Weasel Of Doom

I am having one of those months, it seems. I am doing stuff, but at the end of the day, have nothing to show for it. Treading water, not getting anywhere. Depressing myself with this post. Gah.

A guy driving an old beater car. The car appears to be an odd, mottled orange/white color. As I get closer, I realize that the orange/white stuff is Hooters bumper stickers. Apparently, he is using them to replace paint. Another 100 or so stickers, and his life work shall be complete.

I have absolutely no luck whatsoever with Tech Support. None. It’s like any tech support call/email from me automatically gets flag with “Ignore, or if can’t ignore, treat her like an idiot.”

Exhibit 1: A while back, the error logs for the website were showing a broken javascript link for EVERY page. Obviously, something wrong with the template. The javascript in question is part of the CMS (Content Management System) we use. Tech support for the company from whom we purchased the CMS insists that the problem is ours, not theirs (direct quote: Have you customized any of our functions? can you tell me exactly what function you are accesing and how you are accessing it that produces this error?. If I knew that, I wouldn’t be asking you, now would I?). I stupidly vent to my boss, he emails the CIO of the company, and my name goes on their shit list for life, I suspect. Oh, and the problem gets solved, by us. Lesson learned: Windows search does not search .aspx or .php files. Useless piece of crap. My Dreamweaver installation is fubar in some obscure way, because it was also not letting me search inside files. If I had known that, I would have solved the problem on my own in 5 minutes.

Exhibit 2: We cannot upload files to our portal from home. Helpdesk (different company from above) hints that the problem is slow connection or not using IE 5.5 (direct quote: Our PD department has informed us that our product works best with IE 5.5. You can’t even GET IE5.5 these days. LOL.).

After much screaming and gnashing of teeth on my part, problems turns out to be our firewall settings, which is what we suspected all along, and which was never mentioned by my helpdesk technician (who was very nice, just not very useful).

Exhibit 3 (ongoing): I have upgraded our CMS editor. There are issues with the upgrade. I am trying to upgrade the upgrade, and it is not taking. My repeated emails of “I think the problem is on the SERVER” get replies of “here’s how to remove the application from the CLIENT.” I HAVE removed and reinstalled it at least 10 times now. I have installed it on a “clean” machine. I have done everything but sacrificed a chicken to it. The problem is ON THE SERVER!!!! Grrrr. In the meantime, my users are probably thinking of creative ways of killing me. *sigh*

Update, later that day: heard nothing back from the company yet, and it’s been a couple of hours. Told boss not to email them yet, because I want to stay off the shit list for a while. Boss was not amused.

Update, next day: I have waited all day for a phone call from them. Not amused.

When “Do Not Disturb” just does not cut it…

(and yes, this is the actual sign I put on my door)

It’s been a frustrating week. A “stay away from me because I am holding on to sanity and civility by the tips of my fingernails” week. A “one more thing, and I am going to start screaming” week. One of those weeks. And since it is considered inappropriate for 30-year-olds to throw temper tantrums in public, I am going to throw one here (in cyberspace, can they hear you scream?). Consider yourself warned.

Things that have been annoying me this week:

• Inconsiderate coworkers. I am tired of being understanding. I don’t care how hormonal you are or who pissed you off, don’t take it out on me. I have feelings, too.

• Plans that fall through. I am driving to Illinois to a meeting all by my lonesome on Monday, because my friend has too much work and cannot go. I understand her situation, but I am still upset that she bailed on me at the last minute. Wah.

• Powers that are. I am not sure what they are using to think, but I strongly suspect it’s not their brains.

• Being ignored. I am not stupid. My opinions and suggestions are valid. If you don’t intend to listen to them, please don’t ask me what I think. Don’t waste my time and yours.

• Kidlets. DemonChild, throwing a temper tantrum every time something does not go your way is not endearing. Squeeker, there is no possible way we can hold you all the time. Life is not fair, please get used to it.

• Bad weather. Today matched my mood. Driving to and from work, I lost control of the Jetta twice. Fortunately, God was watching over me, and both times I got control back before other traffic appeared. Many were not so lucky.

• Spouse. He was more collateral damage than anything – by the time I got home in the evenings, everything was irritating me, and BelovedSpouse was there and a handy target.

• Myself. Because I just don’t have enough other things to drive me up the wall.

Once it stops snowing tonight, I am going to go and take out my aggression on some innocent snow. Yay for channeling my destructive urges, I guess.