:: Venting Insanity ::

:: Friday, August 08, 2003 ::

moving on
Well, now that I've pretty much recovered the old stuff from last year, I've moved on to the next stage. I won't have as much downtime, but it's going to be tedious and mind-numbing.

Yay...

It's also the longest part of the project. However, I found a neat step I can include in this part that will make the next part a lot easier. Bill showed me a serial number export feature the other day. Now I have a bunch of serial numbers already that I can dump into Act. That'll cut down immensely on my work during the next part.

phone stuff
Dad and I got my phone working yesterday. He plugged my line into the one Freddie's line used to be plugged into. I got a call for him today, but he wasn't in, so I passed it to Billy.

new methods
Today, we found another way to dig up old serial numbers and customers. I still think I need to give Bill something to do. He's making me nuts. Of course, finding ways to recover old data is something for him to do, but I'm already past the exporting phase with some of the models. Granted, I can go back and repeat the phases as many times as needed, but I'd like to get as much done in each phase as possible before moving on to the next one.

We found another 568 transactions today that we can pull data from.

Oi...

oops!
Estelle called just before I got home. Mom said she had forgotten she and Johnny had plans to see his parents tonight when she and I made plans the other night. Oh well... this gives me the chance to sleep a bit. I've been running on very little sleep the past few days. Besides, we can always hang out tomorrow.

sunday at the races
Cathy told Mom that a friend of Nick's is racing out at Riverhead this Sunday. I've never been to a race at Riverhead, but I'm not sure if I want to go. We'll see.

snapple "real fact" #140
Holland is the only country with a national dog.

:: Thursday, August 07, 2003 ::

sigh
Well, I got a lot done today, but then I found that the old stuff had been screwed up somehow... so I was totally screwed over. Now, I have to re-export all the stuff I did last year.

I really have bad luck.

another surprise visitor
Hector was in today. I was a bit surprised. Like Fitz, he's technically laid off, too. Bill's probably paying them both off the books or something for a week of work here or a week of work there. Heck, the company needs the help, they just can't afford to hire full timers. So, when former employees have some time off, they come in and do some work off the books so we can get the repairs that need to be done out there.

It sucks, but it's the only way right now until we start making sales.

new units
We have two new units in testing phases. Of course, the 'older' new unit's been in testing since before I started over there the first time. The second one has come up within the past year, and Bill thinks it's going to do well. For their sake, I hope so. Now, if they could build their reputation for service back up, then we might get somewhere with those new units.

another snapple repeat
I got the Statue of Liberty fact again today...

:: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 ::

health info portal meeting
Well, I decided to have Dad drop me off at the diner. We had dinner, since we got there early, and Rob drove me home after the meeting. I wasn't sure if the communication between us happened today, since he hadn't called and we were sending e-mails back and forth, but it worked and everything was set by the time we were all standing around at the diner.

now we're cookin' with gas
We got a lot done tonight. Explainations were made, people talked, we worked things out, a set of preliminary files was distributed. This site is really starting to take shape. We're also really starting to get down to the nitty gritty on which direction things are going to go and who's going to be doing what. The lines are being drawn in the sand. While they're crossable and shiftable, they're there and helping us to see what the main thing we should be concentrating on is.

medallion ad
Just saw another of the millions of Yahoo! ads that show the new Jackie Chan movie. Must... go... see... @.@;

database blues
I wish the AccPac Plus wouldn't take so long to create reports at work. I have an awful lot of downtime right now because I'm always waiting for the thing to finish what I ask it to do. It's crazy. Each report takes forever to create. O.O;;

other work issues
Of course, this morning was the conference call to Gene. It was nice. Most everyone was in there. The workforce is smaller than what it used to be, but everyone who was important was in there (Pat never shows up for work anyway... so he wasn't missed). My dad wasn't, but he was with customers and gave Gene a call later in the day.

What surprised me was the person who was there. Fitz was in today and will be for the rest of the week. He's got another job that he's starting up soon anyway, especially since he's technically laid off from EES, but, because he's between jobs and needs money as well as something to do, he agreed to come in and help with repairs.

Fitz is also an automechanic on the side. I hope it's doing well for him. He's got a sick kid. But, he's a good mechanic, from what I've seen. He could do well with it if he really wanted to. He does body work and mechanical (engine) work.

frustated design ideas stuck in the middle of nowhere
It's maddening how tedious and slow this is. I want to be working on my website. I have an idea for my next layout, too. At least, for the main part of the site. I still have to come up with designs for the rest of it.

