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WILL, our local NPR affiliate, features a “Talk To” segment with the station’s meteorologists, where listeners call in to obtain “custom” forecasts. I used to poke fun at the segment, as most of the calls tend to go something like this:
“Hello? Am I on the air? Ok. I’m driving from Champaign to Springfield tomorrow for the weekend and would like to know what the weather will be like there. Also, how will the roads be?” Invariably, the weather is the same in Springfield, and the interstates are plowed. What’s worse, the conversation frequently turns to road choices. I once heard a debate on the best route to Chatsworth (about an hour away). Anyway, this morning I did the unthinkable and placed my own call to Talk to Mike. My question was legitimate and centered around the skiing conditions in Wausau, Wisconsin, where we will be this weekend. It turns out that my fifth attempt at skiing will once again be foiled by 50-degree weather, but I’m going to ski anyway — Mike told me that temperatures will likely be colder on the “mountain”. With any luck, the highlight of my weekend will not be a call to the local radio station.

This post brought to you by Rachel.

Today is a double-happy day! We celebrate Em closing on her wicked-cool new house and my sister Jenni turning 24.

Celebrate good times, come on!

Some awfulness from Nickelback has replaced Hey Ya as the No. 2 single this week. Completely unacceptable.

Sorry for the recent blog stagnation — and on a hideously dull entry, no less. The following entry is dull, though hopefully not hideously so.

What is the proper etiquette on hallway encounters at work? More specifically, what is the statute of limitations on acknowlegements, verbal or otherwise? Suppose, for example, that my first Ted encounter of the day occurs at 8:34 near the printer, consisting of a leisurely walk-by and a “Morning, Ted.” Now suppose that I again encounter Ted, this time at 8:52 a.m., as we pass in a cubicle hallway. More than likely, we would both issue a smile-and-nod. But what about our 14th meeting of the day: 3:25 p.m., briskly crossing on the factory floor? By this point, acknowlegement (or lack thereof) becomes highly individualized. My personal strategy, as yet unperfected, is to maintain eye contact and purse the lips, as if to smile. A full smile or even a “hi” feels a little odd after the 14th encounter. Over the months I have observed widely-varying methods among coworkers, including the downward stare, the purposeful stride (no acknowlegement), the perfectly-timed sideways glance (in the opposite direction, as if something important were happening over there), and the serious nod. These methods are all quite acceptable, and I am considering a switch. But first, I must find an answer to my original question regarding the statute of limitations. Following the 8:34 printer encounter, at what point is a verbal acknowlegement required on a second encounter, assuming no new business? One hour? Three hours? And how do the rules change in situations where we do not know one another? I have much to learn.

We are committed to Champaign for at least another year, having just renewed our lease at Prospect Pointe. It’s really not so bad out here, and visitors are always welcome. We’re going skiing in Wisconsin in a couple of weeks, and there’s a second rock-climing trip pending.

This post was to contain some opinions on the presidental race, but I don’t want any angry phone calls tonight. Maybe next time.