Blog Question Of The Day:
Should I buy a battery charger?
Friday, February 06, 2004
There is the distinct possibility that I'm cursed.
This morning was the morning from hell. I don't even know how to write it, with enough energy to accurately portray the series of events that bordered on catastrophe. Likewise, it is somewhat surreal to reach 2:00 in the afternoon, and discover that you've met all the challenges of the morning, and find yourself back at square one.
First bad thing to happen this morning was . . . the truck didn't start. What the hell is up with that? Its not THAT cold out. It should have turned over. I was not amused. Fine, deal with it, get a ride to work.
Second bad thing, after I arranged for an appointment to get it looked at, the guy from TJ Electric shows up, to review the SCADA system (remote monitoring) in Okanese, and discuss the potential for a similar system for Balmoral. I'd forgotten about that. So, I had to deal with this guy, and shelf the, fix the truck, plan.
Third bad thing, we install PCanywhere on my desktop computer, as that is the method by which is remote monitor this treatment plant. We install and there's the typical, request to reboot. Fine, I gotta hook up modem cables anyway. The phone cables take me several minutes, and in the mean time, my computer is rebooting, over and over again.
Fourth bad thing, the guy who's here to show me how to remotely sample the system in Okanese, can not get his software to work. He's sitting in my guest chair, working on his laptop, while I try to fix mine.
Bad things three and four continue to battle each other for dominance through the rest of the morning, and right up until lunch. Finally, after an exhaustive process I find out what the problem is, and am able to move towards fixing it. Its 12:!5 now, and I finally go for lunch.
Fifth bad thing to happen this day, my truck STILL won't start, even though its considerably warmer, and I've had it plugged in for 5 hours. I'm honked right off about that but, my boss has a battery charger and about 1 minute from that and she turns over finally. Still, Sherwood and I are going to have a discussion about what the hell is going on with my truck.
So its been a collection of misadventures in my life today. How are all of you?
P.S. Thanks to all that responded to my 'poll'. I appreciate the feedback.
This morning was the morning from hell. I don't even know how to write it, with enough energy to accurately portray the series of events that bordered on catastrophe. Likewise, it is somewhat surreal to reach 2:00 in the afternoon, and discover that you've met all the challenges of the morning, and find yourself back at square one.
First bad thing to happen this morning was . . . the truck didn't start. What the hell is up with that? Its not THAT cold out. It should have turned over. I was not amused. Fine, deal with it, get a ride to work.
Second bad thing, after I arranged for an appointment to get it looked at, the guy from TJ Electric shows up, to review the SCADA system (remote monitoring) in Okanese, and discuss the potential for a similar system for Balmoral. I'd forgotten about that. So, I had to deal with this guy, and shelf the, fix the truck, plan.
Third bad thing, we install PCanywhere on my desktop computer, as that is the method by which is remote monitor this treatment plant. We install and there's the typical, request to reboot. Fine, I gotta hook up modem cables anyway. The phone cables take me several minutes, and in the mean time, my computer is rebooting, over and over again.
Fourth bad thing, the guy who's here to show me how to remotely sample the system in Okanese, can not get his software to work. He's sitting in my guest chair, working on his laptop, while I try to fix mine.
Bad things three and four continue to battle each other for dominance through the rest of the morning, and right up until lunch. Finally, after an exhaustive process I find out what the problem is, and am able to move towards fixing it. Its 12:!5 now, and I finally go for lunch.
Fifth bad thing to happen this day, my truck STILL won't start, even though its considerably warmer, and I've had it plugged in for 5 hours. I'm honked right off about that but, my boss has a battery charger and about 1 minute from that and she turns over finally. Still, Sherwood and I are going to have a discussion about what the hell is going on with my truck.
So its been a collection of misadventures in my life today. How are all of you?
P.S. Thanks to all that responded to my 'poll'. I appreciate the feedback.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Okay, we're going to do something a little different today. Our post for the day is going to be a 'Blog Question Of The Day' but with a twist.
Unless I subscribe to the 'subscription' Blogger model, I can't collect statistics on my site, how many people are reading it, and so on. I have contemplated going that route but, it seems like a poor choice to make since I can get around the 'no pictures' problem by posting to them to my SaskTel web site, and linking to that in the blog. The only other thing I want is the counter, and we're going to try and get around that right here.
Part one of this mysterious blog posting is, to collect site statistics. Do you read my blog? If so, please respond to the email posted on the page. There are probably some of you that want to remain anonymous. I'm okay with that. Set up a bogus Hotmail (or Yahoo, Mail.com, Netscape, etc) and email me with 'I read your blog' I just want numbers. I don't need names.
Part two. This is an issue that has become more and more prominent lately. It came to a head with my 'Janet Jackson' post of a couple days ago. The Question Of The Day is, do you think I should pursue some type of professional writing assignment? I'm not looking for a pat on the back. Several people have said I should, so I'm just curious about whether this is a general consensus or whether I'm only hearing from half of my readership.
