I had to get my fingerprints taken. It wasn’t my first time, but it was the first time where I had to fill in my own information on the fingerprint card. Name, address, social security number, sex… fine. Date of birth, mother’s maiden name, weight… getting a little personal, but fine.

Then – Eye color, hair color, race… is this a lonely hearts application?

Okay, I guess this would have been better if the fingerprint tech was a young strapping handsome man with a deep voice (possibly accent) and a slight smile when looking at me. Each attribute would be read followed by a dramatic pause to look at me, then discussed as an endearing quality. I would then coyly accept any flattering compliments. Later he would be haunted by my imminently kissable visage, and not be satisfied until he saw me again.

In reality, I sat in a hard plastic chair while a weathered old man barked… Brown, BRN; Black, BLK; Oriental, O. My eyes are tenebrous and boundless, my hair is a very dark brown, and in my opinion we have progressed in this country I and though I can’t be (P)acific Islander, I could at least be (A)sian. Even the US government has recognized that race is an “all that apply” option on some documents, but I guess when faced with a 1cm box, you’re limited in how you can express yourself.

I have had to pay for taking time off away from work. I have broken one of my fundamental rules and have brought work home a few nights. I sit here now knowing that there is plenty to do, but I’m enjoying the quiet.

Office work aside things are piling up here at home. Given are the piles of laundry, the office desk clutter, the meals prepped and yet to be planned; but the worst job of all is television. Entertainment has become a chore. Things on live television, shows on-demand that are about to expire, the shrinking space on my recording device, video games, new music, books, audio books, movie rentals in the mail box…

I’m writing this with the television muted because I like to hear the drone of the oscillating fan yet don’t want to miss out if anything important. I see moving blobs and bright colors flashing in my periphery enticing me to stay tuned for more blobs and bright colors. There is a blinking lower third and a scrolling news crawl telling me what I should be aware of, but I’m too tired to multi-task media.

In the grand scheme of things I know none of this, including this blog, is not of any cultural significance. Yet I type away and do my best to filter in hopes that something comes along… perhaps Godot?