I'm going to use the ranks from my forum for Olympus. I really like how they came out. They're small, but cute. Plus, with the size of the manifest, I don't want huge ranks anymore. The spinning pips are getting old now.

overactive overseer
I need to find something related to this database transfer to give Bill that he can do. He keeps hovering too much. But, it's got to be something that won't require a time limit. Otherwise, I'll be stuck waiting for it. That's just been my luck lately.

The thing is, he's a busybody. He keeps coming back and coming back to see how things are going. I think he wants to be involved, but doesn't know what to do. A lot of it is over his head, and he admits it by waving off long technical explainations with a "right right right". I'm trying to think on what I can give him to keep him out of my hair for at least a few days.

phone troubles
The phone at my desk doesn't work. I think it's the line. I recognized it from the other desk I had been at last time I was here (ext "46" is written on it), but now it doesn't work, as opposed to it working last time. I think Dad looked in on it in the wiring closet, but I never got back a definite word. Dean probably pulled him away for something or other. Dean does that to Dad a lot. Of course, the fact that he was looking in on it for me, when it's not overly important I make phone calls, shows that he was probably really bored earlier today... LOL.

boredom is a common disorder
Of course, I was majorly bored today, too, waiting for all those reports to generate. I just wish I didn't have to watch my back as to who might be glancing over my shoulder at the computer screen. Then I could have plenty of opportunities in all my downtime to play around a bit with my RPGs and stuff. That would free up home online time to do my website and other things I need to get done there that I can't do anywhere else but on my computer.

There's also the option of taking the liberty of working on their site a bit. I've linked to the site enough times here that I'm sure most of you are familiar with what it looks like by now. While I'm not a graphic designer, and usually prefer function over form (it's the programmer in me), this site was blaringly done by a programmer. It works great, but it's just butt ugly.

secret stash
Dad and I stashed some more sodas in the storeroom fridge today. If we put them in the break room fridge, they'll disappear. There's some items for the units that we keep on storage that need to be refridgerated, so there's two of them in the storeroom. Since the "general public" of the company doesn't go back there, the sodas don't disappear from those fridges quite as quickly.

reflections on working
I have noticed a big difference in my work ethic this time around. I guess because I don't have to deal with the phones. My father and I made it clear in no uncertain terms that I'm not there to be the fill in receptionist. I'm there to do the data transfer. Which means no phones. No making excuses to the caller as to why the person their calling won't talk to them. I'm very relieved by that fact. With all the lying I did last year for that place, I'm surprised I wasn't hit by lightening... O.O;;

snapple "real fact" #133
Honeybees navigate by using the sun as a compass.

:: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 ::

let the rat race begin
I go from being talked down to like I'm dumb to having everyone talking at once about twenty different methods because they're all too stubborn to think about any other way. On top of that, Bill has this thing where he has to be overly involved in everything.

Last time, I had Bill telling me one thing and Billy telling me something completely different. Then, they would go at each other for about two hours or so about how they supposedly had it worked out ahead of time on how they would do it...

Riiiiight...

i don't belong
And, because I was gone for a while after basically feeling useless for a few months, I keep getting the feeling like Lori and Patty aren't thrilled with my return. Not that I ever really got the feeling they liked me anyway. Of course, by the end of the day, Lori was all cool with me being there and chatting away like crazy.

Go fig.

what's my motivation?
Of course, it's not being there was completely my choice. I need the money, so I'm semi-motivated to go back. If the last thing hadn't fallen through, I certainly wouldn't be back there. I love my dad, so it's not that, but I hate going in there. It's the company and the whole situation that place is in.

the rut dad's in
I wish there was a way I could convince him to get out of there. But he's convinced he's not going to find anything better. Granted, most places he goes aren't going to pay quite as much because he doesn't have a degree. Still, his 30-some-odd years of experience and company loyalty has to show for something. And, if he's willing to go for night classes and other training, he could work his way up to more.

I really think my dad is getting the shaft here. He's very good at what he does and has an extremely strong work ethic. He's laid back and doesn't argue a lot. He gets along with almost anyone. He's an excellent team player. He could advance and get raises quickly if he was willing to take the intial risk of leaving.

