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9:33 p.m. - 2002-10-01
Dancing with the Light
All the chatter on the train this morning was about an accident that shut down commuter service in the middle of rush hour yesterday. It seems a police car, with its lights flashing, and a C-Train collided in front of the police station. There was a certain amount of consternation about it because would-be passengers had to walk to the easternmost station in downtown to go home. There was absolutely no information on any of the local media today, so maybe one of the drivers had a medical problem.

It was much warmer today. About 68 F/16 C instead of 32 F/0 C. The forecast for the rest of the week is for warmer temperatures yet. Down east it's still in the 80's F/27 C.

In the mezzanine/Plus 15 of our building there is a huge open space filled with fountains, ponds, and flowers; a high ceiling filled with skylights arches over all. There is a full size biplane suspended in mid air by the banks of escalators/stairs and a statue of the Olympic Torch bearers stands beneath. Right now, the entire area is decorated in a medieval theme complete with castles. We're not sure why.

Most days there is some event or entertainment offered. Today at lunch, there was a jazz concert played by a six piece band. There is a daycare just off the concourse and up one bank of escalators. The staff brought some of the children out to listen and they had a great time dancing to the music. I'm not sure who was having more fun - the band or the children. A little later after the children left, an elderly couple, who appeared to be closing in on their eighties, started dancing. They were completely oblivious to anyone else and were obviously enjoying each other's company. It was heartening to see. Some of the scientists and accountants I work with were arguing on the elevators about who got to lead this time and bemoaning the fact it wasn't Glenn Miller's music being played. They are a nice group of people but just a little strange.

My supervisor came by this morning. He's going to be away for the next two weeks. One week is for a training session on some new software the company is developing to better serve our clients. The other week is vacation so he can spend time with his Mom and siblings over Thanksgiving. In Canada the harvest comes in about a month earlier than in the US, so we celebrate it earlier too. His family all live in Ontario's southern strip along the Great Lakes. He didn't say if he was going to be able to take his family though - tough with school and jobs to juggle.

My co-worker has been acting strangely lately and I'm not certain how to interpret it. She is extremely chatty all the time but some of what she wants to discuss is really not appropriate for the workplace; sexuality issues in an office full of men is just plain dumb. She is the same age as me and a never married, so I think she just wants to connect with people. Usually she is very pleasant so I try to make sure she knows I like her as a person, but at the same time disengage gently so that work time isn't compromised.

The past few weeks though, she has shown up in my work area, asked questions about how to handle the data we work with, then tried to start an argument over it when I respond. I don't do confrontation well and see no point to this behavior. I have tried to compromise or concede the point since nothing she has asked has touched on critical issues, but she refuses to accept that. She just tries to choose another approach to the same question and starts in again. The last two times she has tried to excuse the behavior later, once, by claiming it was PMS talking and, once, by saying it was because she was tired. I'm guessing there is something else going on in her private life that is making her very angry and she is looking for an outlet. I've got enough personal stuff on my plate already. Besides, blowing off steam on someone at work, especially in a clients' office, is completely inappropriate. Our supervisor was probing a bit about how things were going, so I think perhaps our liaison has said something to him. I haven't said anything because I don't want to escalate the problem, but maybe I should. I hope his absence doesn't make her feel she can be more aggressive about causing a confrontation so maybe talking with him about it is a way to head it off - I just don't know. She's going on a cruise in November, so maybe I can find a way to divert her focus that way instead. I'll be glad when this assignment is over.

My youngest son just hauled me outside - jammies and all - to watch the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) dancing. They are a brilliant green tonight. I think I'll go admire Mother Nature some more instead of worrying about stuff I can't change.

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