A man, a plan, a canal, panama

Keeping it short today because I had my Non-Fiction writing class tonight and I'm in hyper-editing mode-which is a nasty monkey on my back-right now. I will tell you a quick story though. Because it's absurd and I believe it's important to remember the absurdities on particularly mundane days.

Last semester there was a woman named Karen in my class. Karen, in another life, must have been a manicurist or held a world records title for longest fingernails because she would obsessively clip and file her nails, then proceed to trim her cuticles. No exaggeration. Not push them back, TRIM them. With the salon style clippers and everything. Personally, I don't think those things should be allowed on public transportation...see something, say something.

Ten or so minutes into class, after she'd finished her sandwich, out came the clippers. Somehow we always ended up sitting next to each other. No matter where I moved, there was Karen. The first time I witnessed this, I was curious. The following week I was disgusted. Fingernail clipping flew onto my papers and she just kept going at it. The amazing stunt came when she was able to offer feedback on my paper...while filing.

I've had the break to cool off, and now I find myself missing Karen. If we had class together this semester, I might even have asked her to buff and shine my nails. I think it was the lack of self-awareness I admire. I'm a fidget by nature. Hair twirling, toe tapping, knuckle cracking, the works. So maybe this semester I'll pick up a hobby to work on during class. I've given up on doodling and I usually like to stay focused. But maybe I could try my hand at some scrap booking mid-lecture.

Any ideas?

(It's actually making me very nervous to solicit ideas into the blogosphere, but I figure I'll have to get over it eventually, so I might as well face the beast now)