I am actually a little ray of sunshine. Really. I am sorry I keep using the blog to whinge about my life rather than posting about my knitting, but I think I’m all done with that.
And in just over a month I’ll have lots of FO’s to show, when secrecy is no longer an issue.
Work has been pretty stressful, but I can’t talk about it, I am planning a honeymoon to Vietnam, but I don’t know if it’s going to pan out, and I can’t talk about it. Mark has some issues right now, and I can’t talk about it.
I’ve just finished a major project, but I can’t talk about it, because it’s a gift. I also took up a new craft, but I can’t talk about it because it’s a gift.
There’s more, but I can’t talk about it.
So here is a picture of a gorgeous birdie. Peachy.
Apologies if you’re a tech support monkey – rant coming.
I just rang tech support for the company that hosts The Australian Companion Rabbit Society web site. We lost the password for ftp access when Simone’s house caught fire earlier in the year, and I needed to add a stat counter to the site.
I am not the main contact for hosting, but Simone doesn’t have access to a computer on the weekends, so I thought I’d give them a call to see if they could email the password to Simone, and I could log in to her webmail and retrieve the password (because I am not the email contact, I didn’t think email support would work…).
So I rang Michael, who asked a few identifying questions, then told me our hosting package does not include free phone support, and I would have to use email support. I explained the situation, and said that I would be happy to pay if he thought that was the only way – then I asked him if he thought that it was necessary, or if I should try email support, and how long that would take. But he said I’d have to pay for the answer to that question, and hung up on me.
I rang back. The line was a little dodgy, and he hung up on me.
I rang back. He proceeded to rant at me that my phone calls were costing the company money, and that this was the third time I had called, he would have to charge me. He seemed to forget that I had only called three times BECAUSE HE HAD HUNG UP ON ME.
Again, I asked him how long email support would take, and again, he refused to answer on the grounds that I was not paying for technical support (this was after he had informed me that I would be charged regardless). So I said, “Well, if you’ve already charged me, how about giving me some tech support?”. He again asked me to identify myself, and then went off to do some secret nerd stuff, and put me on hold.
While listening to the horrible hold music, I remembered that I had actually updated the site within the last 12 months, and that the password might actually be stored in the Keychain on Sponge Bob the iMac. So I wandered in, accessed the keychain, and found the elusive password.
And hung up on Michael.
Now, as a sometime tech support monkey myself (if I never hear “my ipod’s broken” again it will be too soon, RTFM people), I understand that it’s a tough job. Being polite to morons day in, day out and repeating “is the computer plugged in” would drive most of us spare. But there is no need to behave like a Monty Python skit (“I’m here for an argument” “No you’re not” “well then, why are you arguing with me”) is not very good manners, and a sure sign that your days in tech support are numbered.
I leave you with my favourite tech support joke of all time – the reason why some users are referred to as “12 O’Clock Flashers”.
Click Here. If you ever took a tech support call, you’ll love this.
One of my customers is a researcher and of seahorses in Sydney Harbour. He is an exraordinarily lovely man, and a very talented photographer. Here is a link to his flickr page, and above is a cephalopod that he photographed in the harbour.
We really do live in an amazing place, and thanks to people like my friend (who was shortlisted for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition last year), we have beatiful reminders like this.
And here is another cuttlefish (because I am obsessed with cuttlefish). This one is called a “Dumpling Squid”, or a “Pyjama Squid”.
Superb.
On the Lara front, today was full of challenges, and it looks like next week will be chock full.
Dad doesn’t have cancer. At least, not in his throat. Happy Happy Joy Joy. It’s a Lipoma, a fatty tumour which is quite common, and nothing to worry about too much. Another visit to the doctor in 2 months, and hopefully an all clear.
And Kris just informed me that Crocs aren’t content with owning my feet 29 out of 31 days. They want the other 2 days too.
Announcing Crocs Ballet slippers, and Mary Janes.
Last time I went swimming, I felt very proud to have done 10 laps. Today I was aiming for 15, but that was an uneven number, so I settled on 16. After 16 I still had some reserves, so I kept going, and made it to 20.
