When Things Don't Work in the Computer Age

(Did I just make myself sound terribly old by calling this "the Computer Age"?) (Don't answer that.)

It is currently the middle of the workday on a Tuesday. Tuesday, for the record, is usually one of my most productive days at work. After all, we've made it through the crush of work that accumulated over the weekend, and we're not to the doldrums of the latter portion of the week, yet.

Today, however, I am not getting things done. In fact, today I have been spending most of my time trying to find things I could do. Wait. That's not quite right. I know of a bunch of stuff I could do. I've been trying to find things which are do-able.

You see, our main computer database went down yesterday morning. So for the past 28 hours or so we haven't really had access to most of the data I need to do my job. Sure. I can send and receive emails with our clients. And anything that happens through our Administrative site is fine. But anything that actually needs me to work on a file? That stuff is currently AWOL.

Send a book to print? Nope. Can't access the print-ready files.

Create the documents for the Distributor? Nope. Can't access the marketing plans or the modified covers.

Pay off a print order? Sorta. I mean, I can process the order in the Admin system, but I can't make a note that it was paid on the invoice that is sitting on our missing server.

I would enjoy the "nothing do-able" day, more, if I didn't see the emails stacking up in my inbox which I'll have to deal with tomorrow. Or the next day. Or whenever the server comes back online.

Especially since, whenever it all comes back, we'll have to all save whatever we have on our desktops into the correct files on the server. Gee. I can't imagine what could go wrong with that. Could you?

Kinda makes me think the transcribing monks might have had it right.

Aching for Spring

As falls go, this hasn't really felt like fall, yet. The past few days have felt more like early September than mid-October. I actually contemplated turning the A/C on, yesterday, only to have to turn off a fan in the bedroom last night because it was too cold in the room.

We haven't raked leaves, yet, because not enough of the trees have dropped them. The marigolds in the garden are still in full bloom. The hot peppers started re-blooming a couple of weeks ago and haven't had a chance to ripen.

In the midst of all of this, we got a bunch (a BIG bunch) of bulbs (and corms, apparently) which we had ordered late last spring. And, of course, they needed to go into the ground. Usually, this is one of those October things to do when it's cool out and you don't mind doing all of the bending and digging because it's just nice to be outside.

Unfortunately, with the weird October heat this year, I had to spread my planting over two days. Sure, I told Christopher that it was because I didn't want to do areas which weren't dog-friendly when she was home alone with me, but I fully admit that yesterday's planting was simply too hot and sweaty to do more. So it took me about an hour or so each day to deal with all of the bulbs.

About the time I finished, yesterday, my knees were starting to give out. Today, about halfway through, my right knee started... well... complaining a bit. About two hours later, I figured that my butt must look great, today, considering how sore the muscles back there were. (Make that "are.")

Usually it takes until March for me to ache this much for spring. But, then, that ache is usually metaphorical.

Saturday Catsup... Ketchup... Catch-up

Can you tell that I'm kind of craving french fries this afternoon?

I am supposed to be doing some editing at the moment, which means it's the perfect time to FINALLY get around to responding to some comments which have been made on my blog over the past few weeks (or so). And, since I know that you don't all get updates telling you to back to check on the comments which were made after posted (or read), I'll try to cue you in on what's going on.

1) Orchid Wars - Going back to 9/2 - First of all, the orchids we have are mostly Phalaenopsis. I don't remember what I called them, but I know I was wrong. One of my cousins sent me a note to say that she also had "Phals" and included some photos of the amazing sprays of flowers she had (possibly still has). I doubt she'd mind if I shared, so here they are in all their gorgeousness:

2) The year's only BLT - I may try tomatoes again, next year (I've been getting a number of tips), but I will not be raising bacon. Sadly, I've been reminded it does not grow pre-packaged, cured, and peppered.

3) The puppy and the peanut butter - Don't worry. She gets peanut butter more often than I do. Usually it holds a lovely surprise of a pill inside, mind you, but she enjoys it just the same. Christopher and I laughed ourselves silly (sillier?) one night this week when we had ice cream. Christopher had an open pint of Mint Chocolate Chip, and I had an open pint of Peanut Butter Cup. I figured we'd both be objects of puppified attention, since mint is her second-favorite people-food flavor. She spent the entire time sitting on the couch next to me staring at the pint. When I handed it to Christopher, she turned and stared at him. (No. She did not get any of that ice cream, because it had chocolate in it - and you can't guilt me about that.)