Its all voluntary. I'm just curious about these two things. Thanks for listening.
Toodles!
P.S. I couldn't think of anything to rant about today. I spent the day being pissed off about Mouse. I didn't want to spit venom about that yet again. Thus, my lame appeal for feedback.
Unless I subscribe to the 'subscription' Blogger model, I can't collect statistics on my site, how many people are reading it, and so on. I have contemplated going that route but, it seems like a poor choice to make since I can get around the 'no pictures' problem by posting to them to my SaskTel web site, and linking to that in the blog. The only other thing I want is the counter, and we're going to try and get around that right here.
Part one of this mysterious blog posting is, to collect site statistics. Do you read my blog? If so, please respond to the email posted on the page. There are probably some of you that want to remain anonymous. I'm okay with that. Set up a bogus Hotmail (or Yahoo, Mail.com, Netscape, etc) and email me with 'I read your blog' I just want numbers. I don't need names.
Part two. This is an issue that has become more and more prominent lately. It came to a head with my 'Janet Jackson' post of a couple days ago. The Question Of The Day is, do you think I should pursue some type of professional writing assignment? I'm not looking for a pat on the back. Several people have said I should, so I'm just curious about whether this is a general consensus or whether I'm only hearing from half of my readership.
Its all voluntary. I'm just curious about these two things. Thanks for listening.
Toodles!
P.S. I couldn't think of anything to rant about today. I spent the day being pissed off about Mouse. I didn't want to spit venom about that yet again. Thus, my lame appeal for feedback.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Isn't this just so typical? Haven't we got bigger, more important things to get excited about?
Okay, she exposed her breast. Big deal. And it wasn't even complete nudity. There was some stupid piece of jewelry covering the part that, by fairly common agreement, is essential to determining whether a woman is revealing too much or not. And now they want federal inquiries on decency, fines, penalties, and on and on and on until you can't blather on about it any more because your throat is hoarse.
Its a boob. For crying out loud people, can't we put this in the right context? There are soldiers dying in a foreign land, for a reason that is turning out to be spurious. There are children being abused, and living on the street, selling their souls for $5 and the chance to eat for the first time in a week. There are people dying of diseases we can't cure. With all of this other heartbreak going on, real people suffering real indignities, the sight of one woman's partially exposed breast, is the thing that we can't get past?
Grow up people. All the adults in the world ought to have the sense of reason to know that seeing one breast will not bring down upon us the fall of the heavens. And to those that scream in anguish 'think of the children!' I have some wisdom. Kids don't care. Curious they might be, but offended they are not. Nor should you be. Its one breast, on one stage, at one event. Was it the most tactful choice to have made. No, probably not, considering the zealots who live for an opportunity to get excited about something like this. But is it indecent? Hardly.
Its a breast people. Every woman has them. Grow up, and find something more important to crusade about.
Okay, she exposed her breast. Big deal. And it wasn't even complete nudity. There was some stupid piece of jewelry covering the part that, by fairly common agreement, is essential to determining whether a woman is revealing too much or not. And now they want federal inquiries on decency, fines, penalties, and on and on and on until you can't blather on about it any more because your throat is hoarse.
Its a boob. For crying out loud people, can't we put this in the right context? There are soldiers dying in a foreign land, for a reason that is turning out to be spurious. There are children being abused, and living on the street, selling their souls for $5 and the chance to eat for the first time in a week. There are people dying of diseases we can't cure. With all of this other heartbreak going on, real people suffering real indignities, the sight of one woman's partially exposed breast, is the thing that we can't get past?
Grow up people. All the adults in the world ought to have the sense of reason to know that seeing one breast will not bring down upon us the fall of the heavens. And to those that scream in anguish 'think of the children!' I have some wisdom. Kids don't care. Curious they might be, but offended they are not. Nor should you be. Its one breast, on one stage, at one event. Was it the most tactful choice to have made. No, probably not, considering the zealots who live for an opportunity to get excited about something like this. But is it indecent? Hardly.
Its a breast people. Every woman has them. Grow up, and find something more important to crusade about.
Monday, February 02, 2004
Okay, rant number two for today.
Why the hell don't people just listen to me!?!
Here we are again with this infamous plant, who's name I will no longer utter. Back in December we were experiencing troubles with this plant. I gathered up all the data, and did some fairly intensive analysis of what was going on, what the problem was, what was the cause, and how to fix it. After all of that, I came to a conclusion, and wrote a nice, very objective, non-accusatory letter outlining the cause of the problem, and what the solution should be. I tried to be even-handed, thorough, and completely non-judgemental.
I got my ass handed to me on a platter. The consultant, the one we know and love, called my boss, and bitched me out about this letter. I wasn't blaming anyone, but it took complete offense to it, and basically ripped me a new one. To say he was angry would be putting it mildly. And this was to a letter I had attempted to keep friendly, and professional.
A couple weeks passed and the situation did not improve. I wrote another letter, again trying not to honk anyone off. In short form, I stated that the system was continuing to perform poorly, for the reasons I had already outlined, and we still needed to change operation of the system to improve results. My polite letter was again responded to with vitriole.