And then I went shopping. I’m so looking forward to being able to buy clothes and feel good about trying them on, but in the meantime, I still need clothes. I bought a couple of dresses that aren’t too horrible, a few tops, and a pair of work pants. And a bra. I won’t admit to what size it is, but it’s a long time since I was a 12b.
So – more swimming, more cooking and eating at home (my food is so much better than takeaway), and maybe this time next year I’ll be buying summer clothes without cringing.
It’s 11am and I am still in bed. I got up to do some housework, and made my breakfast coffee, but it was cold out, and I have stuff to do on the computer. Apparently I am now officially “Permanent Part-Time”, so Wednesday is my day to go to Medicare, the dentist, do some gardening, play with bunnies, knit, and ponder my future.
I am considering going back to some sort of formal study, but I am still at a complete loss as to what to study. Here are some ideas, and pros and cons.
1. Journalism.
Pros: I like writing, and used be be better than average at it. I can spell, and punctuate, and though my grammar could use a little lift, I don’t embarrass myself often with how I express myself. I embarass myself with WHAT I say quite often, but I say it well. Also, it doesn’t have to be a 9-5 job. I am not good at the 9-5 thing. I don’t mind working crazy hours (as evidenced by my 12 years in the film industry), and I don’t mind uncertain income, not knowing wether you’ll eat from one day to the next. I don’t mind having to chase work, and I quite like the idea of writing for multiple publications and stretching my mind a little.
Cons: Years of study. What if I hate it ? If I hate the study, I will be crap at it. I am really, utterly, disastrously bad at staying focussed on things that bore me. I could stare at a crack in the wall for four days solid if it interested me, but couldn’t watch a single hour of cricket. If you paid me. And supplied endless vodka martinis.
2. Photography
Pros: I like the pictures I take, and I love creating beautiful things. I can work alone, follow my heart, and spread joy with my work. I can tell stories, document life changing events, and have an excuse to keep up my gadget habit.
Cons: Every idiot with a camera thinks they can be a professional. My grandfather was a professional photographer, and a man who praised sparingly. In the year that I studied photography at school, he praised exactly one of my photographs. One. It’s not like me to be discouraged easily, but his opinion meant a lot to me, and I was discouraged. So discouraged that I didn’t pick up the camera again until after he died. So I really have no idea if I am any good. Mum and Dad have been wonderfully encouraging, and so has Mark, but I need to show my pictures around, and be open to the idea that *I* think my pictures are great, and my family supports me, but no-one else needs to see them. That’s totally OK, but I need to expose myself a little, and I am working up to that point.
3. Graphic Design
Pros: I have the equipment, I have a strong visual sense, and I love design.
Cons: Again, it’s a very competitive market, and even once I have the skills, I’ll have to find clients and make money. I don’t know that I have the passion to make it work
I have always been moderately good at things. Not a superstar in one particular field, but better than adequate at most things I try (excepting sport and music – let’s not go there). Every few years I find a new interest – first it was bunnies, then gardening, then knitting, and now photography. I’m still interested in all these things, but knowing about my short attention span is probably a vital thing to consider in any change of career. I know I could learn almost any profession on the job, but academic study would be hard for me to stick to unless every day held a new challenge, and reward. Or, perhaps I should go back to the BA I was doing externally at UNE – at least I could take a different subject every semester, and maintain interest that way. Unfortunately, that would take forever, and qualify me for exactly what I am doing now – pondering my future.
They’ve invented a toothpaste with glitter in it. Toothpaste. With GLITTER.
All well and good. Of course I’ll be racing off to the supermarket to by glittery paste to slather on my pearly whites.
Except – they probably force feed it to rabbits to find out how much glitter kills 50% of a test group.
It’s called an LD50 test. Sounds innocuous, but it stands for “Lethal Dose – 50%”.
Which is horrible, and pointless, and very, very common. If the package doesn’t say “no animal testing”, it’s safe to assume there is some nasty things being done to furry people in the name of product research.
So, do I go for the glitter, and let the furbags fend for themselves ? I know, you’re probably thinking that I wouldn’t dream of compromising my principles for toothpaste – but I’m not quite that deep.
Toothpaste…. With glitter. It fair does my head in.
Disco Knitter 