Life is full of firsts. This year has been full of firsts for me. I've gotten married. I've moved to another state. I was able to spend a holiday with my Aunt, which had never happened before.

This week has included two firsts. Certain Tuesday meetings fall during the lunch hour, so this week the food of choice was Indian, which I've never had before. Curry has been in our cupboard for two or three years now, but eating it within the context of a broader cultural presentation was different and enjoyable. Then again, it was served in styrofoam take-out boxes and cardboard Chinese-food containers, so it also presented a unique insight into the bending of traditional cuisines in meeting the modern American lifestyle.

Thursday's first was, however, less enjoyable. On the way to a Photoshop 7 class on Masks and Channels there was a small power outage; generally not a noteworthy event. I was in an elevator when it happened…and for forty-five minutes thereafter. Lights went out. Berryhill Elevator P-003 did an unnerving shimmy and sink. After calling public safety on the elevator phone, I carried on a conversation with the other unfortunate passenger for the next thirty minutes about web design and Photoshop. She was also going to the class. It took another call to public safety and another ten minutes until we were freed. Needless to say, I'll be talking the stairs for a while.