Of Injuries and Costumes

For work yesterday I painted the inside of a very large cardboard box with black spray paint. When I offered to do this, my supervisor and team member on my pumpkin carving contest team (ie the most competitive competition I've been a part of...ever) asked if I was sure that I wanted to do it, I replied with a peppy "sure" while thinking to myself, "really, how hard could a little spray painting be"?

I had someone from the lab show me where the face masks were and then I set out to the storage room (where I spent the beginning of my placement cleaning, organizing, and occasionally busting a move) with a can of black spray paint, a stack of old newspapers, and my face mask in hand.


Once I surrounded the parameter of the box with newspaper to protect the dirty concrete floor (I am a responsible spraying in any situation), I shook the can and began to spray. All was going well. I was achieving an even coat. That is, until my right index finger began to ache and became covered with black paint. I switched to my thumb and then alternated between the two until the job was done...about 30 minutes after I started.

I decided that it would be a good idea to make sure that I hadn't gotten any paint on my clothing. When I checked myself out in the bathroom mirror, however, my clothing was fine but my entire face was covered with a thin black coating. When I removed the mask it was obvious that it hadn't achieved its purpose of shielding my nasal passages from the noxious fumes. It took about 5 blows until I wasn't snorting up black sn*t....sounds fun, no? And then I spent another ten minutes scrubbing the black stuff off my face.

The really weird part, though, was when I tried to tie my hair back, my index finger refused to work. I wasn't aware that you could get a spray painting injury but this morning the muscle connected to this digit is incredibly sore...all the way up to middle of my forearm. I'm thinking about calling WCB...ha ha just kidding (or am I? muah hahahahaaaa).

I would like to tell you about the plans for our pumpkin creation (my brainchild BTW), but it is so top-secret and competitive that I will wait until the competition is over on Friday to reveal it, lest my competition find this lil ol' website. Perhaps I'll even post some pictures.

In other news...

This year I'm going as a 70's flower child for Halloween...I thought it was time to retire the tutu (although I'm wearing it for our last dodgeball game tomorrow). Sean's going as a 70's Porn Star...his costume is great. Plus, his band is playing it's first ever live gig at the party we're going to on Saturday night. Can't wait to hear them!

So, what are YOU going to be for Halloween?