So my local burrito place, anticipating bad storm business, is doing a thing where if you buy a burrito today through Tuesday, you get a free one Wednesday or Thursday. My house is full of food, but I don't know if I can resist!

I got an AC power converter for my car's cigarette lighter, so if the power goes out and there's flooding, I can still run the sump pump and save my basement.

By 'flooding' I mostly mean ground water. We're on a pretty good-size hill, so I don't have to worry about NO-style flooding. It was a foot-worth of ground water flooding that killed my furnace, so I'm prepared, I think.

Note to self: test sump pump for workingness today....

Urgh. Why I get so stressed out sometimes:

Client request:

A. Explain how the Service Provider will execute the in-scope planning and scheduling processes (e.g., Strategy, Business Tactics, Operational Standards, and Design & Solution Development). Service Provider’s response should address the following issues:
B. A description of the scheduling process Service Provider will use at Client (e.g. daily, weekly, multi-week look ahead, etc.).
C. A description of what Service Provider will utilize to allocate resources.
D. Identify the individuals who perform and approve the work. Who is responsible for implementing process improvements? Where does key expert knowledge reside?
E. How will Service Provider motivate their employees to meet the objectives of this contract?
F. How will Service Provider ensure introduction and evaluation of new technology, evidence-based design research, best management practices or innovations?
G. How scalable is the Service Providers service delivery model, describe how Service Provider will react to additional scope, increases and decreases in site infrastructure and site population.
H. Describe how Service Provider will assign priorities to work requests and the expected response time for each priority level of work request.
I. How do you manage adjustments to the production schedule that impact your responsibilities?
J. How work schedules are communicated with the work force.
K. Use of enabling technology: Service Provider may attach sample screenshots of the tools to be used.

Please limit your response to 2 pages

So, to be accurate, I worked from 12:00AM until 9:38AM. We had one more error left. I told them it was a) or b) and they shouldn't have to ask for special permission to fix either one, and the specialist I'd got on the phone could prove or eliminate one, and I had to leave and I was very sorry (the last part was a lie).

Spookily the cab arrived before I could put the phone away, so I've been sitting at the hospital for just over an hour, and a doctor just came to see me. I expect I'll just get one dose, and I won't argue unless they refuse to admit me (the nurse at triage even asked if that was my plan).

If asked, basically, I will explain that I understand that there doesn't seem to be anyone here on my side, trying to get me to work 5 days a week, but I am going to try and keep looking for that person right here and now in the hospital, because going home in this much pain is giving up on next week before it even starts.

Oh, ita, I can't believe this is so hard.

Good luck.

Ugh, ita. I'm glad you were able to get out of there, but I wish you were headed to something likely to be more effective for you. It's mind boggling that you have to go through all this.

Good luck, ita.

Please limit your response to 2 pages

I'm in the middle of a proposal that can only be 20 pages, double spaced. We'll probably send 60 pages of appendices.

I'm in the middle of a proposal that can only be 20 pages, double spaced. We'll probably send 60 pages of appendices.

The company I used to work for once put in for a project where the RFP said "no more than 25 pages". So we complied with that, and it was incredibly difficult, and the proposal was pared down to the bare bones.

None of the other companies complied with the rule, and we didn't get the job, because all the other firms used appendices, and our proposal looked like we hadn't taken it seriously. ::facepalm::

None of the other companies complied with the rule, and we didn't get the job, because all the other firms used appendices, and our proposal looked like we hadn't taken it seriously. ::facepalm::

Oh FFS.

Generally, I like having space limitations because it helps me keep people focused and gives me a way to fight back against the pages and pages of BS that some folks want to include. But there has to be some level of reasonableness - when they ask a complex question and give you 500 characters, it's just pointless.

(This post would not fit within that limit, for example.)

None of the other companies complied with the rule, and we didn't get the job, because all the other firms used appendices, and our proposal looked like we hadn't taken it seriously. ::facepalm::

Uggggh.

But there has to be some level of reasonableness - when they ask a complex question and give you 500 characters, it's just pointless.

Oh yeah, that's a favorite of mine, too.