Thursday, August 16, 2018 6:32 AM

As I walk through the hotel, past the lobby and up to my family's rooms, I recognize how my current job has changed what I see. Before, the guests stood out. I was vaguely aware of the people who worked there, seemingly transient, translucent. Now, I am acutely aware of the workers who surround us: the valet, the porter, the manager and staff at the front desk, the waiters, the cleaners, and the people doing repairs. Guests drift by like ghosts, getting less of my attention. It's the same as how my mind's eye sees lines of code and the people writing them when I use computers, lighting and lenses and people at editing desks when I watch video, and workers shelving and removing product and helping customers in retail stores. Once the curtain is lifted and we see the gears and people behind the scenes, the surfaces of the commonplace can never look the same again.