June 12, 2002 - 1:13 am

i never knew there was a U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Acoustic Monitoring Project at Portland, Oregon ::: but i guess today they found out about thiS otherworldly underwater 'bloop' thing ::: unexplainable i guess ::: >>> i think this mystery makes the world that much sexier ::: >>>     after much work on the computer monitor afterhours & whatnot — i close my eyes for a bit to rest them — they are veRy dry — & my eyelids aRe a bit sticky around the inner crux just above the bridge of my nose ::: wheN i close my eyes to rest for a bit — i see what look like little bits of lint & scratches in the lid — light slightly poking thru ::: i keep my eyes closed & stand up for a bit to stretch my back ::: there is noone at work at this hour today [ the push was last nite — i am cleaning up some database issues in a rather proactive manner ] ::: i can walk to the kitcheN w/o opening my eyes — i have doNe so before — & i begin to do so now ::: soMe inadvertant lummox has left their chair out a bit away from their desktop ::: i almost kilL myself as i stumble about trying to regain my balance ::: & then — i can feel the presence of someoNe else in the office ::: >>> i do not know what to do [ perhaps it is just a janitor ] ::: >>>   i open my eyes & see that the lights are now off [ things still look like alL lint & scratches as a sort of afterimage to my blind office wanderings ]   'hello' i say         to a long silence ::: no response     'hello' agaiN     no respoNse   theRe is the distinct smelL of tunafish — a bit tinny from the caN i'd say at that ::: >>> i reach into my right pants pocket for a bit of flosS & begin to rid myself of soMe leftover midafternooN snackage ::: everything is silent ::: just the slight squeaking of the floss across healthy guMs & shiny teeth ::: i am not veRy afraid at this point as there is soMe ambient light coming in from outside streetlighting & also from the emergency exit sign & the clock on a nearby desk — & besides — everything is dead silent ::: >>>   tunafish   the lights flicker a bit & the huM of technology & corporate progress resounds & huMs once again ::: perhaps just a power outage ::: & soMe tunafish smells ::: >>>   a quick polandspring from the sodamachinedispenser & back to my desk for the remaiNing hour & a half of finishwork [ & a surfing or 2 during certain minor mini-pushes to the productioN server ] ::: >>>   late night : dry eyes : sore throat : numbnesSes ::: >>>       no response