01/22/2010

I’ve been battling a never-ending stream of ants ever since moving into this apartment, and the more I think about it, the more parallels I can find between the ants and the rest of my life. Today, though, I think I have made real progress in the war. Usually, they come creeping out from various cracks and gaps in the walls and floor; the crevices around poorly-fit window casings and the nooks and crannies that begin to yaw and grow as any building ages. My plan of deterrence had been, up until now, that of a rather passive node. I would put the poison down where they liked to travel, and in return the ants would sometimes eat the poison and die off in large quantities. However, I’ve never been able to fully “solve” the problem and it would only be a matter of time before I saw next one crawling along the cupboard or skulking near the bathroom door.

Introducing my new best friend (hopefully):

Spent a good portion of my morning filling gaps in the facade of this apartment and as I did so, I spent some time thinking about how much I enjoy the process of reclaiming injured space. I use the term injured in the sense that it is not as pristine as it once might have been, but not to imply that it is less than. This work pleases me because of the tangible results I can produce; the immediate gratification that follows my actions.

I would rather live in a disheveled place of character and unending work, than in a hermetically sealed cocoon that asks nothing of me. By giving to the apartment, I feel that it is a better environment to live in. But that’s just me.

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