If you want to see how utterly unrewarding and unchallenging the U.S. work environment is, check referrer logs. Take a look at the hit spikes between 7am to 9am and 1pm to 3pm. Then notice that noon is always low.

Lunchbreak: the few precious minutes in the day where something interesting might be going on.

It’s right after lunch, when people get back to their desks and sullenly realize “I’ve got four more hours to go and I’m going to need every iota of help I can find to make it through without going crazy or falling asleep at my desk… again. [browse] What’s this? Slate linked to a site and said they were interesting? Praises be! And that interesting site linked to this other site and mentioned ‘writing project winner’? Jackpot!”

I feel sorry for people in that situation partly because I’m one of them.

My hits drop to a bare 1/3rd of my average over the weekend and evenings, and I know it’s not (only) because of my lack of posts, and that’s heartening: you’ve got better things to do with your time than screw around on the internet when you’re home with your family. Good for you.

It’s just too damn bad our jobs are so boring.