03 Reaching for Real-time (MidAtlantic Reflections)

Intakes

Move the first half of Mid Atlantic Reflections to here

Cait evades EJ’s bear hug in that 2-dimensional way slender people can. Without a z-axis she slides between him and the door frame he’s pressing against, and into the kitchen, where she bumps into me.

…

We can’t live our lives as a batch.

This chapter is key to the work theme, which is the search for real time – which has these characteristics: it ignores the now but is about the now; its an instantaneous batch, that is to say a sequence with no duration.

a point, line, plane, cube of data.

I don’t have time for your metaphors, Lance. If business keeps growing at this rate we’re out of capacity in 1 year.

What about Nonsense?

I said … !” Before Shiva can finish her heated remarks, Mark whispers into her ear that Nonsense is a virus. I wonder if he mentioned that Lance is speaking metaphorically.

“Uh point well taken.” Shiva begins unsteadily but finds balance once she finds a theme. “Real-time is strategic. That’s my brief. Nonsense and all such noise. Perhaps that can be handled out of New York.” She nods at Ashulm who nods at Lance. I feel like an intern on a Capulet Zoom call. Someone has just narrowly averted being stabbed in an alley, but I’m not certain who.

These doubts leave me speechless. My questions are all with Lance. We came within minutes of getting destroyed by Nonsense. That problem must be solved.

A shadow looms over me – like a Disney cartoon of a vulture. Its Ashulm. He uses backlighting to enclose both Lance and myself in shadow

…

“If we don’t get to Real-Time by next fall, its all over. One year. NY will run interference. “

“Fight Nonsense.” Lance replies.

“Nonsense. Melissa. Zero Login. Whatever. Its all shit and its all on you. But if you block successfully and we score … ” He pats Lance on the back and exits. No parting exchange with me at all.