There’s no place like HOME

I arrived home safe in the wee hours of Saturday morning.  My connecting departing flight back to home, was delayed not once but twice.  Then it took forever to get off the ground!  I got in a little after 10pm.  Then an hour ride on mass transit to get to my partner, 11am.  Then we stopped so he could get something to eat 12:30am.  Then we finally arrived home at 1am.  I was never so glad to see home in all my life. 

I walked through O’Hare and my home airport like I was running a race.  I was ready to push anyone and everyone out of my way.  I just wanted to get home.  My feet were tired, I was frustrated and just wanted to relax. 

The long and short of it, Monday wasn’t a waste after all.  The maintenance guy I worked with knew his stuff and he took care of the cabling.  I helped a little but he did all of the work.  Tuesday, I spent terminating and testing cables as well as driving all over to get network ends.  The ones I bought were junk.  Then I got to programming and had half of the place all set.  Things were working perfectly.  I kept hearing this alarm but figured it was normal.  Turns out the damn wireless interferes with their patient alarm system, in case anyone should wonder away.  I didn’t know that until I got back on Thursday.

I spent Wednesday driving and got the other place all set.  Then Thursday was mostly driving back.  I got to the original site and they never expected me back, despite the fact I told them multiple times I will be here on Thursday and Friday.

So when I got back, I started programming and getting access points hung up.  I put in the remaining 6.  That’s when we discovered the alarm thing and also the whole thing stopped working.  I was there until 10:30 pm trying to figure it out and make changes.  Finally I said enough.  So I left and had a late supper at Taco Bell – drive thru.  I ate in the car, which was okay.  I was really attacking my food though, it was like watching a cave man eat.

So Friday I went back and stayed much later than I wanted to.  We (me and the maintenance guy) tinkered with the damn wireless all day long and actually got the whole system working for about 15 minutes and then it just stopped.  Stone cold dead.  The system works, it’s the internet that didn’t work.  They need the internet in order to be able to get to the on-line service we use for patient care.  So that left me very frustrated.  I spent most of the day on my feet, which explains why they are killing me – I simply over did it. 

Initially I was worried that I wouldn’t have a job if the system didn’t work.  However, then I remembered I was told I can always go back.  Programming shouldn’t take too long once we figure everything out.  The hard part is figuring it out.  That could easily be two days.  I will try to do what I can ahead of time before I go back but this is the reason why you have a site survey done – so you know what the fuck is in the air and how well your signal will propagate.  Not to mention if it will interfere with anything, like the door alarm.  Cheap ass sum bitch I work for if he would spend money on the right stuff it would sure make my life easier. 

Luckily the maintenance guy married a really smart woman, who has a team of people that work for her, she is in IT.  So they are going to unofficially get involved as well as his son who is also in IT.  It’s nice to know you have resources.  Plus I have tech support from the manufacture when I can get it as well as the help of our local IT Firm.  Between all of us I think we should be able to figure this one out.  What Lessons I learn from this install can be taken and transferred to the next fresh install.  I think I will need much more time than I had originally planned. 

I was all happy on Tuesday thinking it will be great to tell my boss were done.  However, I am so glad I didn’t gloat too early in the game, otherwise I would have had to eat my words and that would make me look bad. 

I had some good food.  I stopped at Applebee’s and had a couple Mud Slides which were awesome.  I wanted to go swimming on this trip but never had time.  I had a whirlpool in my room on Wednesday night but when I went to use it, I found out quickly it didn’t work.  So the most water action I saw was in the shower.  Love hotel showers, tons of water pressure so you know the soap came off.  Plus it feels good on your skin and wakes you up quickly!

Had some really great breakfasts as well.  Love the vat of Oatmeal and all of the toppings they had on the side to spice it up.  The only thing I didn’t get enough of was down time and relaxation.  Everything worked out and here I am ready to go back to the salt mines tomorrow.  My office was already filled with equipment to configure.  I know we got more and there is even more on the way.  Damn!  How do you spell busy?

So on my trip I was caught off guard by an old classmate.  We went to Jr. High and High School together.  He wasn’t anything special to look at, but we did mess around a little.  He is totally straight, or so I believe.  I remember when he found his dad’s magazine collection.  He started renting them out and pretty soon was selling them.  Once his dad found out what he was up to, the poor kid got a beating with a baseball bat.  Nothing broken, but he learned his lesson.  Anyway, he wants to get together.  This is out of the blue.  My gut says avoid him, like he is going to harm or kill me.  He managed to talk me in to having lunch.  We are waiting to setup a day but this will be done in a public place that has lots of people around.  Probably next weekend is what it looks like, but time will tell.  He told me that he has been married 3 times and is divorced.  His last wife just died.  I told him that I was in IT, and he was really surprised.  He works at a gas station.  My partner wanted to see what he looked like and his response was he is not exactly a winner.

I’ve been so busy cleaning this place up and doing laundry.  As usual when I came home the place smelled like a fish market.  All because someone didn’t take out the trash.  I fixed that really quickly.  I have made great strides but the real work won’t be done until I get my new carpet cleaner.  That is a little bit away but I can wait to get to scrubbing.  7 furry animals do make carpet look quite messy.

Oh joy my glasses broke on this trip.  I got a repair kit but never had time to repair them.  I got them fixed yesterday by taking them back to the place I got them from.  Turns out I lost the screw.  Thankfully there was no charge.  I also picked up some handy lens cleaning wipes that are safe for all types of glasses.  Of course they work really well but the only way I can get more is to go back and travel again.  I’m sure with a little searching I can find them on-line, the question is what will it cost me and is it worth it?  Since I struggle with cleaning my glasses, yes it is worth it.  Those damn micro fiber cloths get dirty fast and the spray cleaner always streaks or fogs up one lens.  My glasses never seem to turn out as clean as I want them to.  I am totally about perfection so take that and difficult to clean glasses.  I am always cussing at the damn things!

Well, got to go.  Hope you are all well and cool.  I will talk with you peeps later.  Be well.