Fog Warning.
Last night, I got out of work around 1:45am or so. When working in a television studio there is a good chance you could be somewhat sequestered within the confines of said television studio. Allow me to paint a picture in your mind.
When exiting the elevators on the 6th floor, I walk into a lobby of sorts, three elevators all facing each other. On one side I could walk to the newsroom, a large open area with windows facing the outside world. On the other is a small hallway leading towards the control room, where I spend the majority of my time. I have a picture showing you part of the control room in my pics section, because that is where you are supposed to put pictures. You'll notice in that picture there are no windows. Now, taking that picture, if I had turned 180 degrees I would have been facing a very large window that looks out into the actual studio itself, where the cameras and set are located. There are no windows out there. So when one finds oneself located in either the control room or studio, there is no window to the outside world where one may see what the weather is like, or if anyone is getting their "swerve on" in the adjacent office building.
I haven't seen anyone yet.
So it is safe to say that most nights, between the hours of 9pm and 1am, give or take an hour here or there, I do not see outside. I could go look, of course, but we have lots and lots of TV's and unlimited access to Internet sans Porn and each other to make fun of and make politically incorrect jokes to *coughOrlandocough* so sometimes we just don't get out much.
So it was a surprise to me upon leaving the parking garage just how foggy it had become over the course of the night. In Bethesda it wasn't too bad yet, just a general fogginess in general. Obviously there, but not what you would think of as a distraction, a danger, or a blog-worthy event. Continuing on to the highway, it began to thicken, more so the closer I came to home. By the time I got to my exit you could not read the overhead road signs until they were pretty much immediately on top of you. The car ahead? Barely see their lights.
But not all was completely hidden, or I would not be here wasting both of our time. At one point, I passed under a digital road sign that spans the entire span of road. You know, the same one that tells you there is Heavy Congestion Ahead. The same Heavy Congestion you are currently cursing. The same road signs that tell you to Report Suspicious Activity and Buckle Up It's The Law and If You Build It They Will Come.
What the sign read was:
To me, that says to the driver, "We both know what's going on here, so just be careful. Eventually it will go away." As opposed to "You are a moron. You do not know why the air has the appearance of smoke. You should probably start to panic. Report Suspicious Activity."
You can find examples of the Dumbing Of America everywhere you look. But be warned. Fog may obstruct your vision.
When exiting the elevators on the 6th floor, I walk into a lobby of sorts, three elevators all facing each other. On one side I could walk to the newsroom, a large open area with windows facing the outside world. On the other is a small hallway leading towards the control room, where I spend the majority of my time. I have a picture showing you part of the control room in my pics section, because that is where you are supposed to put pictures. You'll notice in that picture there are no windows. Now, taking that picture, if I had turned 180 degrees I would have been facing a very large window that looks out into the actual studio itself, where the cameras and set are located. There are no windows out there. So when one finds oneself located in either the control room or studio, there is no window to the outside world where one may see what the weather is like, or if anyone is getting their "swerve on" in the adjacent office building.
I haven't seen anyone yet.
So it is safe to say that most nights, between the hours of 9pm and 1am, give or take an hour here or there, I do not see outside. I could go look, of course, but we have lots and lots of TV's and unlimited access to Internet sans Porn and each other to make fun of and make politically incorrect jokes to *coughOrlandocough* so sometimes we just don't get out much.
So it was a surprise to me upon leaving the parking garage just how foggy it had become over the course of the night. In Bethesda it wasn't too bad yet, just a general fogginess in general. Obviously there, but not what you would think of as a distraction, a danger, or a blog-worthy event. Continuing on to the highway, it began to thicken, more so the closer I came to home. By the time I got to my exit you could not read the overhead road signs until they were pretty much immediately on top of you. The car ahead? Barely see their lights.
But not all was completely hidden, or I would not be here wasting both of our time. At one point, I passed under a digital road sign that spans the entire span of road. You know, the same one that tells you there is Heavy Congestion Ahead. The same Heavy Congestion you are currently cursing. The same road signs that tell you to Report Suspicious Activity and Buckle Up It's The Law and If You Build It They Will Come.
What the sign read was:
FOG WARNING
VISIBILITY LIMITED
SOMETHING ELSE WENT HERE
Perfectly innocuous. Very standard. Watch out, fog is coming.
Problem is, the fog was here already. I'm not sure why I, along with my fellow vampiric travelers, was being warned of an event that has already occured. Imagine being huddled in the basement of a house where outside there is a tornado threatening to help you move, and inside you are listening to an AM broadcast of a weatherman informing you that there is a tornado warning. Granted, this fog was neither lethal nor spinning, but the point stands.
Here is my alternative:
LOOK. FOG.
BUT YOU KNEW THAT.
EYES ON THE ROAD.
You can find examples of the Dumbing Of America everywhere you look. But be warned. Fog may obstruct your vision.
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