We normally try to stagger the calls such that my assistant does the early call, I roll in before noon, he leaves at dinner break and I stay thru the end of tech. It just breaks down when someone gets sick.

I hear ya on the long days. I have to be available during my customer's working hours, approx 6AM-7PM, but then there is a bunch of stuff I can only do when people aren't working, so nights and weekends. It gets old.

Oh fog! We almost never get fog so when it happens I get all excited and make everyone look. They roll their eyes at me. But Fog!

LA high school shooting. No one here works in Santa Clarita, right?

Jesus.

I can't even look up the story -- everything Google-related is down for me, but this site is fine. (I think that's a sign.)

I'm at our front desk and there's a big flat screen TV across from me; it's always kept on with CNN (I think) playing ... but it went out, so I'm enjoying the quiet. I don't want to have to hear the story repeated over and over. (One person came through and mentioned it ... said "are they still doing that?")

Timelies all!

I've caught headlines about the story, but that's it.

OK- I need a quick rationality check. I am currently locked IN my apartment. The lock has been fussy since they put it in.

I am thinking I calm down and try again in a half hour. It will probably open when I am not freaking out. If it doesn't open, then I call Maria to take down the sign that I am scared to take down and call a locksmith? My landlord does not have an emergency number. I could also try emailing his daughter....

Either way I think I need to ask them to fix the lock, because it is very tricky. I thought I fixed it two days ago and it was working well, until just now.

There are also screw on the inside of the lock, so I could try opening it up that way.

I vote don't freak out! Do some kitty cuddling or whatever else will soothe you until you think you're ready to try again, then call Maria to get hold of a locksmith if it doesn't work.

Yeah, that sounds right. Take some time, try again, then call Maria.

Ok, good. This seems like a plan. Also WTF!!!! This is a ridiculous thing to happen. Especially since my morning started with an elderly woman slipping and falling on the ice at the bus stop. She was OK, and the third lady at the bus stop was strong enough to bodily lift this woman up and pop her back on her feet, but still! And I had a sort of rage tantrum at work at IT, because there is this super sarcastic guy, who anytime I ask for help just says "We have a ticket system, put in a ticket" and I was already in panic mode about solving someone else's (non IT problem), got stopped by someone having an IT problem, and popped my head in where they were waiting for a meeting to start and asked if someone could help me. Dude, I was literally just asking you to take one burden off me, so I could solve person one's urgent problem while you solved person two's urgent problem. I don't have time to email to your ticket system! So I literally just walked out of the room without saying anything, in a huff. Which is super unprofessional. But this guy was promoted out of the lead of customer service into the lead of programmers for a reason, because he literally could not tell I was on the edge of tears to begin with and just needed help. The head of customer service (who he interuppted to say this, put in an urgent ticket for me, and we had help almost immediately!). But I want to punch this man in the face on the regular. Yesterday he would not believe me that I didn't have the name of a new TA wrong, because he couldn't find it in the system, and put a totally incorrect person in the course. Which I just went in and corrected myself, because I have the power, but they don't want me doing IT stuff. Aargh!