Dumber than (fill in the blank)

I don't generally think of myself as stupid -- or at least not intollerably stupid.

A bit blank and daft at times, more often with some subjects than others, but overall, I think I'm fairly well aware of the world, its events and inhabitants; that I have a fairly decent command of the English language; that I can come off in most conversations without seeming too vapid or insubstantial.

But not today.

Today, as The Redesign Guy whined and opined right behind me and as a coworker sat wordlessly next to him, observing every move I made with very accute attention, I sat -- on the verge of very real and very embarrassing tears -- trying to simply read the story in front of me for a headline less mediocre than what I had chosen the day before ... only to find that I couldn't even comprehend what was displayed in black-and-white characters on my screen. It might have been Sanscrit for as well as my befuddled brain could process it ... and all the while, he was sighing and prodding behind me -- "come on -- there has to be something there ..."

But there wasn't.

Because -- whether due to a sudden inability to read English or simply the blurred effect of almost too many tears in my eyes -- I just couldn't read.

I have rarely felt so stupid and incapable of doing my job -- a job I normally (I think ... I hope) do very well -- in all my life.

Today, I want to crawl under a rock and just stay there.

Today, I feel very stupid.