I do secretarial stuff and get a wage not a per hour amount? if you calculate it though it works out to about 12 or 13 dollars an hour. Not too bad considering that I do about as much as a small insect sitting on the coffee maker? but it is a horrible waste of my time.

Fourthly I am annoyed that I have so many emotions. I shouldn?t be this emotion-y about my university schedule being such that I can?t work at the legislature next year (*weeps*) or about moving into rez and not being with my family. * sigh* I am so worried about everything. I suppose not being able to work at the leg. could work out okay? but it?s really sad. At least my schedule is now wonderful. The only thing that was making it non-wonderful was trying to fit work in. Maybe I?ll go take belly-dancing classes to console my non-working-at-the-legislature soul.

I think that is all I?m annoyed at at the moment. I actually had something to do at work (that being sanding and painting the veryvery big picnic table). However, I now have a sunburn on my right arm. I must remember to bring suntan lotion tomorrow. I think dad is taking me down to the river for lunch tomorrow so that would be really nice. It?s so pretty down there and the food is /wonderful!/

I am trying to make up a book of addresses, phone numbers and birthdays. It?s not one of those silly on-line ones (those annoy me too, by the way) it?s just a book with all your guys? names in it? or it will be. Anyhow, e-mail me if you want me to have your info and perhaps send you cards and letters or leave a private post on my guest book.

I think that is all that I have to say tonight other than? my sweetie is coming to visit me tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay for actually having people to do things with whilst in Okotoks! (It?s a really nice town. I like it here) I think I?ve actually convinced him to come swimming in the river and it?s supposed to be 28 degrees this weekend! *happy dance * The only sad thing is he?s really only here for a day. We?ll have more company after he leave though because my grandmother is coming on Sunday (also yay!)
If you get bored and have nothing else to do? e-mail me! I?m so lonely down here all by me onesie. I?ll even try to write you back. =P Have a wonderful rest of your summer all!

It's quiet... not the calm and peaceful quiet, but the deep, dark, suck out your soul and swallow you whole kind of quiet. Shadows and ghosts. Memories tugging at the back of my mind... old things that never really died. Perhaps I am the shadow, walking the hallways of my mind and never finding rest. Quiet. Oh so very very quiet. A sort of quiet that is tarnished even by the soft flutter of a breath. Breathe in, breath out. Hold your breath and mar not the fierce beauty of the stillness. If you die... well then at least you will rest knowing that you have left something perfect untouched.

Well I am now the proud participant in a household that has *both* internet and cable. Yes, that is correct... after eighteen years of living with peasant view I now have thirty, entirely different channels. This is remarkable considering that my father is part Luddite. I don't know what else to post other than I miss you all terribly, am stressed from living in a house full of boxes, hate working, but make good money, and want to beat the registrar lady with a two-by-four. More on all of the previous at a later time when I'm not so tired. Love you all.