moral of the story - don't get speeding tickets

I guess my customer was tired of listening to me complain about my computer not working. Or maybe they just like rescuing damsels in distress. Or maybe the head of IT is pissed that his new computer was allocated to me until mine is fixed...

At any rate, at noon today I was getting more and more pissed that the help desk hadn't called me back so the gov agency I'm working for decided to take action to help me. The help desk had told me my company didn't have an office in Calgary but one of the gov guys said "I know I've seen the logo on a building near here". They used this app that scans the city from the top and they looked through the blocks until they found the building with my company's logo on it. I had a location to go to. Progress.

Then they went through one of their databases (don't ask) until they found the name of a guy who works at that building (think he got some speeding tickets and that's why he was in there). One of the gov guys I work with called him and said "we have a fellow employee here that needs help with her laptop and you're going to help her". I talked to the guy on the phone, explained my problem, and he agreed to help me. But, he said he had to leave the building at 4 pm and he wasn't sure my badge would work to get in. My customer got back on the phone and said "she's in a meeting with us until 4 so you'll just have to wait until she gets there".

This poor guy ended up waiting for me for an hour because I got my streets and avenues confused. I was supposed to be at the east end of town (the office was a 15 minute walk from my customer site) but I accidentally walked to the opposite end of town and then had to double back (luckily a kindly gentleman gave me directions). Four miles after initally setting out I arrived at my company's building.

An IT guy came down 5 minutes after I got there. I said "you're the only person in Canada who works after 5 pm" and he laughed. We then attempted multiple experiments to bring my computer to steady state, one of which caused my laptop to fall off a desk and the plastic corner to break off of it (don't ask - really, don't ask - it had to do with cycling the power to clear the something or other).

On top of the other issues with software, my hard drive is emitting a loud whistle (that was happening before it fell off the desk so don't blame me for that). The IT guy said "um, that's bad". He's going to rebuild my laptop tomorrow and I should have it back in the afternoon. I have to think of something nice to do for that kid. Poor thing was with me in the office until 730.

The best part of the story is the Canadian computer image is different than the US version and uses different drivers. So he's going to have to manually tweak it because the OS won't run on my computer as is. Also, I'm wondering if my spell check is going to be some fucked up Canadian US english/UK english thing. Then I'll be writing cheques instead of checks.

The good news is I got a ton of data into my customer's database last night and knocked their little socks off at the demo I did this afternoon (my meeting until 4 pm). It's not easy to be a rock star, but someone has to do it.

And now I'm going to open a bottle of garnacha de fuego and toast the kid fixing my computer even though he's not here (he better still be in the office fixing my laptop).

Why is wine so expensive here? Oh yeah, canadians only drink beer...

Calgary...

Sent this to Malcolm D. I thought it was funny, "no minors after 9 pm".

Canadians are so law abiding. Or not. This is a gypsy camp I happened upon while wandering down the bike trail that runs along the Bow River. They were very nice, especially when I produced a pack of cowboy killers.

Bow River. Nice after work walk even though it's cold.

the latest incompetence astounds even me

I work for an IT company. We supposedly help customers. That being said, my company is the most grossly incompetent place I have ever worked.

On Friday a new software update was pushed to my laptop by my company when I turned it off. I didn't turn my computer on again Sunday when I arrived in Calgary. My VPN software and my internet connection software wasn't working.

I arrived at the customer site monday morning to find that none of my software was working. Everytime I clicked on something I got a "application configuration issues prevent the application from loading - reinstalling may fix the problem". Well, re-installing didn't.

I called the help desk. They said it was an issue with my VPN software and tried to transfer me to another company. Then they said I'd have to ship my laptop back to the US to get it fixed because the canada IT help desk is different than the one in the US. Then they sent me over to hardware saying it was a hardware issue.

Since 5 pm Sunday night I've been trying to get my laptop fixed. I have spent over 10 hours on the phone with the help desk. I just found out this morning that my software issue was entered at a normal priority (meaning they have a week to get back to me) even though I explained that I was at a customer site and couldn't do any work. Today my problem was escalated to a 1 - 2 business day response, but was also told that unless I can get to an office for my company nothing could be done (I have to get on the company network). They can't fed ex me software or do anything useful. Hardware offered to send me a blank hard drive, like that would do ANY fucking good. I don't go back to the US until late next friday, and will not be able to get into one of my company's buildings because it's the weekend. I'm traveling until Christmas.

With a FUCKED UP LAPTOP. Which does not work AT ALL. Because my company can't figure out how to fix the issue. An issue THEY CAUSED by pushing out an update that didn't work.

Luckily I have a great customer here in Calgary and their IT people gave me a laptop to use. So I'll be spending the next two evenings making up for lost time.

I need a new job.

I am so fucked

Everything, and every application, is failing on my laptop. I've just back doored myself onto the internet so I have some connectivity. NOTHING is working. I have NO idea what I'm going to do at the customer site tomorrow. I have a shit ton of data I need to import for a class tomorrow and I can't run or install my software, my VMWare won't play any images (thought I could 86 my real hard drive and just play on the virtual one), I can't connect to my company's network so they can help me...

They are telling me to go an office but it appears Calgary is a "remote location", with the additional problem that I'm an American employee working in Canada. Fucking fuck. I have to get this project done in a certain time frame because I'm booked for the next 4 weeks. My customer is going to eviscerate me. There's no hope.

I should fall on my sword now.