:: Office pace ::

Tuesday, October 08, 2002

The sounds of a workplace are fascinating: after becoming accustomed to the nuances and idiosyncrasies, one barely notices them anymore unless making a conscious effort. There's the underlying foundation of the ventilation systems and slight hum of the computers, peppered with occasional footfalls (which sound quite different on the floor than they do on the carpet) and crinkling of cellophane snack wrappers. Conversations of some sort, be they telephone or in person, are nearly as heterogeneous as they are ubiquitous, ranging from deep frantic baritones to carefully measured high-pitched chatter. A horn or car alarm once in a while reminds me of our proximity to the street, and the scream-exercises of the actors two floors below (not joking) prevents me from forgetting that there are a myriad of other establishments in the building.

And then there's the typing.

I imagine it must have an extraordinarily different experience before computers were commonplace. The rapping of fingers on the keys is now constant and frenzied, simultaneously intrusive and comforting. It is the sound of the riveter driving rivets home, the printer working the press, and the accountant at the adding machine. In our day and age, it's the euphonious approximation of productivity. I sit back sometimes, and just listen to all those keystrokes, coming off the aural assembly line like so many model T's.

Posted by morland @ 02:45 PM

:: Comments ::

when you're done sitting and listening to people type, and then sitting and thinking up the phrase aural assembly line, is that when you actually do work?

Posted by: josh on October 8, 2002 10:54 PM

Heh. The last place I worked at had a child karate studio on the floor below, a motorcycle repair shop in the adjacent alley (complete with gang fights!) and a bowling alley above. I made one of those up, but still...

Posted by: Disco Matt on October 9, 2002 11:07 AM

I do plenty of work... I just skip lunch in order to experience brief zen-like moments of socio-economic awareness and then write about them. It's so much more nourishing than a sandwich.

[subtext: mike is waaay cooler than josh]

Posted by: Morland on October 9, 2002 12:27 PM

Mike just took a ride on Josh.

Posted by: Yi on October 11, 2002 12:21 PM

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