“All abstract sciences are nothing but the study of relations between signs.”
– Denis Diderot

One of my annual duties is to process raises for all of the student employees, all 150-200 of them.  Each of these raises must be individually entered, then individual added to two separate databases (before I hand them off to Susie who enters them into another worksheet).  As you may imagine, this takes quite a bit of time.  I usually clear my entire schedule to work solely on this project so that I can get it done in a couple of days.

These couple of days are brain melting.  I stare at the computer screen without breaks from the moment I get into work until the moment I leave.  By the time I limp out to my car, my eyes are crossing and uncrossing beyond my control.  I swear I’ve developed carpal syndrome in my right index finger.

Funny things happen to my head, such as yesterday when I had to do a double take  because Pandora (which often doesn’t make sense anyway), playing in my peripherals suddenly flashed a picture of King Leonidas from 300…no…wait.  It wasn’t a naked, roaring barbarian, it was Dave Matthews.  I rubbed my eyes and prayed for 5pm.  But it pays off to do it all at once because within three days I can usually get back to my normal schedule only slightly worse for wear.

The only way I am able to get it all done in a timely matter is by carefully cultivating the idea that anyone who disturbs me during this process will be marched out into the parking lot, lined up, and summarily shot.  This year, to facilitate the speedy processing of raises, I put up the following sign:

And, much to my royal irritation, everyone has been ignoring it.  Cretins.