All the Pretty Words

I had to climb onto a wobbly stool to kill two spiders that were on my ceiling, one last night and one just five minutes ago. I’d swear they were trying to kill me through passivity. Spiders and I have long had a tempestuous hate affair. Ever since I was 5 and my cat “saved” me from a big granddaddy long-legs that was about to climb up my shirt, I have hated them and am quite sure that they would hate me in return if they were capable of thought and emotion. They’re everywhere. I find them when I least expect them. They’re too damn fast. They feel so very very weird when I accidentally touch them. I know they have an important function in the environment, and there would be too many insects without them, but I just wish they would go catch their meals in locations far away from me and my living spaces. Ugh.

Last night, I had this sudden strong urge to play the piano. I took lessons for something like 11 or 12 years, but stopped in my late teens when I started to get busy and didn’t make the time for proper practice. I think I was burned out on it too, since I felt like I was always under pressure to perform at this contest or that recital, and somewhere along the line I ceased to enjoy playing for the sake of playing. Memories of my first teacher’s urgings that I go into playing professionally, a feeling of disappointment from the people who most wanted me to play, and my own sense of wasting my talent all combined to make me feel pretty guilty about quitting for a long time. New things, mainly college, filled the void, and I haven’t thought about playing for quite a while. Until last night.

I was sitting at the computer and had this sudden, strong desire to get up and go play the piano for a while. The house was empty, so I wouldn’t have to worry about bothering anyone or having to put up with annoying comments or questions, so I did. I picked up an old book of classical music and played for about an hour and a half, but I don’t know how long for sure because I lost track of time. I’m definitely not as limber as I once was, reading the music didn’t come as naturally as it once did, and the piano is about two notes out of tune, but it felt very nice to play again. I’d forgotten what it was like, to be able to take dots and lines on a page, mix them with emotion, and produce something that sounds nice. My parents came home, so I quit and went back to my room, where I dug out my also-neglected guitar and played that for a while. The clarinet languishing on my closet shelf would be the next logical step, but I never was much for that one :p.

Anyway, I’m not going to expect a swift return to playing as much as I once did, but it is indeed wonderful to discover that something you thought you’d lost is not as lost as it seemed.

Maddening. I got an email from one of the graduate programs to which I applied, letting me know that I can now view my application status online. And the login information they gave me does not work.

Well, today at work I was presenting for drive-through (handing the orders out of the window) and happened to look up at the metal post that holds the debit/credit card reader. Attached to that post, sort of hidden between it and the ice hopper of the drink machine, was a small off-white box with a black button protruding from one side. “Well, I wonder what that is,” I thought. I’d seen it a few times, but had never seen anyone use it. So, I asked my runner (the person who assembles the orders for drive-through), Kayla, if she knew what it was. She said no, but said I should push it to find out. It was quite plainly begging to be pushed. We kept working, and tried to figure out what it was as we worked, but couldn’t come up with a likely use for the interesting button. Finally our curiosity got the best of us, and we decided that one of us should push the button. I was the closest, so I pushed it. Nothing happened.

About 5 seconds later, Kayla says, “I wonder if it’s one of those silent alarm buttons.”

Me: “Shit.”

This is when I look at the button and notice that it’s stuck in the depressed position.

Shit.

So I work at it with the end of a plastic spoon and finally manage to get it unstuck. Nothing has happened yet.

A few minutes later, there is a small commotion at the first drive-through window. The word “cop” is uttered several times.

Shit.

A few seconds after that, two very large cops carrying two very large rifles appear at my drive-through window. I mentally bury my face in my hands. I can’t imagine what my face looked like. I explained to the cops that I had pushed the button because I didn’t know what it was for. They look amused. No, they look like they’re trying to hold back gales of laughter. I apologize, and as they walk away grinning, they say something to the effect of “Thanks for giving us something to do.” Apparently I had just made a boring day at the station a little more interesting.

Enter the bewildered manager. I had to explain to her what had happened, in front of customers, no less. Word quickly spreads. I am the subject of much mimicry and many bad jokes. I think my face is still red, and this happened about three hours ago.

Lessons learned: 1: Buttons, especially tempting ones, should be labeled. 2: Unlabeled buttons should not be pushed. 3: There is no third lesson, but three is a nice round number.

As you’ve most likely noticed, I’ve changed the theme. Now I can’t get rid of those stupid bullets on the sidebar. Anyone willing to help?

edit: I managed to get rid of the bullets and now I’ve got to figure out how to make the link list headings the same size as the others :p

edit numero dos: Finally figured it out :)