I'd also rather he did it on his own terms instead of when this POS company finally flounders its last splash before sinking to the bottom. If he waits until then, it'll be too late, and there will be a lot more pressure on him. The last thing he needs is more pressure.

bad news
I also found out that Gene in inventory has lung cancer. He's going in for surgery tomorrow during the day. They're doing a conference call in the morning to his room to cheer him up a bit before he goes in. I just hope he comes back from it. My grandfather got a few more years, but it hit him hard the second time, and he didn't pull through.

tiredness
Nothing in the mail yet as far as license or debit card. I'm getting antsy. I also haven't been mailed my wallet back, yet. {{sigh}} I'm going to call the Lost and Found again tomorrow and see if they got anything in. {{crosses fingers}}

I know it's pointless since we blocked all the cards and stuff, but I really liked that wallet. I kinda want it back, you know? Also, there's the whole closure thing. I mean, it's not like it got ripped or something and I had to throw it out. I'd like to know where it ended up. Of course, a Coach leather wallet isn't exactly cheap. It might never come back.

And, while I don't speak with the person who gave it to me anymore (one of my ex-boyfriends' mother), I still liked the wallet. I've been using it since I graduated high school, for crying out loud. She gave it to me for graduation!

plans for the weekend
Estelle called while I was out today. I called her back and we're going to try to hang out Friday. I hope I'm not too tired. I'm exhausted as it is while I'm writing this. I still want to hang out, though. I just have no way to get cash unless I go to the branch at Broadway Mall near work. ^^;; At least, not for 5-10 business days after last Friday. {{dies}}

plans for tomorrow
Then there's the meeting tomorrow for the health portal web site. I'm going to be late as it is, since I have to get my car before heading back to Farmingdale. Talk about a crazy trip. I'm not going to be able to hang about at home before heading right back out to the meeting. And I asked Bill how many days he wanted me in. He said he'd like me in "...like everyday for the next 2 or 3 weeks..." Which means I should go in tomorrow. Getting out of there by 5, home, and then back to Farmingdale by 6:30 ain't happening. I told Rob not to wait and that I'd be late to the meeting.

There's always the other option. Rob e-mailed me back saying he could take me home after the meeting if Dad wanted to drop me at the diner. He said he's heading out to Manorville afterwards, which is past me from Farmingdale. I'll have to debate that one. He said he'd call me in the morning, and I have an alternate e-mail to catch him at. I have some time to decide.

snapple "real fact" #179
The first lighthouse to use electricity was the Statue of Liberty in 1886.

:: Monday, August 04, 2003 ::

tomorrow
Well, tomorrow I go back to EES. Wish me luck... {{sigh}} At least it's money in the bank. The thing is, it's been so long since I've done anything on the project I had been working on there, I'll probably have to start from scratch again. I'm going to try to look into alternate ways of doing what they want. I'm sure there's a way to integrate opening Word, Outlook, and Excel documents through a Visual Basic program since I'm able to open Access documents. I just have to research it.

Any ideas on that would be welcome... {{hint hint}}

address list finalized
Mom brought my party address list to Donna today. It's all set for the 23^rd now. I hope people can come.

:: Sunday, August 03, 2003 ::

You are ice. You have a cold exterior but a warm
heart.


What element is your soul?
brought to you by Quizilla

-----


You represent... apathy.
You don't really show any emotion. You can be
considered cruel and cold, but you just don't
really care about anything. This is just the
way you are... you're quite a challenge to get
close to, and others may perceive you as
boring.


What feeling do you represent?
brought to you by Quizilla

-----


You are Commodore Norrington. Try as I might,
there just isn't anything much to say about
you. Except for how you flare your nostrils a
lot and lost your finance to a blacksmith.
*giggle* Work, work, work all the time will
definitely put a damper on your romantic
options, dear fellow...


Which "Pirates of the Caribbean" Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Don't know if that's a good thing. I've GOT to see this movie...

-----


Which Trigun Character are You like?
Takes other quizzes at Newsies Meets Anime...Anime Meets Newsies...

Again, don't know if that's a good thing or not...

new day
Well, I rescheduled my Home & Garden Party. There was no way it was going to happen this coming Saturday. So, I changed it to the 23^rd.

oops
I also sort of missed my appointment today with Linouse. I don't know. I don't have any extra cash to invest right now. {{shrug}} It's not like it would have been a fruitful meeting for either of us.

here we go again
And now it's back to the job search... again... {{sigh}}