Another slow day in blog land for CK.
I went for a run ‘around the Tan’ which is what they call the 5K loop around the royal botanical garden this morning. That went fine.
I went to work. Also fine. There is a LOT to do.
Sorry again that this isn’t more compelling. I bet you went to work today too. Big deal. I know. Anyway, if you knew me before this trip you can’t really have expectations that are too high for this. (Though the continual apology is pretty much a guarantee…)
I went to the grocery store on my way home for some fruit since I have been eating a lot of take out. They had durian in the produce section, which was pretty cool and made me a little homesick for the Gastronauts. I miss you guys. I am bummed about missing the most recent outing for pig’s ear tacos. The pictures look like it was a really fun time.
Now I am back at the hotel working a little more and watching some TV. There is a lot of American programming here. The Simpson’s were just on. Lost and Desperate Housewives and the OC are all on here. Last night I watched Southpark and Drawn Together, which are on cable at home so I don’t see them often. There is also the occasional TNT NBA broadcast, I guess from the day before. I am looking forward to Wednesday to see Extras the show Ricky Gervais has been working on with Stephen Merchant since The Office. It can’t be as good as The Office, but I’m sure it’ll be interesting.
There are a couple of things that I thought I’d be getting a little less of here in Melbourne that apparently there is no escape from:
1) Constant US presidential election coverage. The whole thing basically exhausts and sickens me. Barak Obama is on the cover of the newspaper here The Age for the second day running. I like the guy, but can we talk about this in 2008 please?
2) Hallmark holidays. I thought maybe Valentines Consumer day wouldn’t be as big here in Australia. I thought wrong. Same Cards/Flowers/Chocolate holiday as at home, with just as much consumer focus and just as little purpose.
3) Small talk. A human tried to talk to me today in the elevator. I hate that. I basically can’t tolerate human interaction that I don’t initiate. That’s why I shrink from surprise hugs. I’m in the elevator of the hotel trying to get back to my room. Some person I don’t know at all asks how my day was. I freak out. What is an appropriate answer? I can’t be too detailed or say anything that requires explanation. I’m running out of time. I get off in 3 floors so that’s what, maybe 10 seconds? The pause has been too long now to just say, “Fine”. There’s been some buildup. I need something witty and concise. And neutral. And safe. What do I settle on? “It’s raining.” See how that works: weather is a safe small talk topic. Let’s show you the scene as if from a play.
Courtney enters stage left and just as the elevator arrives and boards directly behind the stranger.
Stranger: How was your day?
10 second pass. Courtney is visably flustered
Courtney: It’s raining.
Elevator arrives at the 9th floor and Courtney exits.
End Scene.
Here’s the thing. It’s not just that the response doesn’t relate to the question posed. It’s that we had both just come indoors. It was not raining. In my haste to search for an appropriate response, I chose the first thing that came to me, which naturally, was a lie.
I went for a run ‘around the Tan’ which is what they call the 5K loop around the royal botanical garden this morning. That went fine.
I went to work. Also fine. There is a LOT to do.
Sorry again that this isn’t more compelling. I bet you went to work today too. Big deal. I know. Anyway, if you knew me before this trip you can’t really have expectations that are too high for this. (Though the continual apology is pretty much a guarantee…)
I went to the grocery store on my way home for some fruit since I have been eating a lot of take out. They had durian in the produce section, which was pretty cool and made me a little homesick for the Gastronauts. I miss you guys. I am bummed about missing the most recent outing for pig’s ear tacos. The pictures look like it was a really fun time.
Now I am back at the hotel working a little more and watching some TV. There is a lot of American programming here. The Simpson’s were just on. Lost and Desperate Housewives and the OC are all on here. Last night I watched Southpark and Drawn Together, which are on cable at home so I don’t see them often. There is also the occasional TNT NBA broadcast, I guess from the day before. I am looking forward to Wednesday to see Extras the show Ricky Gervais has been working on with Stephen Merchant since The Office. It can’t be as good as The Office, but I’m sure it’ll be interesting.
There are a couple of things that I thought I’d be getting a little less of here in Melbourne that apparently there is no escape from:
1) Constant US presidential election coverage. The whole thing basically exhausts and sickens me. Barak Obama is on the cover of the newspaper here The Age for the second day running. I like the guy, but can we talk about this in 2008 please?
2) Hallmark holidays. I thought maybe Valentines Consumer day wouldn’t be as big here in Australia. I thought wrong. Same Cards/Flowers/Chocolate holiday as at home, with just as much consumer focus and just as little purpose.
3) Small talk. A human tried to talk to me today in the elevator. I hate that. I basically can’t tolerate human interaction that I don’t initiate. That’s why I shrink from surprise hugs. I’m in the elevator of the hotel trying to get back to my room. Some person I don’t know at all asks how my day was. I freak out. What is an appropriate answer? I can’t be too detailed or say anything that requires explanation. I’m running out of time. I get off in 3 floors so that’s what, maybe 10 seconds? The pause has been too long now to just say, “Fine”. There’s been some buildup. I need something witty and concise. And neutral. And safe. What do I settle on? “It’s raining.” See how that works: weather is a safe small talk topic. Let’s show you the scene as if from a play.
Courtney enters stage left and just as the elevator arrives and boards directly behind the stranger.
Stranger: How was your day?
10 second pass. Courtney is visably flustered
Courtney: It’s raining.
Elevator arrives at the 9th floor and Courtney exits.
End Scene.
Here’s the thing. It’s not just that the response doesn’t relate to the question posed. It’s that we had both just come indoors. It was not raining. In my haste to search for an appropriate response, I chose the first thing that came to me, which naturally, was a lie.
4 comments:
Elevator Banter is the best! You have no need to tell the truth because the interaction itself is so meaningless and trivial. This is when you can try to coerce a genuine smile with only 10 seconds of effort. These are the moments that I life for and seek out. Do you know what I said to Rihanna, Kanye West, or Avril in the elevator? Believe me it was worthless, but they all smiled!
I similarly accosted a woman in an elevator once - at the Waldorf, no less. I was 19 and I had been in New York for 8 days or so...by myself. Besides the lady at the McDonald's on 2nd Ave, I'd hardly had a conversation with anyone in all that time. It was a sad moment. She was afraid.
Den.
Reminds me of that time that strange woman insisted on hugging you at that bar in Park Slope after Marc's graduation. It was the single most awkward thing I have ever seen.
You'll love Extras, by the way.
Miss you.
In college, my friend Lauren was working at the sandwhich counter in one of the dining places on campus. A girl she knew from a class was in line, and when the girl got to the front, instead of asking for a sandwhich, asked Lauren out on a date. Flustered by this and not wanting to go out with the girl, Lauren couldn't even come up with words... instead, she just said "beep." So, be glad you got out some words at least.
Congrats on making the team!
Erica
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