Friday, December 10, 2004

Oh... Hi

I hate the fact that the office I'm in has an automatic light timer. If it doesn't detect movement for 10 minutes, it buzzes for 10 seconds and the light turn off. What I hate more is that it doesn't work the other way; forcing me to get out of my chair and turn it on manually.

I can read from my screen (documents, manuals, news, blogs) without fidgeting causing a few buzzes throughout the day. To avoid being cast into darkness, I'll non-chalantly wave my hand and occasionally throw in a friendly "Hi"; as if trying to snap a person out of daydreaming.

And as luck would have it, because my office door is open, someone would be sauntering by right in front of the doorway when I'm talking to the light switch. Inevitably, they'd hear something, turn in my direction, see me waving, assume I was talking to them, and wave hesitantly with the reply, "Oh... Hi." Now everyone probably thinks I'm the nicest temp around the office.

Two even came in to start a dialogue. Stupid light switch.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

That is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. How do you stand it!?

Chox said...

i hate that. i worked in a building in oakland once that had one of those in the men's room. i'd be sitting there in my stall, enjoying my san francisco chronicle, having a "me" moment, when suddenly...CLICK. i was sitting in pitch blackness. of course, i'd have to GET UP and wave my hands around in the air above the stall door to try to get that fucker to come back on, but sometimes i'd have to just leave the stall, walk over to the switch (pants still down around my ankles) and hit it.

i'm so glad i don't work there anymore.

Jon said...

Maybe you're just social. I, on the other hand, hate people and would have yelled 'what are you looking at?' Ok, I wouldn't have done that, but I would have THOUGHT it, mwahahaha.

epicurist said...

Well, hopefully your overzealous hand waving will catch the eye of some exec who will then want to promote you to something else, because your so friendly (in a room without a timer).

Anonymous said...

its like those automatic toilet flushers when they flush while ur still doing your thing. and technology was supposed to make life easier?

lisa