The owner is out

One of my favorite expressions, the one I use to describe my coworkers and me trying to, say, coordinate leaving the building together to attend a meeting or have a staff lunch, is "herding cats." As you know if you've ever been owned by a cat, they herd very poorly. It's genetic memory. Once, in Egypt, they were gods. They remember that. In fact, they consider their status to be unchanged in that regard.

Lately, however, I've been inspired by hiring, training and attempting to schedule five new student assistants, to add a variation to the metaphor: "herding fruitflies."

And that is where I've been. Herding fruitflies and watching in horror as complications and workload mount and I progress backwards in the fight to accomplish anything. In spite of the fact that I'm running very hard.

So. I've been gone. Not even energy enough left over to sit down and visit my favorite bloggers, let-alone write anything.

With this note, I'm posting the first in a series of hobo signs. Markings left on rocks and walls as messages for the next wayfarer passing through - from the earlier part of the 20th century, I assume. I've long loved these - which I found in a book on signs and symbols of the world. Some are clear and straightforward and some, in design or meaning, mysterious and complicated in execution or choice of symbol.

The sign above means The owner is out and I post it sadly, because Lucas of Jumper's Hole has taken down all but two posts on his blog. Lucas, I hope you are only gone for a little while.