24 March 2008

for please....

Happy Belated Easter to you all.

Also, I usually have pictures on my computer desktop, and if any of you are interested in e-mailing me (or sending me a link of) good pictures of yourself or good pictures in general, please do so.

Or if you'd like to send me actual tangible photos, that is welcome, too - I happen to have a bulletin board right by my desk.

You can conveniently e-mail me at nclmtmn (at) gmail.com, or post links on the comments.

I look forward to jazzing up my computer background!

19 March 2008

Insanity Factors

What follows is my own personal list of factors that are bound to cause insanity at the workplace:

1. Chronic, frustrating situations: This may vary depending on your job situation, but one will find that even the smallest frustration that happens repeatedly will end up driving you crazy.

2. Working inside when the weather is nice: Increasingly, people walk into the office to tell me, "It's so nice outside," or "The sun is great". Personally, I wish they would say, "The weather outside is miserable, be glad you're inside." At least then, I wouldn't feel so quarantined.

3. Having someone call repeatedly: We have people who like to call about 8 times in 2 hours for the same person, after we've told them they're either out or unavailable. They think we don't know it's them, but we do.

4. The hang-up: Lately it's been a favorite for people to hang up on us when we call. Being suddenly disconnected when you're only trying to be helpful is just so comforting!

5. Working alone: Maybe you like it, but when I come in to work with the expectation of being with people, and then hearing "Oh, so-and-so is going to be late" or "I'm actually leaving early," and you're suddenly doing the job of 2 people...mm, what joyous fun!

6. The lack of sleep factor: Whether you didn't go to bed on time, you didn't get up on time, you could hear noises in your house, or you just couldn't sleep, that tiredness factor will get me every time. It seems like all I can think about is, "Man, I'm tired!"

7. The lack of caffeine factor: Related to the lack of sleep factor is the lack of caffeine factor. When I forget my coffee or don't drink enough, it doesn't matter how much I drink later in the day to make up for it, I'm a goner for functionality.

8. Consistent beeping noises: Today someone came to look at our security system. While he messed with it, the system beeping continuously in the background, just loud enough for me to hear and wish it would STOP, STOP RIGHT THIS INSTANT! :)

So, that's my own personal list of things that are bound to cause insanity in the workplace. Isolated incidents, they don't usually bother me. It's when all of these things happen at the same time, I start to wonder if I'm still a sane person...or maybe I've never been sane..??

What about you? Do you still claim sanity?

11 March 2008

Top 10...

This is borrowed from a metroblogger who wrote about his time in Texas and the comments people not from the Twin Cities made to him when they found out he was from the Twin Cities. If you're from the TC area, you'll understand what he means...it holds true to lots of places in the midwest, to be honest...

So for your reading pleasure...


1. Wow, it must be warmer here, even though it’s been cold in Austin this week.
2. Life must go by very slowly there compared to (insert where idiot person lives).
3. Grumpy Old Men is my only reference for Minnesota.
4. The person I’m rooming with at my town is from Minnesota. Her name is Zara. What? You don’t know her.
5. I was there once. Actually, just in the airport. It was okay.
6. Oh, well I’m sure you can’t wait to leave there.
7. Do you like the Vikings? I’m a Patriots fan.
8. I love Fargo.
9. The Twin Cities have a vibrant arts scene. I bet it’s great living there.
10. Where is that again?