The lights shining on me are terribly bright and revealing. Call it a blessing or a curse. The higher-ups at the Mighty Daily Journal call it a cost-cutting measure.

We had a team of workers who exchanged the fixtures above our desks with more energy efficient, brighter burning lights. I haven't decided if I like the results. The logical response is to say I like them, even if I don't.

* "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." - Maya Angelou.

I'm generally in favor of anything with potential to put money in my pocket, and a portion of the possible savings could conceivably land in my bank account.

* "If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life." - Billy Graham.

The problem is I have a suspicion - actually, it's more of a conviction - that a truly rational human being wouldn't write for a living. This business requires a certain amount of lunacy. Don't tell my colleagues this, but I've seen sane people come and sane people go; the nut cases usually stick around.

* "In terms of work I've always had a Bad Attitude in that I won't work anywhere which requires me to work strict hours or follow a dress code. I don't know if that's an Asperger's thing or not. I think it's just being reasonable." - Bram Cohen.

The light situation caused an immediate problem because accumulated dust on my desk could no longer hide in the shadows. The mess became so distracting that I engaged in an epic, three-hour cleaning session. Sheena Barnett, a fellow madcap scribe, took before and after pictures and posted them on Twitter, causing me to further question the value of the Internet.

* "You don't have to have an attitude if you're famous." - Adriana Lima.

It's been about two weeks since the cleaning, and I haven't adapted to my new surroundings yet. Aesthetically, I enjoy the neat look, and it's good to know where things are when they're needed.

* "The American attitude toward efficiency and execution should always underlie architecture." - Helmut Jahn.

Still, there's a vein of joy buried deep within the frustration of chaos. Pre-cleanse, it could take 10 minutes of curses and prayers to find a necessary notebook, but the relief that followed tended to sweep up and down in a delightfully charged way.

I guess I'll adapt. There's not much choice. Then again, some types of crazy run deep.

* "I will not get very far with this attitude." - Nancy Cartwright.

M. Scott Morris is a Daily Journal feature writer. Contact him at (662) 678-1589 or scott.morris@journalinc.com.