Update from Ken - October 2, 2004
(Deep exhale)... For the moment, my rechargeable gadgets have become analgous to my existance...
I recently purchased a Palm Tungsten T3 - I depend on my PDA greatly to stay on top of things, I have for years - the T3 is great, but like my iPod it has a rechargeable battery - and therefore runs out of energy at times when I need it most...
Okay, rare admission for this bulletin board, since I don't want to bring much work stuff into the environment: In addition to being Director of Academic Computing at The University of the Arts, in the past 2 weeks I've been given interim "oversight" of the Network Services Division as well... there's faith in my abilities to manage technical staff & administrative hierarchies, deal with end-user customer service and ask weird questions that make people go "oh, yeah, that might work, I hadn't thought of that... - But 2 Directorships at once! Of course I'm simultaneously: flattered, freaked-the-*f--k*-out, and feel like a column of water that has fallen to the ground and is spreading in all directions to find the low and common ground (is that a convincing visual? - otherwise I can alway refer to Holden Caufield standing at the cliff).
Anyway, back to the analogies - I need more battery life! And I need 30 hours in a day, not that damn 24 - WHO CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER? (Oh, yeah, God, that's right...) And more data storage space in my brain! I need more processing power to get these tasks turned around!
Well, as far as consolation goes, Nancy has been very understanding, and my boss has advised me to drink heavily - since I don't have kids, I can probably follow up on that advice more readily than many people...
(Hey! that gives me an idea for a poll!)
Anyway, that's my deal - I usually bust ass in my job, but more so from June until September - when I expect to take a breather and even get some time off - this year, just when I was looking to crash, I got a bigger assignment... am I complaining? No - just venting, actually. I really care about where I work - I believe in the institution, the people I support, my colleagues, the students - I think the world would actually be worse off if UArts didn't exist - not for my own gain, but because creative people, who think outside of the mainsteam, are needed - and we educate them, train them to be articulate, express their discontent and propose their view of how things should work... HEY! we're training them to be PUNK ROCKERS!!!!!
Too bad that's "anachronistic" these days - I need to figure out the current semantic term that avoids being "slacker" but promotes being "activist" without sounding like "comfortable old-head".
Suggestions? Post 'em in the General chat forums...
By the way - where are you guys these days? This board is dead lately! The majority off you people (exclusively invited none-the less) are either ex-Punk Rockers or conservative Republicans... (who need middle ground?) Doesn't any anybody have anything to say? You all know me - be polite, but say what you want to say - be respectful, but have discourse... I'd love to see that here, if you're all up to it - do so, and you'll make friends for life here... not to brag, but I know GOOD PEOPLE: you guys! I'd love to get everybody talking and bring you together.
This board is the "happy hour" party I could never host in real life - I respect you all - and have always thought "I would love for "so-and-so" to talk with "so-and-so" "...
And as an aside, in following my bosses' advice, and keeping with the happy hour metaphor, if you are out of olives, capers will do just fine in a Martini.
I recently purchased a Palm Tungsten T3 - I depend on my PDA greatly to stay on top of things, I have for years - the T3 is great, but like my iPod it has a rechargeable battery - and therefore runs out of energy at times when I need it most...
Okay, rare admission for this bulletin board, since I don't want to bring much work stuff into the environment: In addition to being Director of Academic Computing at The University of the Arts, in the past 2 weeks I've been given interim "oversight" of the Network Services Division as well... there's faith in my abilities to manage technical staff & administrative hierarchies, deal with end-user customer service and ask weird questions that make people go "oh, yeah, that might work, I hadn't thought of that... - But 2 Directorships at once! Of course I'm simultaneously: flattered, freaked-the-*f--k*-out, and feel like a column of water that has fallen to the ground and is spreading in all directions to find the low and common ground (is that a convincing visual? - otherwise I can alway refer to Holden Caufield standing at the cliff).
Anyway, back to the analogies - I need more battery life! And I need 30 hours in a day, not that damn 24 - WHO CAME UP WITH THAT NUMBER? (Oh, yeah, God, that's right...) And more data storage space in my brain! I need more processing power to get these tasks turned around!
Well, as far as consolation goes, Nancy has been very understanding, and my boss has advised me to drink heavily - since I don't have kids, I can probably follow up on that advice more readily than many people...
(Hey! that gives me an idea for a poll!)
Anyway, that's my deal - I usually bust ass in my job, but more so from June until September - when I expect to take a breather and even get some time off - this year, just when I was looking to crash, I got a bigger assignment... am I complaining? No - just venting, actually. I really care about where I work - I believe in the institution, the people I support, my colleagues, the students - I think the world would actually be worse off if UArts didn't exist - not for my own gain, but because creative people, who think outside of the mainsteam, are needed - and we educate them, train them to be articulate, express their discontent and propose their view of how things should work... HEY! we're training them to be PUNK ROCKERS!!!!!
Too bad that's "anachronistic" these days - I need to figure out the current semantic term that avoids being "slacker" but promotes being "activist" without sounding like "comfortable old-head".
Suggestions? Post 'em in the General chat forums...
By the way - where are you guys these days? This board is dead lately! The majority off you people (exclusively invited none-the less) are either ex-Punk Rockers or conservative Republicans... (who need middle ground?) Doesn't any anybody have anything to say? You all know me - be polite, but say what you want to say - be respectful, but have discourse... I'd love to see that here, if you're all up to it - do so, and you'll make friends for life here... not to brag, but I know GOOD PEOPLE: you guys! I'd love to get everybody talking and bring you together.
This board is the "happy hour" party I could never host in real life - I respect you all - and have always thought "I would love for "so-and-so" to talk with "so-and-so" "...
And as an aside, in following my bosses' advice, and keeping with the happy hour metaphor, if you are out of olives, capers will do just fine in a Martini.