Sara's X10 Blog

Today's events of note:

1. Woke up to a swollen lip after going to bed looking almost like a normal human being again. Decided to call the doctor on the way to work and they were all, "Um, yeah, come in so we can make sure you're not gonna die?" Did so, was poked, prodded, eyed suspiciously. Conclusion: apparently being stung with venom will make you swell up. (Really?) But not just after you're stung, oh no; you might swell up randomly when your body is like, oh hey venom you're still here? I'll puff up, then! Like a scared kitty, only instead of sort of adorable I look like a duck. Thanks, body. That's a big help.

2. Went to Claim Jumpers for lunch with the marketing team. Claim Jumpers is really the mecca of chain restaurants: a monument to suburban excess, from the oversized portions to the strange decor to the parking lot full of SUVs. The menu is wildly American and the interior design attempts to be every comforting design cliche at once, with honey hardwood walls, chandeliers of antlers, Home Depot deco lamps, appeals to the Old West aesthetic (rivers! trappers! woods!), chairs with faux log legs, everything suggesting familiarity and history without being so bold as to carve out some sort of independent identity. (Although, granted? The food is tasty, and you can't really argue with that.)

The insincerity was so excessive that it actually became sincere; that's how it goes when you give people what they want. It's excess without luxury, a lot of something good instead of a little of something great. There'll always be a market for that. The familiar will always outweigh the allure of something different.

I never appreciated irony until I left the suburbs. (I never really felt it until I came back.)

3. I did some work on the Knowledge Base, which is a pretty great resource. The Wiki software is pretty awesome in general. I'm a big fan of WikiQuote in particular. Ahh, one click access to a database of quotes from The Office, just what I never knew my life had been missing. (I didn't need the one for quotes from Army of Darkness since I can recite that movie in my sleep, but still. I'm glad it's on the internet, you know?)

4. Posted this blog entry. Oh, the feeling of personal triumph.