Now it is February, and the town's co-owner, in the form of provincial water governing body, has decided to speak up. First he calls me, and asks me what the situation is, and what needs to be done to make things work better. I explain what my position is, and what I think will remedy our problem. He thanks me for the opinion and we hang up.
Not 30 minutes later I get a fax from the consulting engineer. Sequencing of the plant will be changed immediately, to exactly what I had suggested almost two months ago.
This drives me up the wall. The consultant can stick it in my left ear, and scream that we aren't going to change the sequencing. Even though it is obviously contributing to the deterioration of performance in the total water treatment package. My good intentions and due dilligence is stomped on by arrogance and pride. Then one call from someone else, and we reverse directions immediately.
AARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
Why the hell don't people just listen to me!?!
Here we are again with this infamous plant, who's name I will no longer utter. Back in December we were experiencing troubles with this plant. I gathered up all the data, and did some fairly intensive analysis of what was going on, what the problem was, what was the cause, and how to fix it. After all of that, I came to a conclusion, and wrote a nice, very objective, non-accusatory letter outlining the cause of the problem, and what the solution should be. I tried to be even-handed, thorough, and completely non-judgemental.
I got my ass handed to me on a platter. The consultant, the one we know and love, called my boss, and bitched me out about this letter. I wasn't blaming anyone, but it took complete offense to it, and basically ripped me a new one. To say he was angry would be putting it mildly. And this was to a letter I had attempted to keep friendly, and professional.
A couple weeks passed and the situation did not improve. I wrote another letter, again trying not to honk anyone off. In short form, I stated that the system was continuing to perform poorly, for the reasons I had already outlined, and we still needed to change operation of the system to improve results. My polite letter was again responded to with vitriole.
Now it is February, and the town's co-owner, in the form of provincial water governing body, has decided to speak up. First he calls me, and asks me what the situation is, and what needs to be done to make things work better. I explain what my position is, and what I think will remedy our problem. He thanks me for the opinion and we hang up.
Not 30 minutes later I get a fax from the consulting engineer. Sequencing of the plant will be changed immediately, to exactly what I had suggested almost two months ago.
This drives me up the wall. The consultant can stick it in my left ear, and scream that we aren't going to change the sequencing. Even though it is obviously contributing to the deterioration of performance in the total water treatment package. My good intentions and due dilligence is stomped on by arrogance and pride. Then one call from someone else, and we reverse directions immediately.
AARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!
Okay, I have to rant. Again. Stupid people!
What the hell is wrong with some people? Why don't they sit down, and figure out their situation, before getting all excited and starting to phone? I don't understand this.
This guy, on one of our jobs, phoned this morning wanting to know where his equipment was. We knew nothing about it, as we figured that all the material was on site and either, installed, or waiting to be installed. There was no news about additional parts to supply. But this guy is all excited, and why isn't the unit complete, and when are you coming to fix it, and where are the parts. Your basic whine of anyone that wants something, and has no control over its delivery.
So I get on this, and see what's wrong, and how to fix it. I take the excited guy out of the equation and talk to my technician, who's on site trying to finish this job out. I go through with him everything on the unit, and what's wrong, what's missing, and what do we need to do. I get myself an accurate read on the situation and go about remedying it.
A few minutes later we get another call. The excited guy was completely out to lunch, and all parts were on site, and installed. Some of them had not been hooked up, and thus looked defective when they were just inoperative. This nitwit had to go and stir up all this fuss, when all he really needed to do was check to see why things weren't working.
I hate people that do that! Examine your situation critically, and not from the hip, and often the solution is right in front of you. Don't use the phone just because its handy! Use your eyes, and you sense of ration. Doesn't anyone think anymore!?!
What the hell is wrong with some people? Why don't they sit down, and figure out their situation, before getting all excited and starting to phone? I don't understand this.
This guy, on one of our jobs, phoned this morning wanting to know where his equipment was. We knew nothing about it, as we figured that all the material was on site and either, installed, or waiting to be installed. There was no news about additional parts to supply. But this guy is all excited, and why isn't the unit complete, and when are you coming to fix it, and where are the parts. Your basic whine of anyone that wants something, and has no control over its delivery.
So I get on this, and see what's wrong, and how to fix it. I take the excited guy out of the equation and talk to my technician, who's on site trying to finish this job out. I go through with him everything on the unit, and what's wrong, what's missing, and what do we need to do. I get myself an accurate read on the situation and go about remedying it.
A few minutes later we get another call. The excited guy was completely out to lunch, and all parts were on site, and installed. Some of them had not been hooked up, and thus looked defective when they were just inoperative. This nitwit had to go and stir up all this fuss, when all he really needed to do was check to see why things weren't working.
I hate people that do that! Examine your situation critically, and not from the hip, and often the solution is right in front of you. Don't use the phone just because its handy! Use your eyes, and you sense of ration. Doesn't anyone think anymore!?!