Minor Imperfections

Finally it was time to cut the bottom row of green wall tiles, each one a custom cut to account for the slight roller coaster rides on the floor, the wall and on the edges of the tiles themselves, angling this way and that. I see imperfection everywhere I look, and it pleases me.

Here they are installed but not yet cleaned up.

The news today was full of bad stuff about all the unemployed people out there, about how people are staying unemployed longer than ever. Computer programmers (sigh!) continue to do management's bidding, which is to create a personnel-free environment wherever possible. Consider that a jet's autopilot can take off, fly, and land on its own--the human pilots are there just in case. Maybe airports someday will be completely self-serve: automated tickets, automated baggage, automated security, no flight attendants etc. Just wait for the doors to open and get on the plane. Maybe all places will look like that someday, like a Lowes store at 8pm on a Sunday night, full of confused people and no employees.

Isn't that management's dream, to drive up the stock price by sending the human workers home? It's called Free Market, and things will probably continue in this direction our shrewd managers (the humans) discover that their great thinking skills are no longer required. But as long as everyone owns stock, who needs a job, right?

I'm sure I know why Jam has been giving me such strange looks; his worth to the company will double when he figures out how to replace me with a do-it-your-selfer robot.

Meanwhile I keep my head down. I enjoy working with my hands and with the oddly-shaped hand-made Mexican tiles, and I enjoy seeing the imperfections that I create. I will be very difficult to get rid of...