4) Tiz List #4 (coincidentally, it's number 4 on this list, too) - I love that others of you like to use big words to confuse people instead of telling those same people off. And, yes, I like the idea of a kilt. After all, the Clan Fraser tartan is rather nice, and my legs aren't that bad.

5) The Big Bang Theory - Yep. That's one of the recordable sitcoms we watch all the time.

6) The It Gets Better Project - Have you checked it out, yet? It's kind of amazing. Prepare to tear-up a lot, but also to be very very impressed and inspired.

7) Worms - We've spent time at the vet. We've done treatments. We've been reminded that they are "round" worms, not "ring" worms. We're on the way to not having to talk about them again any time, soon. I hope.

8) Self-less-ness - Yeah. It's the weekend. So I'm not going to talk about work.

Thanks, again, for all of your comments!

Thoughts of "Self"

If you proclaim that you are a "self-starter" on a resume, then you had better be able to create your own motivation to get things done.

If you buy a "self-tanner" you should be able to assume that the tan will be created by your own skin - without the assistance of the sun.

If you partake in "self-pleasure" you're probably not relying on someone else. (And you're probably also being scolded by Delaware senatorial candidate Christine O'Donnell - but that's a whole different story.)

If you "self-flagellate" (not the same as the topic above this one), then you're punishing yourself with no help from anyone else.

And, well, the same goes for pretty much all of those "self-" words. You know, like self-deprecate, self-loathe, self-possess, and even self-promote.

So why is it that when people decide to "self-publish" they assume that they don't need to do anything and that all of the blame should fall on someone else?

Today, just before the end of a rather nice, calm day at work, I got an email from an author who just now - after having 1,000+ books printed - realized that his own name was spelled incorrectly on the spine of the book. Considering how my week has been going, I opted to not respond to him tonight, but to leave it until tomorrow.

Why not just reply right back?

Because I couldn't figure out how to politely (ie. without using the terms "idiot," "doofus," or "stupid-head") point out that - no fewer than FIVE times - the author had approved the cover of the book exactly the way it is. Yes, other people had also seen it and had missed the fact that his name was misspelled, but this is SELF-publishing. And it was HIS name. He had not paid for the round of editing that includes a final proofreading of absolutely everything. This means that it was up to the author, himSELF, to notice this and correct it.

And, yet, I suspect that tomorrow I'll be sitting down with one of my co-workers and the two of us will be figuring out what to do to help this author get some reprinted books. God help us if he tries to figure it out by himself.

Hook and Ring and Tape, Oh My!

CAUTION: The following posting is NOT for the faint of heart. Or of stomach.

We've had our new dog for about a month now. She's absolutely lovely. Okay, she doesn't really like to follow commands (some of which she knows perfectly well if there is a treat involved). And she takes up rather an amazing amount of space in bed. And she is seriously good at giving guilt looks.

Overall, though, she's been amazing. She's gotten Christopher and me to start taking walks again. And she's never actually stolen anything off of any plates (even those on the coffee table).

But...

(You knew there was a "but" coming, didn't you? And, yes, this is where the squeamish-causing topic comes in.)

Today I was taking her out for her morning walk, and as I bent down to pick up the poo, I noticed that there seemed to be some white plastic in it. I was wondering what she might have eaten that could have turned out like that when I saw one of the pieces of white plastic move. Yes, move.

Closer look - as I tried not to flee - and I could tell that the two pieces of white plastic were two separate white... worms. Ewww. Worms. Live worms. And they were in her poop. And I put the poop into the plastic baggy as I do every walk, and kept going - equally freaked out and fascinated.

I spent a certain amount of time watching the white thingy move around in the baggy as I walked the rest of the way around the block. And then - since the trash was out by the street - I set the baggy on the ledge in the porch to be dealt with, later.

I called Christopher to tell him what I'd found. And he called the vet. And I ended up driving home at lunchtime to pick up the baggy and take it - now referred to as "the sample" - to the vet.

