Arianna

Earlier today I discovered the joys of modern technology. After a frustrating 20 minutes earlier in the day at the end of my shift for the Writing Center, a meeting was set up for me with the AU Web Team later that day. I've been working on our pathetic little website for quite sometime now, and nothing has really come out of my efforts. So because of those ridiculous 20 minutes this morning of wondering what the hell was going on, I had this dreaded meeting at 4:15.

I had rushed out of the darkroom, leaving my prints to dry at about 4:13, so I knew I would be late. I almost think I did it to spite the fact that I reallyreally didn't want to go to this meeting, but probably not. I hurried to the streetlight corner and then turned south up Main Street. Each step I took resulted in a loss of momentum. The trampled snow was about an inch thick, and it was almost like walking in sand. As I struggled, my thoughts drifted to what the meeting would be like. Assuming it would be like most Technology Servicing I've experienced in the past, it would be all my fault, and they would fix it out of the kindness of their hearts.

Except it would NOT be my fault, and they're getting paid to do this.

My frustration mounted with each difficult step and each new thought of this STUPID meeting. I was also attempting to walk up the hill near Nana's.

Four minutes later I found myself in a the blandest office anyone could ever imagine. Nothing on the boring brown desk except for a large bottle, nothing on the stark white walls except for a student working schedule. I looked out the small window (which had a small green, ruffled curtain along the top), and saw a boring view of the side of the Terracotta. How could anyone possibly work here? The guy sitting at the desk was surprisingly nice and polite (thank God, or I would have bitten his head off), but he was using two computer screens.
Why on earth would anyone need two screens??
I hoped his desktop backgrounds were at least interesting.

His politeness calmed my nerves for a bit, but as I sat there (smelling the darkroom chemicals on my hands plus the purell I had used to cover it up), I realized just how grumpy I was. Staring at the bricks out the window, my heart went out to this guy who probably dealt with grumpy people all day AND who had to work in this God-forsaken office.

I took the edge out of my tone and tried to be as nice and generous as I could.
I still hate working on that website though.