Kicking computers
The loud humming sound you hear coming from next to my desk at work? Glad you asked. I believe it is my work computer vainly battling its imminent demise.
Now, I was out of work most of last week as Baby Boy EC was in the hospital and had various doctors' appointments (he's doing just fine right now, by the way),but I did come in for a few hours on Friday morning, figuring I could catch up on what I've missed and get ahead a little bit for the coming week. Instead, I spend three hours staring at a blank monitor (which isn't always the most unpleasant activity, but more appropriate for a week when I'm in everyday) and crossing my fingers that the 87th time I unplug and reboot my computer will be the one that does the trick and kicks it back into gear.
Long story short, computer gets taken away to the repair shop for misfit electronics. I go home and forget about my computer for the weekend. I come in Monday morning, and have no computer at my desk. There is some work I can do without using a computer, but ultimately, using pencil and a pad of yellow legal paper is not a longterm solution. I am told that computer will be back later in the day, and I am given my choice of even creakier, crankier, more misfittier computers to use for the day.
Which is fine for about two hours, long enough for me to type about 1,200 words of a report into the computer before I get the bright idea of restarting the computer to see if it will help it run faster. It does not help. In fact, computer does not reboot again. As I did on Friday, I dutifully unplug and replug the older computer multiple times, all to no avail. I am now convinced that my desk sits on top of an old Indian Computer Burial Ground.
Next day, still no computer, but I'm told my computer will be back from the body shop later in the morning. In a rare moment of good thinking, I had brought my laptop into work, giving the ability to get some stuff done while waiting for work computer. As an added bonus, a detached cubicle wall falls on my head. In a rare fit of work rage, I toss the 6-foot cubicle wall into my coworkers area (he isn't in yet) and yell some profanities. But eventually, I get computer back, work gets done, and all is well.
Until today. Computer starts up fine, and I leave it on when I go out to lunch. I get back from lunch, and computer now sounds like a Sherman tank chasing Rommel through the desert and my screen is once again blank. Today, I have moved beyond the unplugging and replugging and proceeded directly to kicking the computer. That doesn't work either, but it at least makes me feel a little better.
Now, I was out of work most of last week as Baby Boy EC was in the hospital and had various doctors' appointments (he's doing just fine right now, by the way),but I did come in for a few hours on Friday morning, figuring I could catch up on what I've missed and get ahead a little bit for the coming week. Instead, I spend three hours staring at a blank monitor (which isn't always the most unpleasant activity, but more appropriate for a week when I'm in everyday) and crossing my fingers that the 87th time I unplug and reboot my computer will be the one that does the trick and kicks it back into gear.
Long story short, computer gets taken away to the repair shop for misfit electronics. I go home and forget about my computer for the weekend. I come in Monday morning, and have no computer at my desk. There is some work I can do without using a computer, but ultimately, using pencil and a pad of yellow legal paper is not a longterm solution. I am told that computer will be back later in the day, and I am given my choice of even creakier, crankier, more misfittier computers to use for the day.
Which is fine for about two hours, long enough for me to type about 1,200 words of a report into the computer before I get the bright idea of restarting the computer to see if it will help it run faster. It does not help. In fact, computer does not reboot again. As I did on Friday, I dutifully unplug and replug the older computer multiple times, all to no avail. I am now convinced that my desk sits on top of an old Indian Computer Burial Ground.
Next day, still no computer, but I'm told my computer will be back from the body shop later in the morning. In a rare moment of good thinking, I had brought my laptop into work, giving the ability to get some stuff done while waiting for work computer. As an added bonus, a detached cubicle wall falls on my head. In a rare fit of work rage, I toss the 6-foot cubicle wall into my coworkers area (he isn't in yet) and yell some profanities. But eventually, I get computer back, work gets done, and all is well.
Until today. Computer starts up fine, and I leave it on when I go out to lunch. I get back from lunch, and computer now sounds like a Sherman tank chasing Rommel through the desert and my screen is once again blank. Today, I have moved beyond the unplugging and replugging and proceeded directly to kicking the computer. That doesn't work either, but it at least makes me feel a little better.
posted by endangered coffee at 5:22 PM
"Indian Computer Burial Ground?" ... Cheese and crackers man, file for Historic Site grant money!
I usually kick my computer by mistake, while pushing away from my desk and my foot slips. I figure it reminds the bastard who's in charge, so no harm done.
My IT department is so overworked that we are constantly overun by viruses contacted through a few of my employees penchant for porn (I personally hate the stuff...wink, wink). So much for "appropriate use of technology" policies!
"As an added bonus, a detached cubicle wall falls on my head."
[Napoleon Dynamite voice] Lucky...
nice read. I would love to follow you on twitter.