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Go out with you? Why not... Do I like to dance? Of course! Take a walk along the beach tonight? I'd love to. But don't try to touch me. Don't try to touch me. Because that will never happen again. "Past, Present and Future"-The Shangri-Las

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Second Post of Day: Sound and Air

Today two things have been bugging me at work: environmental sound, and heat. The first, first: my co-workers' chitchat always makes it sound like a henhouse around here, but today it all seemed louder, punchier. It was almost as if they'd gone from chatting to hollering. Then I noticed I was sweating, but figured it was just because I was drinking hot tea. Then we got the official word that the air conditioning in our big fancy modern office complex is busted.

This got me thinking about an essay I read once (who knows where) about how we use air conditioning not only to cool ourselves, but to define our territory. Air-conditioned space isn't just space; it's property. Air conditioning dampens sound. It carves out a place which is distinct from open air.

My apartment's air conditioner has been busted for years. I use a fan and usually feel fine. Perhaps having a less comprehensive method of cooling my air has made me feel more in touch with life outside my solipsistic self.

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