In Hell In Space Conundrum Resolved

Several years ago Shad asked me to help him come up with a concept. I don't even remember what sort of idea we were trying to come up with--a poster, a book, an ad?--but we just couldn't come up with anything. Finally, desperate, my fingers knotted, clutching, entwined, pulling at my hair, squinting from the strain, carefully plucking words from somewhere in the depths of my throbbing, depleted brain, I suggested: "[The thing] ... in hell ... in ... space!" Of course this concept does not even make a lick of sense, but once it had stumbled out of my mouth (or crawled on its belly, rather, carefully, blinded by the light of the world and longing to return into the depths of oblivion), I felt a need to commit to it. I don't exactly recall Shad's reaction as I recklessly/shamelessly boosted my concept (a complex combination of love and pity, I suspect), and, needless to say, the idea was never picked up. But the concept has stuck with us, and has become a household euphemism for the completely ridiculous.

I know. It doesn't make sense. But that is how these things go.

Today is a foggy day. This morning as I stared out of my 27th floor window, I realized I could not see anything but endless whiteness. It was like being alone in space. I glanced down at my computer monitor and considered the endless stream of documents that I must review today, tomorrow, the day after, etc etc etc infinity. This is hell, I thought.

...

Yes....!