Home
>
Positive Attitude Tips
>
The Rat Race and Smiling Over Spilt Coffee

The Rat Race and Smiling Over Spilt Coffee

As if choreographed and rehearsed the night before, one lays witness to the rumble of heels, a sea of italian-crafted, waxed, buffed and protected from any Act of God footwear, tap-tap-tapping down the staircase: the mesmerizing beat of the damned.

On cue, all eyes dart to the tunnel, shift to the clock display, and as if mistrusting the red numbers flashing on this digital billboard, raise their watches in unison, tilting their rolex faces on an angle so as to blind the few people who dare to look elsewhere. In a heave of a massive sigh, worthy of destroying all sound barriers, they look down at their footwear and see a blemish. Brandishing their Palm Pilots in one hand, and orchestrating life's events with the wand of bad penmanship, they record their thoughts:

Buy Financial Daily. Shoeshine. Check Stocks. Pretend to look busy. Make ten times as much money as those people doing ten times more work than me. Check Stocks. Remember there's a family waiting at home. Make appearance at dinner table. Go to office room. Check stocks. Kiss X goodnight.

The train jets into the station, a cup of designer coffee dislodges from a hand and dies on the platform. A few grimaces surface here and there, yet their hard, solid shoes maintain their ground. Starched blouses and suit jackets, unmoving and defensive. Only a few hairs swagger out of place, licking the air as if it was their first time breathing oxygen. As quick as these strands taste their forbidden fruit, the fiesta terminates:

Insert after shoeshine: Check hair. Gel hair.

And I, as I examine my own hair, dishevelled and marked with split ends, my hand stained with the stamp from the concert two nights ago, my shirt with the gaping rip in the shoulder from a misfortunate accident with a wire hanger, as well as my own feet, swathed in worn canvas casings a la Payless, I watch them collectively board the commuter vehicle, each person's suit jacket spooning another suit jacket, as anonymously and unemotively as possible.

The conductor tilts his head. "You coming?"

I stand still, watching the occupants of the train, looking off into the distance, as if daring not to blink, daring not to breathe.

"Hey, you! You coming or not?"

"No," I say, jumping right into the puddle of spilt coffee. "I've got other plans."

About The Author

A moderately unhappy graduate of Ryerson University, Connie embraced the world of experience and is now a suffering travel-holic, life lover and raving diarist.

near-sighted@excite.com

cheapest limo Akin .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says using outdated computers and software leaves them vulnerable to security risks and malware.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how WalkON enhances walking and jogging with sensors and artificial tendons.

Old-fashioned check fraud is back in style, quintupling over the past year. Here are a few low-tech, practical means of protecting yourself.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how 600,000-plus records, including checks and property data, were left exposed online by an information service provider.

That weird text from a friend may actually be from a hacker. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson tells you what signs to look out for.

Scammers can wreak havoc on your life just by having your phone number. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson addresses how to avoid becoming a victim.

PongBot is an artificial intelligence-powered tennis robot and a smart training partner available to play 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to update your iPhone to add Apple Intelligence, which he says can transform your interactions with your phone.

University scientists have trained a robotic surgical system to do work with the skill of human doctors, possibly transforming the future of surgeries.

As more companies implement artificial intelligence for daily tasks, some industry leaders are working to push back against certain aspects of the technology.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the Batagaika crater in Siberia expands 35 million cubic feet yearly due to thawing.

While fewer than 30% of farmers reportedly use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, experts believe AI could help producers and farmers make food quicker and more efficiently.

Amazon becomes a prime target of scammers during the holiday shopping season trying to steal Social Security numbers, bank information and Amazon credentials.

Spammers have found a way to target Spotify playlists and podcasts to push pirated software, cheat codes for games and spam links and malware sites.

Sharing information online like your vacation plans and relationship status can make you a target for scammers; here's what to avoid posting to keep yourself safe.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores six sneaky holiday season gift card tricks, providing tips on how to outsmart scammers trying to rip you off.

Apple Watch's Translate app gives you your own personal interpreter, allowing you to have live two-way conversations in up to 20 different languages.

With kids facing a seemingly increasing amount of threats from creeps on the internet, here's how you can respectfully ask people not to post photos of your children on social media.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to regain your Facebook access if you get hacked or locked out.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to safeguard retirement accounts from cyber threats with a VPN: encryption, anonymity, secure access.

I’m going to Europe soon, and planning my trip was a breeze. Yes, really! AI did a big chunk of the work for me — and it can help you plan your next getaway, too.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says North Korean hackers hide malware in macOS apps, bypassing Mac security checks.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how iPhone’s new Automatic Mic Mode adjusts settings for optimal call quality automatically.

Jeff Hancock, an expert on AI and misinformation, has been accused of fabricating an expert declaration by citing a study that was allegedly made up by AI.

The Rat Race and Smiling Over Spilt Coffee

Positive Attitude Tips