Tag Archives: Working Girl

How Many IT People Does it Take…??

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While hiding under my desk today a new employee badge was brought in to the IT dungeon. The person who activates badges, Make-it-so-Mike, was absent. In his stead the badge found me. The dust bunnies and I had concluded our conversation so I agreed to take on the duty of badge activation. Easy, right? NOPE!

First off. I have NO IDEA how we activate badges. Is there a program? A machine? A magic wand? There’s definitely no documentation…go figure.

Second off. Knowing nothing about the first part concludes I’d know nothing further.

Third off. Apparently Corvette-Crazy doesn’t know about Second Off because ‘knowing nothing’ somehow means ‘knowing something’ and I’m positive I know nothing.

Thankfully, Make-it-so-Mike walked in at this point. I’ve ceased plotting Corvette-Crazies demise. Onward we go to badge activation.

Make-it-so-Mike walks us through activating a badge because we really should know. AND, he will be out all week next week so…..

I take notes. The process is now documented! Woohooo!

We get the badge activated and then….we have to verify the badge works at all the entries. Now, I assume, I will run around and test the badge.

Nope!

It becomes a team effort.

Everyone from IT goes marching through the building. People stop and stare. They ask, “What are you guys doing?” It is a rare sight to see everyone from IT in the hallways. We all laugh at the questions because…the answer is far to silly to admit too.

First door. I place the badge on the reader. It beeps. The door unlocks. Second door – badge, reader, beep. Third door. Another repeat performance – badge, reader, beep. And so it goes.

So, today’s lesson…

If you see the whole IT team wandering the halls. They’re wasting time on something frivolous and they won’t admit it. And, the answer to how many IT people it takes to activate a new employees badge? 3 grown adults 

I do hope your day has been filled with comedy. Life is to short to be serious all the time. Especially when you’re in IT.

 

Yours Faithfully,
R3b3l G33k

R3b3l

Team Effort

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On days the IT team is feeling semi-social we venture forth into the great unknown of Lunch!

Doesn’t sound exciting, I know. Until you realize the average lunch escapade for any IT member involves:

  1. Bringing your own lunch from home – and eating at your desk.
  2. Hitting fast food drive thru as quickly as possible – and eating at your desk.
  3. Keeping snack items stashed away in various drawers and cabinets – and eating at your desk.
  4. Running home to escape people and grab some yummy vittles – and avoiding your desk.

On this, day of days, however, the entire IT team decided we’d harken forth to a local eatery. Traveling, en-pack, to El Torito we left the dark recesses of our caves.

During lunch we unanimously decide there would be no talk of work.

It may not have been the wisest choice.

Our topics of conversation ranged from politics to midget porn to watcher programs to nanny cams to graveyard shifts to computer forensics to Corvette-Crazies latest date….

The poor gentleman who sat across from us spent much of his meal shaking his head. At some points I think he actually wanted to chime in….at others….I’m sure he questioned how our minds work.

Still….a break from the office, with the crew, especially on a Monday, is always welcome.

 

Yours Faithfully,
R3b3l G33k

R3b3l

Observations from the Desk of…

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Observation from the Desk of the Fitfully Frustrated:

 

The answer is always simple. Once you’ve incomprehensibly complicated things for a multitude of days.

hairpulling

 

Yours Faithfully,
R3b3l G33k

R3b3l

Cat-astrophic Cat-astrophe

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Part of our job entails working with field technicians. Those valiant warriors who traverse the land assisting those in need. They provide your water, gas and often our laughter. It is in the spirit of that laughter I share this Cat Quandary:

Cats are interesting creatures. A bit persnickety, if one really must know.

One minute you’re King, or Queen, the next it is their world and you’re just taking up space. Some would say a cat’s intelligence is measured by the swishing of a tail. When two identical cats are involved, it can only be measured by quizzically comical questions. white

Take for instance Wayne, a Rochester tech, who discovered just how comical carbon copy cats can be. Wayne is your average tech; married, two grown children, hobbies ranging from hunting and fishing to motorcycles and snowmobiles. You might even catch him at Red Lobster enjoying the “catch” of the day.

However, Wayne recanted a tail of a tale where the catch of the day could be the wrong catch. The catch in question? A Cat, of course.

On a randomly routine service call, a cat loving customer requested her curious cat remain confined within her home. Wayne considered this a reasonable request. He completed his call keeping the customer’s previous polite petition in mind.

Upon leaving the customers domain, Wayne did not doubt the frisky feline resided safely in his abode. Returning to his vehicle though, he discovered the customer’s curious cat awaiting his return. He carefully caught the clever critter placing him securely back in his home.

Unfortunately, the newly caught cat was not so graciously greeted by …… the customer’s cat! The chase of chases quickly ensued leaving Wayne in a quandary of just what to do!?! The customer was gone and the cats were identical; each resembling the other. The question crossing Wayne ’s quizzical mind—”Which cat do I put back outside!?!?!”

Now, with this tale of tails I have to ask you, what in the world would you do?

What a Catastrophe!

I can only imagine the scene between those two cats!

cats

 

 

Yours Faithfully,
R3b3l G33k

R3b3l

Wicked, Wicked Word Search!

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It started like any other day.

We came.

We worked.

We listened to Dan-chan.

The earth shook, and insanity ensued.

Dan-chan had read an article encouraging Word Search’s to relieve stress. We applauded the brilliance…and any reason to avoid actual work. It really is the simple things…

We were happy to support Dan-chan. Anyway, what could go wrong when you have scientific proof!

Crosswords, Word Searches and Sudoku really do offer benefits. Keeping mentally active, mentally fit and mentally sane. They improve ones vocabulary. Taking them beyond the creative use of four letter words. They are surprisingly low-stress. Well, until you throw OCD riddled, analytical, creative people into the mix.

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Doing word searches, at work, has its challenges. One of the main ones…. keeping an eye out for the Boss-type-lady. Getting caught ‘goofing off’ by your boss…not top of the priority list. We thought it best to avoid any, “You should be working!” type conversations. Surprisingly, a trip to HR with your boss, and belongings, is an amazing motivator.

Now, we did, unfortunately, get caught but that is a story for a later date.

The largest, scariest problem with word searches. Well, ya… that is the inspiring precocity of this team. Our requirements for a valid word search puzzle:

  • You can’t do a word search where the list of “To Be Found” words are not in alphabetical order. It’s just wrong. A bit creepy, and throws our OCD into over-drive.
  • You cannot do a word search with only half the puzzle. This seems logical, but believe me logic has no place here. Again, the OCD kicks in. Paper becomes wadded projectiles. Four letter words fly like warped streaks of lightening.
  • Puzzles in lowercase letters are evil. Created by the devil while PMS’ing. They exist solely to drive a brave man, or woman, insane.
  • Uppercase letters on a puzzle win drinks all around. Unless… they contain commas in place of letters. Seriously, who does this to a word search?
  • Word Searches in foreign languages are doable. Only if they’re words we all know. Words used in everyday English. So, mostly English. Not slang English either, that would be a foreign language.
  • There is also the whole… all letters need to be consecutive. Meaning no significant gaps between one row of letters and the next. Who knew two rows of missing letters would be so distracting!? This, admittedly, is my ‘Oops’. In my defense. It looked good before it was printed.

I bet you’ll never look at a word search the same again!

Our goal….

One day….

To find the PERFECT Word Search!

Wish us luck!

Yours Faithfully,
R3b3l G33k

R3b3l