another commercial caught my attention last night.

it opens with punkesque music and a young girl wearing a t-shirt that said, “ban hatred.” my first thought was that it maybe had some link to the crackdown on “hate music” rings in europe. but the next image showed a girl in a shirt that read, “ban conformity,” so that theory was out. must be something for teens though. the last shirt, worn by a hipster girl baring her armpits on a modeling runway, said, “ban self-doubt.” the message became clear: don’t be a social outcast – wear our deodorant.

at work last week, i left the office to go to a lunch meeting. then i went to interview an eighth grader who’s breaking track records. when i got back to work, i said hi to the receptionist and headed back to my office. she stopped me and asked if i’d met the man standing there. i turned and shook his hand and introduced myself. then she told me he is our new publisher. i was shocked. for him to be our new publisher, that would have to mean the old publisher (to the delight of everyone) had been fired. i managed an “oh,” and he told me to keep up the good work and gave me a two-line pep talk. he seems like a friendly guy. he seems to laugh freely, and when he does i don’t cringe. so that’s good.

yesterday, my boss started talking to me about dark room equipment. it had been set up at his parents’ place, but they told him to come get it because they’re moving. he doesn’t have room for it at his house, so he was just going to toss it. he asked me if i wanted it. i certainly do.

oh, another change coming at work… someone finally noticed that they’re breaking the law by not paying the reporters for overtime work. and they can’t afford to pay us overtime, so i’m not too sure what that means yet. with all the after-hours meetings i have, maybe i’ll get to go home early once in a while. then maybe i’d hear fewer comments from my boss like the one i just heard: “i wish less athletic chicks would die, and more fat chicks.”

anyway… lunchtime.

[Listening to: Bruce Springsteen - Worlds Apart]