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Blazinghand
United States25550 Posts
Run
I took an early train in to work today. With the new phone system set up, we needed someone to come in and test that our phones actually redirected properly before normal work hours. Although that task on its own could be done by one of our customer support people, the actual troubleshooting, diagnosis, and resolution of any bugs would have to be handled by someone with more technical expertise. In our small firm, I wear many hats, and sometimes one of those hats is "show up an hour before everyone else and make sure the redirect is working."
Previously, we didn't offer customer support before 9 am. Since we're on the west coast of the United States and we have many customers on the east coast, we decided to extend our service hours. Before 9 am, calls to our support line redirect to the cell phone of whichever support person is on rotation for that morning. The CSAs will take turns waking up early.
I step off the train and begin the half-mile walk to work. A half mile sounds long, but if you walk briskly it's not too bad. I'm browsing the web on my phone, and figure it wouldn't be a bad idea to do a test call now before I actually arrive. If everything is working well, it should redirect to Alex's phone (he's our Wednesday guy). If not, it will go to voicemail, and I'll know the redirect is having issues. I dial the number.
Immediately, I'm greeted by a busy signal.
We shouldn't have a busy signal. I place another call to rule out the possibility it was a momentary problem. Then, I call my home phone to make sure that my own cell phone isn't the problem. Yep, right now nobody can call in to my company to reach our sales and customer support people.
I walk for another 15 seconds or so. Then, it sinks in that our phone network is completely down.
I start running.
I'm not a terribly fit guy, not dressed for running, and am carrying a heavy bookbag with a laptop and various electronics. Running a quarter mile would have taken me just over a minute-- in high school, on a track, wearing spikes and running clothing. This time, it seems to take forever, and I'm out of breath, and my stupid bookbag is bouncing against my side and I need to hold it down with my hand, and my nice but not-great-for-atheltics shoes really need better grip. It really sucks. I keep on running, though.
Sometimes you have to run.
 
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Back in my day we used to ride horses to work!
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On January 31 2014 03:44 Pandain wrote:
Back in my day we used to ride horses to work!
Back then, riding horses itself was a decent job to raise a family. Oh well...
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Back in my day we used to ride a triceratops to work!
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Why didn't your phone melt in your hands when you tried to use it?
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Melbourne5338 Posts
On January 31 2014 05:32 Corazon wrote:
Why didn't your phone melt in your hands when you tried to use it?
Its only one, and its the other one
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hijole hijole hijole hijole hijole hijole
hijolehijolehijolehijolehijolehijolehijole
HIJOLE
Speed
Sometimes you must risk a ticket.
It is 10PM. My company is based in the desert and managed by my Father- however, owned by others. There is a 70-100 acre Composting operation on site. My job? Check temperatures to prevent spontaneous combustion resulting in smoke, resulting in hefty SCAQMD fines. California is one of the more harsh states with regard to smoke offenses. I have the night shift.
When last I checked, the highest temperature was 140F. Granted, that was at 4AM, right before I turned in, but the daytime report was unchanged. (this is suspicious btw).
I fuel up my truck, grab two 64oz Gatorade and 2 five hour energy supplements. I am at the exit before the junction of the freeway that runs along a view of the company property and must be used to swing far south enough to make the bridge crossing to access (all american canal is in the way)
Cruising at a comfortable and relatively fuel efficient 65 MPH (blast that massive v8), I look casually up and to my left, stargazing is usually better away from town and there is no one on the freeway. Seeing what I can see from here, it was a full moon a couple nights ago so visibility should be...
I notice the clouds for the first time. Huh. There was no weather report for-
I don't even have time to finish the thought. there is a dull orange glow at the base of the smoke. it is visible for 10 miles. It is 300 feet long at least, in open flame. Embers extend at least a quarter mile.
The piles are surrounded by desert sand. Fire trucks carry too much equipment to not get stuck.
I was a compost supervisor; I am now a vigilante fireman who is away from his water truck.
The V8 kicks down the transmission with a throaty roar, the speedometer approaches 110. . . Thank God for that amazing motor. . .
Sometimes you need to disregard the law in order to keep it. Witnessing Arson is one of those times.
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EPT
