Deep in my heart I’m a warrior

[rolanni]

Day-job continues to be a stern chase. Got in and spent the usual 20 minutes reseating the usb connections from my keyboard and trackball into Mac so I could actually do my work. Sigh. It was 65F/18C in my office this morning when I arrived. I fear Mac likes the cold even less than he liked the extreme heat of summer.

After my computer was working, I got into sorting piles of stuff into piles of stuff that actually have something to do with each other. I made two — or was it three? — job talk posters. I started setting up interviews for the last set of three candidates, made photocopies and sorted them into their own piles; set up limo appointments, took in and processed a cool half-dozen electronic applications for the late-breaking surprise! search.

I’m still missing the whole “easy” part of that last. I can see that it might look easier to them what has no idea of the process and are distressed by huge stacks of file boxes reminding them that someone had to handle and process all that paper. But I’m not actually finding it easier to do. In fact, it seems to add about three steps to what I used to do.

At home, I managed to do a little bit of actual work — about 500 words on “Intelligent Design,” — which was like pulling hen’s teeth. Definitely looking forward to the weekend and having an attention span to bring to this story.

And, yes, as those of the cognescenti knew immediately upon looking at the title of today’s post — today’s earworm is “Electric Avenue.” I blame Pandora, which for some reason decided that I needed to listen to a string of old Motown.

Onward. But not right now.

Progress on “Intelligent Design”
1,731 out of 10,000 words OR 17.3% complete

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Oddly, yesterday I was talking with someone. He wanted to set up another appointment to talk next week, and we picked a day and time. Then he looked around vaguely and said, "I wonder if there's any way you could get that to me." He was looking at my computer...

I pulled a sheet of scratch paper out, wrote the day and time on it, and handed it to him. Thus avoiding all the fun and games of deciding whether I could access his calendar somehow, or maybe send him email, or... sometimes the old ways really do work well. He seemed quite surprised.

Frankly, I keep a stack of scratch paper around, just for that kind of thing.

What?

[claire774.livejournal.com]

Is that limo as in limosine? You know the big black car things that pick people up and bring them back? With all the money the college has for ;imos can't they get you a computer that actually works and is in one piece....I must say I have no idea what all that tech stuff you have to do is...I know people who have Macs for their work. They come in to the office and turn on their computers and start to work. Why doesn't the college arrange for you to be able to do that? Also, can they arrange for you to have heat and a bit of cooling in the office for the summer?. This is Maine we're talking about not Phoenix AZ. Are there any employees neaer you from New York City? If so, get them to complain for you. They are very good at that!
C.

Re: What?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Well, to be fair -- we're not sending stretch limos with champagne buckets and Professional Escorts. But, yeah, we do send a car as a courtesy. Some people are coming in from places that don't get snow and are rightly wary of driving a rental car two hours up a strange expressway.

When the Mac works, it works. I believe the problem really is the temperature fluctuations. Not good for the equipment or the people.

Unfortunately the college made an error when they renovated the English and History halls a couple years ago -- they decided that replacing the old (very tall and probably very expensive) windows would cost too much. They made this decision right before the price of heating oil went into the stratosphere. So now they turn the heat down to save money, and what heat there is continues to leak out of the windows.

Re: What?

[(Anonymous)]

It's the English and History building? Maybe you can get them to find some tapestries to put up over the windows :-) Pretty ones so you will not miss any view you might have.

--Susan, who was complaining about the cold earlier. It was only 30°F this morning (in coastal CA)

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

It's so comforting to know I'm not the only one who does the pile-thing.
But take heart! If I can get my piles down, so can you ...

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I think I had a break-through today -- killed one pile completely. And feel *soooo* much better!

Re: What?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Actually, suggesting that a curtain rod and some heavy thermal curtains would provide an inexpensive way of reducing the heat loss through the windows might produce results. Who knows, maybe you can start a new retro trend?