Is OSHA Aware Of This?

Most non-readers and even many purely recreational readers probably consider reading to be one of the safest and most sedate of activities. And perhaps, for the hobby reader, it is quite safe. Out here in the mean streets of word addiction, however, it is an activity fraught with occupational hazards.

Paper cuts are just the beginning. There are kinks in the neck from being too utterly absorbed in what you're reading to remember to move and stretch. There's eye strain. And there's the divided brain that happens when half of your mind is on the book waiting at your desk while the other half is struggling mightily to pay attention to what your boss is rambling on about.

Worst of all, though, is being unable to scratch that maddening mental itch of "I know I read it somewhere..." I read a ridiculous amount, as I've made clear on numerous occasions. And usually when I read something that strikes a chord, I scribble it down in one of my notebooks or at least make a note to do so before I return a book to the library or click to the next web page or whatever.

As meticulous as I am about taking notes, though, all too often something gets overlooked and then a week or two later, I will vaguely remember what it was, but be completely unable to find it. I have been struggling with this the past month or so. I read something, but I can no longer remember where and it's starting to get to me just a bit. I have browsed through every magazine, book and blog that was in my possession during that time period to no avail. So, I'm going to share it with you in hopes that maybe one of you read it, too. Shoot, for all I know, one of you wrote it.

Somewhere--in a magazine, in a book, on one of many fantastic blogs--sometime in the past month or so, I read something that went like this:

"If two things fall in a forest and neither one makes a sound, which one's the tree?"

Or like this:

"If two things fall in a forest and both of them make a sound, which one's the tree?"

I can't remember exactly which way it was put. I can't remember at all where I read it. And there's also the possibility that I dreamt it or randomly woke up with it in my head. I've tried Googling it, in every conceivable combination, with no luck. So, now, I am throwing myself upon the mercy of my bloggy little corner of the internet. Have you read it? Do you remember where?