The young tech in the office looked at the computer where there was a note about Christopher's call, then looked at me and said "Oh, yeah, I see you think there might be some worms in the fecal matter. Once we test it, we'll let you know if it is positive."

I looked at her and said "Umm... I know there are worms. I saw them moving. You can see one right there."

She just looked at me, then kind of chuckled and said "Oh. Yeah. I see that. Okay... So we'll do some tests to see what, exactly, we have. But these look like tape worms." (turning to the person next to her) "Don't you think these look like tape worms?"

"Oh, yep, they look like rice, so that's my vote." (Rice? Why do things always have to look like rice? I like rice. But. Ewww.)

"Great. So we'll check this out once the doctor comes in and we'll see what we've got."

Christopher called me a couple of hours later to say that we actually had the full trifecta of dog worminess: tape worms, ring worms, and hook worms. Probably all picked up while she was at the kennel, and only now working their way through her system so that they're... ummm... obvious to the naked eye.

So after work I was back at the vet to pick up medicines and instructions to de-worm the dog. And then home to administer the first doses. The tape worms were a one-dose thing. The ring and hook worms get a single dose every two weeks until mid-November.

Oh. And then in the beginning of December we get to take another fecal sample to the vet to make sure the worms are gone.

Yeah. Life has changed a bit in the past month.

Clarification on Yesterday's Post

After I posted yesterday's post, I got to thinking that it might sound like I was one of the people who had a really hard time of it all through junior high, high school, etc., because of my sexuality.

I wanted to clarify that, although I didn't overly enjoy any of that time of my life, I also didn't completely and utterly hate it at any time (at least not for a day or two). And it wasn't because of my sexuality, it was simply because I was an adolescent. (I actually didn't figure myself out until I was in my mid-20s.)

Even so, while things were crappy at times, I was very lucky to have friends who were always around. And an amazing family to turn to and lean on.

When I got to college and grad school, I found more people I could talk to. And as I've moved on in life I've been able to pick and choose and develop more and more relationships that are meaningful and fun and positive in oh-so-many ways. Heck, I've even been lucky enough to stay in touch with - or reconnect with - some of the people I've known since as far back as grade school.

And my family and Christopher's family are both great.

And it's good.

I just hope that we can all give the next generations the same chances to get to this point.

The "It Gets Better" Project (and Why, Again, I'm Choosing Not To Shop At Target)

I know I've been beating up on the topic of not shopping at Target for the past 3 months, but with all that is going on in the world - heck, just in the United States - lately, I want to make this point, again.

Target gave a whole lot of money to MN Forward. MN Forward gave a whole lot of money to Tom Emmer's MN gubernatorial campaign. Tom Emmer supports anti-gay legislation and once said that the members of a rock band who promote "killing of all the gays" are a "group of really nice guys."

That's why I've been not shopping at Target for the past 3 months. Yes, I plan to go back after the November elections - when the money they gave to the campaign has run its course - but I'm not going back until then.

I get some kind of off comments (from people I know) about my stance. I also know a lot of people who work at Target and depend on it for their livelihoods. And I firmly believe that everyone has the right to his/her own opinion about that. But I think that blatant intolerance shouldn't be... well... tolerated.

In the past week, the news has been filled with stories of the young man who killed himself after he was "outed" by his college roommate broadcasting his private life across the internet. And, yet, so many people seem to dismiss what goes on in everyday society.

There are so many people who think that taking a stand - even a relatively easy one, like not shopping at Target - against bigotry and hatred is for someone else to do. I guess I just feel like I've got to do my part and start somewhere. So that's what I'm doing.

At the same time, Dan Savage (a gay columnist, husband, and father) has started a video-based project on YouTube called the "It Gets Better" project. He and his partner started it all by putting up a video aimed at victims of bullies - simply trying to explain to bullied teenagers (and pre-teens) that life gets better, so you should stick around for it. Their video, along with a whole lot of others submitted by average people, can be found here: The It Gets Better Project on YouTube.

For all you readers of this blog who knew me "way back when" - and those of you who know (or at least read) me now - thanks for making life worth living, and worth sticking around for.

**For the record - although I didn't overly enjoy a lot of my time growing up, I have to say that I had a GREAT adolescence. And, when I came out, my family and (most of) my friends were really wonderful. I was - and continue to be - very lucky. And grateful.