Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Bad Vibrations

I'm talking intermittent-throughout-the-work-day, long lasting, very low frequency, drives-you-crazy-with-the-deep-humming-sound, rattles-everything-on-your-desk (and your desk too), feeling-it-through-your-feet-and-legs, can't-get-away-from-it-anywhere vibrations that have been occurring at work due to a major construction project across the street. I'm quite certain that this treatment would be an effective means of torture, because it drives. me. crazy. And it has been happening over and over for weeks.

Not sure why, exactly. I drive by that construction site every morning, and it just looks like a big pit with a pickup truck or two, a few construction workers milling around, and a line of port-o-potties. The building that used to be there is long gone, and the blasting stopped months ago. I don't see anything there that looks even remotely rumble inducing. Maybe the Psychology Department is doing an experiment on people cracking up in the workplace due to unexplained, loud rumbly noises that shake the foundation.

I'm not sure which is worse - the low frequency insanity-inducing rumbling or the far-more-frequent-than-is-reasonable testing of the extremely loud and startling fire alarm system. It's a close call. I'll have to go with the fire alarm on safety grounds. (It also scares the shit out of me every single time.) The high frequency of testing is very likely to lead to a "crying wolf" sort of result, where all I would do in the event of a real fire is slam my office door shut in annoyance as I try to reduce the eardrum piercing volume down to something that won't make me cry. It never occurs to me that it could be a real fire. I'm well trained.

11 comments:

dr sardonicus said...

I thought that noise was being caused by the Russian troops...

Kathleen said...

The powers that be thought we needed a fancy-ass coffee shop in the building at work. Apparently it came out in a survey about the cafeteria - I find it all suspect since supposedly the cafeteria got good marks, and I haven't talked to a single person who likes it.

Anyway, they spent damn near six months to renovate the existing space into this fance ass coffee place (where a teabag and cup of hot water will run you damn close to $2), with jackhammers and other loud noise making devices right on the other side of a wall where people were trying to work. All so people could buy $5 coffees and $2 teas.

LL said...

I think it's just something that your cats are responsible for. I don't quite know what yet, but I'm sure they're to blame. :P

TheWriteGirl said...

A couple of weeks ago, the management company started renovating our building lobby. It thought it looked fine. What do I know. Thing is, the lobby is directly below my apartment. Usually I'm not home during the day so it doesn't matter. But the one day I was there drove me crazy! I'm on the 5th floor but it felt like I was right on top of it.

And I agree -- somehow the cats are behind this. It must be some kind of brainwashing trick. "More catnip..more catnip"

Dianne said...

well I am here to say that I spoke to the cats, I conducted a lie detector, and I paw printed.

they are not responsible.

as is usually the case humans are causing you all this grief. I say find the one responsible and have him fixed! ;)

Jenn said...

I will go with the cats also. It is a conspiracy

fermicat said...

OK, that's one vote for the Russians, one vote for overpriced coffee and tea, three votes for the cats, and one vote for "not the cats". So cats it is. I suspect it has something to do with the construction of their underground lair...

Dave said...

It isn't the cats, they aren't heavy enough. Low frequency that's constant? Doesn't seem to be reasonable to be coming from construction across or down the road. I'm thinking that Isaac Asimov has something to do with it.

I don't understand it, but the nightstand and the book thereon is somehow involved. Trust me on this. That, or Richard Dreyfuss is cooking up some potatoes.

fermicat said...

Possibly.

I still think it's the cats.

Jenn said...

But dave, cats are into mind control. They are sending telapathic messages to the construction crew to secretly build their lair... and annoy their mom ;)

BC said...

Have a CAT scan done. :P