Zen lessons, pt. 1
Transcribing, transcribing, and more--what?
You're right. I can't fool you.

Sunday morning and then that night, because I worked at el store in the middle of the day, there, I spent transcribing these interviews and such I'd done on Saturday for a story for Small Publication. That was fine. Time-consuming, but fine.

Monday morning, when I got to Small Publication's office, I had to transcribe something else for another writer there. A really bad interview. There's nothing like typing out the stupid words of a stupid interviewee--especially when the interview's on a DAT, so when you hit "pause" and type some and then get ready to hit "play" again to continue, you have to rewind some, because a DAT's basically a tape, and doesn't stop on a dime like a true digital recorder or minidisc.

So you're stuck listening, two or three times, to someone vaguely making the poorest of arguments for something.
A'la:
"We're protecting the environment by cutting down trees, because economic development is the key to truly being a force in conserv-"(Pause. Type. Rewind. Play.)
"--economic development is the key to truly being a force in the conservation effort. You've got to fuck the land to protect it, show it who's--"(Pause. Type. Rewind. Play.)
"--conservation effort. You've got to..."

And so on.
Whee!
(p.s.--i'd like to note that i can actually type more than one sentence at a go; the above is just for example's sake.)

Ear cancer cultivation
Meanwhile, today I get a new cell phone. I am about an un-excited about this purchase as can be. For two years, I've been chained to the rotten customer service/big big fake fake lie/ that is Cingular, so I'm planning on moving on over to T-Mobile, since my contract expires on Monday, but I hate the fact that I have to lay down a whole new pile of money just to continue to have a phone.

(We have a landline for the internet here at home, but i'm almost never home, so el cell is my only phone.) (Yes, I refuse to capitalize "internet.")

But although I'm glad to be giving Cingular the boot, I know it doesn't matter, because T-Mobile's likely to be just as bad. Besides, Cingular's a corporation that won't even notice I'm spurning it, and if they did, wouldn't care, since they own many souls other than mine.

I want true vengeance. But I'll settle for cheaper minutes.