Dysfunction and then some

On Tuesday as I headed back to the office I had a very frantic day for myself which started with trying to find where my stuff was – stacked into one of the psychologists office (meaning I spend a good deal of my time redirecting people looking for help – they must not realize I need it myself more than anyone) with nothing hooked up, no key to get into the room, and a door that locks automatically behind you – can certainly see myself getting locked out.

I discovered that the phone and internet were not functioning so by 8:30 a.m. I called the help desk (not really sure why they call themselves that) from my cell phone, leave a voice mail message instructing folks to call my cell and make an attempt to straighten out the office.

Not to be - as within a few minutes there’s a fire drill if you can believe it. One of the counselors asks me “who’s in charge if there’s a drill now that everyone is moved around?” Good safety question I think as I gaze at the orange tarp covering the construction zone and stacks of furniture in various squatters offices…too bad I don’t have the answer.

Shortly after we all resettle ourselves, I faintly hear above the construction noise an overhead page for me to call an extension. I wander over to the admin office to use the phone and say “why did you page me, I don’t have a working phone?” and the reception staff says “yes I heard your voice mail message saying to call your cell that’s why I paged you” So I again repeat, “I don’t have a phone, why would you page me, how am I going to call you?” So she says “I wanted you to call this extension, oh, that’s right you can’t call can you? Oh well, there’s a man here who wants to talk to you shall I send him up, and where are you by the way?” Oh sure, why not!

One of the maintenance staff appears to advise me that a request for the phone service has to be faxed to Aliant (which he has done) but it may ‘take a while’ to get the technician here. When I question the measurement of ‘a while’ he finally concedes days not hours. Sigh. In order to lift my mood he says “I see that the IS tech is here somewhere as the door to their office is open, I’ll see if I can locate them for you” and disappears. So I eat lunch at my desk, which I had promised myself on vacation, I was NOT going to do and make plans for salvaging the rest of the day. At one point one of the staff calls me on my cell phone to come over (it’s a few metres really) due to the no phone and not knowing where I am.

By 1 p.m. when no one returns, I take it upon myself to go on a search mission and find a technician who I have never seen staring at me so I say “are you here to fix my internet?” and she looks blankly at me and then asks my name and says “oh I thought someone would’ve answered that ticket by now” Now who she thought that would be, I’m not clear on but I convince her to come check things out. She moves the cord from one jack to another (I told the maintenance guy not to give up his day job) giving me access and then starts questioning each and every file I have on the computer because she’s going to set up the new system I am on the list for. First she has to get the old system functioning (it’s acting like it’s dying) and this requires my logging on and off repeatedly and then I have to review the files with her and she will transfer “if it works”.

In the confusion I print a list of patient names and when I go looking for the printer, I discover that it has disappeared and several piles of boxes fill the space. I stand in a panic trying to think where this confidential information might have traveled. When I try to find where the data printed the tech suggests in a rather condescending tone as if speaking to a mentally challenged adult “it would print to the printer you usually use” so I point to the empty space and say “and just where is that now?” She has no anaswer so suggests - downstairs (nope) admin (nope) and finally I think of the Mental Health group (other side of the building) and yup – there it is. When I ask her to change my printer settings she does but adds a feature where I have to type in a five digit password for each document I now print because “the other way wasn’t allowed” as obviously one of the other techs is into making life easier not more difficult for staff. How dare they?

By 4:05 p.m. my new computer is set up and ready to go and so am I. I head out to pick up a map of town, mail it to the sociology student needing it for a project, go to the bank and spend 45 min. closing out the rest of our accounts there, fill up with very expensive gas and head along home. I find the man of the house has again been playing lumberjack with thankfully no further damage – pretty expensive firewood he’s giving away I’m thinking. A quick dog walk in the less than tropical breeze and then daughter #1 arrives for supper. We fill her in on all the Cuban friends and review the photos.

Although it’s past his bedtime the shore captain had been tasked with a letter to the Minister of Fisheries and insists on dictating it over my shoulder. No matter that I try to focus his approach by asking him to rough out some points he refuses to be swayed and I am forced to be the grammar police, typist, and creative consultant. Bedtime becomes the next day after I hit send.

As I type the electrician has just left – second time today, first time was 7:15 a.m. after I had a major meltdown due to NO HEAT! On Sunday after all the electrical damage I asked the man of the house if the switches for the heating system had been fried “oh no, everything was just fine” Now on Monday evening when I commented on the coolness of the house – nothing, just turn on the propane fireplace. On Tuesday when I put on a sweater – nothing, actually he did feel the pipes when I mentioned that the thermostat read 67 F. So this morning when it read 64 F, the floor was cold and I had to take a shower before work as I said….I lost it! Shortly the brother-in-law electrician appeared, as I got ready for work because he was summoned after my spousal lecture about not listening to the little woman. However….a part was needed which wouldn’t arrive until the afternoon so it was a bit on the coolish side when arriving from work.

There is no wall oven in stock at the appliance store and parts, which will cost almost as much ($500+) as a replacement ($900) will not arrive until next week at the earliest so we will be on a stove top / slow cooker meal plan for a while longer.

As well, today at work was a continuation of yesterday’s dysfunction with no phone, computer working but 200+ emails to deal with, and many issues, which have been awaiting my return. A long dental appointment where I had my permanent bridge installed after having the temporary one removed with extreme difficulty and gave them $1000 extra which our dental plan doesn’t cover completed the picture. This necessitated a soft diet for lunch and several doses of Tylenol to get through the afternoon.

After warming up in the sauna which mercifully was spared and turning on the fireplace I’m finally warm. Needless to say the interest in watching the lunar eclipse, which is just beginning, is starting to fade, as am I.