I think I just slept for four hours.

Wacky, wacky dreams. Part of 'em I was at work, but took some residents bowling. The other part, I was King David, on the run and hiding out. I'd been living in a cave by myself, when the soldiers found my cave, and searched it. I hid under piles and piles of blankets, which they only checked through part of, so they did not find me. Then I was sick and needed help, so sent a carrier pigeon to another hermit in another cave. Then I came out of the cave, was walking into town, and was spotted by some woman who had a grudge against my mother and sisters for being snooty to her, and who alerted the soldiers to my presence. I ended up taking refuge in a very modern house, going through room after room in the basement, looking for somewhere to hide. Finally hid under a pile of rolled up carpets, but just as they found me, that's when I woke up.

We get yelled at when we don't use your name!

Oh, I know that it's usually a stupid corporate policy and I don't blame the CSR. However, instead of asking for my first name, they should either default to Mr. or Ms. (since they know my last name because we've just gone through a whole thing to prove that I'm who I say I am) or they should ask "What should I call you?" instead of "what's your first name?"

Well, if you'd just tell us the full error message, or don't take 20 minutes to say, "Oh, did I say XP? I meant Vista, does that make a difference?", or admit you said "Yes" when the system asked "Are you sure you want to change that?" . . .

sure, I know that there are people like that. However, when I explain the problem clearly and the first thing that the CSR does is say "hold on", it doesn't raise the confidence level.

Sparky, just applied for another job at your U. It's with undergrads, which I had hoped to avoid, but it would be a good promotion in title.

As Vortex says, it's not calling me by my name; it's calling me by my first name.

I'm sure Connie is not one of these people, but my biggest peeve is people who obviously go through a spiel, no matter what you've told them. I usually sum up what I've done, including multiple reboots and turning the equipment on and off, yet they start with "Please turn off your computer." Also, they assume everyone is equally idiotic. One recent CSR put me through a whole series of steps, until it became clear that she wanted me to open the Control Panel, something I could have done in a third the steps. Why not say "Open the Control Panel" and only go through the steps if someone responds "Do I need a screwdriver?"

I guess it was coming. My firm's just announced that there will be layoffs in our future.

Well, that sucks, billytea. Much job~ma to you.

Sparky, just applied for another job at your U

YAY! Er, was it actually listed on the HR site? We got the memo freezing all hires last week, but I think it's safe if it is on the HR site. Otherwise, we're all waiting for more direction from above as to what this means to our individual schools/departments. Not to try and quash your ambition, or anything, but we're looking at not getting a librarian replacement and having to cut 5% of this year's budget.

Good luck, bt!

(Note to Perkins: No one should be that hawt when standing next to dusty reporters in the law library. And it makes my students look even worse.)

Okay, I'm going home now. I should grade... but I doubt it. Bye!

Erin is me.

Dear LUSH products:

An e-mail headed "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY LUSH" makes me wonder whether someone is judging my drinking habits and, if he is, how does he know when I started drinking?

I hope you are spared both from a layoff and from having to work twice as hard to make up for the people laid off, BT.

The problem with having dinner with the boss is, you have conversations that you aren't allowed to share with folks. And of course, me being the nosy one, who can see the writing on the wall, ASKS questions, that he then answers with the caveat "you can't tell anyone, but...".

:: head-desk ::