Thursday, February 19, 2009

The Write Stuff, Part 2, and Lost 2: The Pentagon

Sometimes the planets just line up and things happen serendipitously (wow...I didn't think I could spell a word that long this early in the morning).

Yesterday I wrote about writing, as in cursive handwriting, and its decline. I got lots of comments from my online family, most of them variations on the theme of Boy Is My Handwriting Yucky. This morning, my Joke of the Day e-mail contained this piece:

When you write copy, you have the right to copyright the copy you write, if the copy is right. If, however, your copy falls over, you must right your copy. If you write religious services, you write rites and have the right to copyright the rites you write. Conservative people write right copy and have the right to copyright the right copy they write. A right wing cleric would write right rites and has the right to copyright the right rites he has the right to write. His editor has the job of making the right rite copy right before the copyright can be right. Should Thomas Wright decide to write a right rite, then Wright would write a right rite, which Wright has the right to copyright. Duplicating that rite would copy Wright's right rite and violate copyright, which Wright would have the right to right. Is that about right?

Didja get that? I hope so, because I'm not even going to try to repeat it.

New topic.

I've become a big fan of the wonderfully weird TV show Lost...I'm working my way through the first four seasons on DVDs, and am just as confused as everyone else who's ever tried to figure out what's going on with the hatches, polar bears, smoke monsters, ghosts, "Others," and other things. But it has occurred to me that I'm living in my own version of Lost, because I work in the Pentagon. Those of you who have been stationed there (yes, Katherine, I'm talking to you) will understand. The rest of you, take a few minutes and read this article from yesterday's Washington Post: The Building That Runs Rings Around the Wiliest Generals. I feel like Indiana Jones trying to find his way into some vine-festooned old ruin...except that in Washington, the vine-festooned old ruins are all serving in Congress.

That's all for now. I have to find something to pack for lunch, then head off to once again try to find my office in the Five-Sided Squirrel Cage on the Potomac. It's not as easy as you think.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo

12 comments:

KKTSews said...

I've always thought the original design (excluding the basement) was ingenious. Very easy to get around. But since they started recouping all the space in the corridors, especially the A ring, and installing vaults that make the rings dead-ends, it is truly an unintelligible maze.
I frankly can't believe Eisenhower and Marshall got lost. The design was brilliant in it's simplicity.
The basement, however, is the US's official dungeon. No way out.

Amanda said...

Interesting article, I never realized that it was such a maze in there. I see (sort of) now why you said you felt like Indiana Jones.

The best way to watch Lost is with the DVDs. The suspense would always kill me when I watched it on TV. In the end, I just waited for each season to end and then got the DVDs. You've got it even better without needing to wait in between seasons!

John A Hill said...

Right!

wv: ouslyp..when a Sooner falls.

Anonymous said...

you don't have to write it again to make it right.....just make a copy

Mike said...

You forgot to mention which hand was used for the penmanship and if it was the correct hand.

I'd love to see a layout of the building. I'm sure you can sneak out and post it.


Wv - subtors - Just that, tours of subs.

Mike said...

"I'm sure you can sneak IT out and post it."

There, I think I got it right that time.

Anonymous said...

I've been to the Pentagon several times--I liked the bikes to get around--saw that at Ft. Ben Harrison, which is almost as confusing to navigate as the Pentagon. Anyone bring in a Segway yet? How about rollerskates/blades?

Anonymous said...

I am huge LOSTIE! I love reading the messages boards and the people bickering over theories. It seems like the more educated you are (translation=book smart) the crazier your theories are.

I also love that I'm usually right with my "simple" explanations. It makes me feel smart. YES I know it's just a show and I should get a life. But I don't wanna!! LOL

Bilbo said...

Katherine - you're right...the original basic design was amazingly simple; it was all the modifications and subdivisions over the years that screwed it up. You should see it now with the renovation work going on. Not.

Amanda - I want a fedora for Christmas. And the new season of Lost on DVDs.

John - ouslyp...har, de har-har-har!

Bandit - right. I mean, wright. Or whatever.

Mike - let me give you a hand. I won't even try to sneak it.

Leslie - I've seen ladies on rollerblades and a Navy Admiral on a Razr scooter. No Segways yet.

Twinkie - I'm too confused to have any theories yet. My only firm conclusions are that I'm in love with Kate and want to punch Sawyer in the nose for being a jerk.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

I have the first four seasons of 'Lost' on DVD and am enjoyong the fifth on tv, with the time travel!

fiona said...

I need to watch Lost because I am...

craziequeen said...

When you make your copy, don't forget to save it to a separate hard drive...

I gave up on Lost - much as I liked Josh Wotsisface (Sawyer).

You work at the Pentagon? I work in the UK version of the Pentagon, HQ Defence Equipment and Support! :-)
We steered away from one big warren, but have now ended up with ten buildings that all look alike, inside and outside!

cq