Ants, like terrorists, are everywhere.

Recently at the office we have developed an ant problem, a problem that marches from down the hall and around the corner.

Last week we, scratch that, I called facilities and maintainance to come down and stop them. At first they tried to tell me that it was a "department matter" and that we had to handle it on our own. They pull the "department matter" all the time on us, mice I can sort of understand, ants on the otherhand, especially when a trail of them can be followed through multiple department spaces is not a department matter but a building. So the head of custodial, Alex--a really nice guy, came down and vaccumed up the ants (they make a funny little thwack sound when they hit the hose) and mopped a solution of amonia to throw them off of there own scent. I guess that worked for only a couple of days because yesterday they were back. Now I didn't see them, but the bug did, and was freaking out. But freaking out in that way that you know she will never handle it on her own because one: she's too lazy to, two: she's too lazy to, three: if she did something productive for once the earth would implode in on itself, four: it gives an opportunity to attempt to boss someone around-mainly me-which she lives for, and lastly five: she's too lazy to. So I went out an bought a can of Raid.

this morning Alex came back, having seen them in the hallway, and vacuumed them up (thwack, thwack, thwack again) and then I sprayed after. Thank heavens that I got the unscented type, because otherwise I would be really dying, as it is all the doors are open and I am wishing that I had a fan. I am hoping that I will not have to keep on the ant prowl, but I suspect that there is a huge colony in the courtyard outside and that they are infiltrating the building through the foundation.


I sent out an email to everyone in the center warning them about the ants. Mr. 3 said that the "stay vigilant" email sounded like a Tom Ridge ad, but it was an oppurtunity to write the word "doom" in an office email in a context that would not raise any eyebrows. Which any day that you can legitmately do that, it a good day.