If there were 8 days a week, we’d be working all of them right now (queue Beetles song). This last week set the pace for the rest of my time here in lovely Liberia. The phrase “burning the candle at both ends,” comes to mind. Actually, we’re burning the candle, period. If it could be burnt on both ends and in the middle, that’s what we’d be doing. Tight deadlines with limited resources tend to push you as far as possible. Someone may end up throwing a computer out the window, but hey if it makes you feel better, throw away, my friend.
Saturday--9:30am: hail a golden chariot to the office
10:15am: in the office—after a call to the roommate, it’s concluded that I’ve lost my thumb drive with all the work I’d done the previous night in that golden chariot (way to start the day off right).
10:20am: get survey files from Tricia and begin redo of the lost work. Estimated time: 5 hours. 5 hours of which I need to do new survey work and accounting codes. I’m already loving this day.
2:00pm: Helen, Phil and Ben (BAM or Ben jammin’. Not Ben who went to the Bush) arrive.
5:00pm: Switch from survey work to accounting work with Ben jammin’. Helen’s taken to dancing around the balcony, a sure sign that work time needs to end. “I gotta get outta here.” Can’t do anymore survey work, must leave. Do we leave? No, no we do not. Tricia, Helen and I agree (reluctantly) that we need to finish this stuff tonight. We don’t want to work Sunday (ha!). 2 more hours (Fine, if there’s food). Let’s get this done.
7:00pm: Done? Yea, with half of it. Tricia writes variable names, skips and makes sure everything is perfect, Phil writes the programming code, I turn it into paper, Helen checks it for errors so she can prep for training (Bounty Hunters in the Hood to come). 4 people, 1 survey. 1 change and all 4 have to be updated. Nightmare. Sure, I’ve looked at this survey section 6 times, but it’s not perfect yet. The 7th time’s the charm, maybe. Ben jammin’ meanwhile fights with accounting errors. Maybe if you ask nicely that accounting program will download within the hour.
9:00pm: Helen’s out. Her job hinders on me being done (and I’m not). Break free while you can!
9:30pm: Ben jammin’, I think we’ve lost our weight in sweat. My eyes can’t read these column coordinates anymore and if the power keeps cutting in and out one of us may have an aneurism. "Why is October spelt 5 different ways in this accounting file!?” I can only think of three ways…
10:15pm: I've now begun laughing at random. “I’m out of here at 10.” It’s after 10, Ben jammin’. “We’re leaving.”
10:30pm: Come home to find my thumb drive on my dresser in my room. What a way to end the day.
Finished it on Sunday. Bring on Monday.
Saturday--9:30am: hail a golden chariot to the office
10:15am: in the office—after a call to the roommate, it’s concluded that I’ve lost my thumb drive with all the work I’d done the previous night in that golden chariot (way to start the day off right).
10:20am: get survey files from Tricia and begin redo of the lost work. Estimated time: 5 hours. 5 hours of which I need to do new survey work and accounting codes. I’m already loving this day.
2:00pm: Helen, Phil and Ben (BAM or Ben jammin’. Not Ben who went to the Bush) arrive.
5:00pm: Switch from survey work to accounting work with Ben jammin’. Helen’s taken to dancing around the balcony, a sure sign that work time needs to end. “I gotta get outta here.” Can’t do anymore survey work, must leave. Do we leave? No, no we do not. Tricia, Helen and I agree (reluctantly) that we need to finish this stuff tonight. We don’t want to work Sunday (ha!). 2 more hours (Fine, if there’s food). Let’s get this done.
7:00pm: Done? Yea, with half of it. Tricia writes variable names, skips and makes sure everything is perfect, Phil writes the programming code, I turn it into paper, Helen checks it for errors so she can prep for training (Bounty Hunters in the Hood to come). 4 people, 1 survey. 1 change and all 4 have to be updated. Nightmare. Sure, I’ve looked at this survey section 6 times, but it’s not perfect yet. The 7th time’s the charm, maybe. Ben jammin’ meanwhile fights with accounting errors. Maybe if you ask nicely that accounting program will download within the hour.
9:00pm: Helen’s out. Her job hinders on me being done (and I’m not). Break free while you can!
9:30pm: Ben jammin’, I think we’ve lost our weight in sweat. My eyes can’t read these column coordinates anymore and if the power keeps cutting in and out one of us may have an aneurism. "Why is October spelt 5 different ways in this accounting file!?” I can only think of three ways…
10:15pm: I've now begun laughing at random. “I’m out of here at 10.” It’s after 10, Ben jammin’. “We’re leaving.”
10:30pm: Come home to find my thumb drive on my dresser in my room. What a way to end the day.
Finished it on Sunday. Bring on Monday.
To make you feel better...
ReplyDeleteLast Monday it was raining. Took metro. Metro was stuck between tunnels for 20 minutes (why did i wake up early?). Screaming baby whole way. Tensions rising in metro. Music can't keep out screaming baby. Dad get's off and let's mom deal with it for two stops. Awkward.
Arrive at Rosslyn. Look up. Escalators are out. Elevator line is the equivalent to a Disney theme park ride line (picture Toy Story ride). I begin the ascent. People are huffing and I am shoving. After 5-10 minutes of sheer climbing I'm there! Umbrella isn't working. Run to work in the rain.
Did I mention this was a MONDAY MORNING? Fail.
Hold on tight. Veronica and I will have a package out to you soon.
That story really did make me feel better. I actually pictured you running to work in the rain after all that. I'll hold on tight. So should you!
ReplyDeleteMonday fail on two continents!