Another reason why Outsourcing sucks

I recently purchased a brand new, shiny HP LaserJet 4300dtnsl for our Legal Aid Line at work, complete with a stapler, stacker, and envelope feeder. To me, It's not so much to ask that if I select 'envelope' as my paper type, it should automatically pull an envelope from the envelope feeder. I can print to the envelope feeder just fine, if I select it as my source. However, I would like to up the anti and automatically link the envelope paper type to the envelope feeder.

So I get on HP's little chat deal on the website, fill out a little questionaire, and am automatically assigned to Manjesh Narayanswamy. Manjesh has wasted about 2 hours of my time today going over stupid troubleshooting things that don't even apply to my problem. Manjesh also has a problem speaking English, so at least I've been able to keep myself amused throughout this process. Don't get me wrong, this isn't about race. I could be talking to white guy Nikolai from Russia who has the same TOEFL score as Manjesh, and he would still be pissing me off if he couldn't give me any useful troubleshooting information within a few hours.

I finally got tired of dicking around with the online support and I'm on the phone with some dude named Eric, from Seattle, who's assembling a nearby Laserjet 4300 with the accessories that my printer has so he can help me troubleshoot the problem. Hopefully we'll get the envelope feeder issue resolved.

04.28.04 1:56pm(3 comments)

When we pretend that we’re dead…

I have to consider myself extremely fortunate to never have gone to the funeral of someone who was close to me in addition to not having to go to a funeral since I've been in high school. Yesterday, I went to Bryon's funeral, and although I had only known him for six months, and wasn't close to him, I cried anyway.

It was a cold, rainy, day, perfectly suited for a funeral, and 7 of us ABLE folks shoved ourselves into a 6 person van heading towards springfield. The ride down and lunch was generally jovial, and despite poor directions we made it to the church after stopping two other places first. Third times' a charm, I guess. The large church was packed; you know you've done something right with your life if your funeral is packed. I got in line with my colleagues to be let into the church and somehow was lead to a seat by myself away from anyone that I knew.

I found myself in a southern baptist church for the first time, by myself, for a funeral, which in itself didn't make me too happy, not to mention the culture shock of being a white, formerly protestant, girl in a southern baptist church. While the family processed towards the coffin, the preacher was singing a joyful song and clapping his hands, which was something that I had never seen at a funeral before. Ok, it's cool, I'm open to new cultures. Much more praising and celebrating god, handclapping, amens, and oh praise jesus's were soon to follow. It really looked like a lot of people were really having a good time, kickin' it with the lord. Let me say this, the lutherans can throw a hell of a potluck, but these southern baptist folks really know how to party, even if they're at a funeral.

It was then time for the young wife to view the body, happy times were over. She threw herself on Bryon in this heart-wrenching scene, while her two sons held her up because she could hardly stand on her own. That's when I started tearing up. It was devastatingly heartbreaking, and instantly made me want to go home to tell Tommy that I love him and was sorry about our squabble over the dirty dishes. She was eventually led back to her seat where she collapsed against the arm of a family member after sitting down.

Then came scripture, acknowledgements, resolutions, and eulogy. I do know that I'm not used to people shouting out in church. The rule for me always was, no matter how much the lord moves you, you never talk during church. Once again, the souther baptists take a step in the opposite direction of my beliefs. Quite emotionally, people spoke about how Bryon was an incredible coach, attorney, friend, son, husband, and father. A lot of kids were there and a few jersey's were hung on the casket by teary boys after the service. I heard my first eulogy / sermon by a southern baptist minister, which I have to say was incredibly entertaining, once again, for a funeral. Party on my brothers and sisters.

Afterwards, we all got into our respective vehicles and headed towards the cemetary. Byron was also a marine, so he had 4 marines waiting there for his casket. I'm still not quite sure if the taps was live or not. I saw the dude hold the bugle, but the taps still sounded recorded. The bugler held something in front of the bugle, and I'm not quite sure if that something was playing the taps or if it was a microphone, which would've lended to the recorded sound. Still much contention over the bugling. I figure, hey, you can teach a marine to kill someone, how about you throw in a four note song on the bugle. We all headed home without much event and in true white-folk protestant, catholic style, we had a mini-wake for Bryon in the van, talking about all of his accomplishments. Eve said something that really rang true, "I guess when you can't do much better with your life, God takes you." That's the only way that I can think of to justify Bryon's death, a week and a half before his 33rd birthday.

So this got me thinking about my place in life and what my funeral would be like. I know, Gramma, you tell me all the time, that I hold your heart in my hands and that if something were to happen to me that would be the end of Gramma. Stop worrying. Put all that worrying energy into knitting me something cool. Nothing is going to happen to me, I'm just speculating here, so take it easy.

Am I where I want to be in my life? Obviously not, few people are. I never in my youth thought that I would grow up to be an IT Manager for Legal aid. Fortunately for me, I'm not quite grown up yet, and the prospect of getting a J.D. and an M.S.E. is growing more dominant. In about 3 or 4 years, I'll be out of debt and I can afford to head back to school, until then, I'll get my IT certifications, which is something I've wanted to do for awhile.

There's all that meaningful stuff that I want to do with my life; lose some weight, get in shape, travel the world, learn to play guitar, get a blackbelt, get degrees and advance my career, volunteer some more, eventually have a family. All those things take time and / or money, of which I have not much of these days. So obviously, I've got a way to go before I hit the point that Bryon did.

What about my funeral? Who would be there? I know my family, friends, and colleagues would be distraut, but who else? Have I touched anyone's life in the same magnitude that Bryon had? If not, then why not? Why haven't I been doing more for others aside from friends and job? Yeah, I tought a few seniors about computers, but I'm not quite sure if they remember the curriculum, or even me for that matter.

Such a morbid way to start the gears grinding in one's head about one's life, but I guess something has to get it going :)

04.23.04 7:13am(0 comments)

…

Uhh... I just am kind of in shock.

One of the younger attorneys that works in our Springfield office died last night playing basketball. I'm not quite sure how old he was, but he had to have been in his late 20's early 30's, and one of our more brilliant and promising attorneys. He was charming, funny, polite, and in, what seemed to be, incredible physical health...

It's just so strange to me that someone like him could just vanish from existance like that...

Rest in Peace, Bryon Stubblefield...

04.15.04 2:03pm(2 comments)

I love Law and Order

You're A.D.A. Jack McCoy!

Who is YOUR Inner Law&Order Persona?
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04.09.04 1:02pm(0 comments)

Anti-April 1

I do acknowledge that today is the day that I'm supposed to pull a prank on my website and reveal that I'm pregnant or something horrendous like that... but, I really don't feel like it.

In other news, I've discovered that UT has a combined Juris Doctorate and Masters in Science Engineering combo degree that's looking fairly appealing. Just imagine... me as a lawyer and an Engineer. How cool would that be ;) Maybe then I could go around and be a jackass like the lawyers around here and justify it... because I would also be a lawyer!

04.01.04 3:15pm(2 comments)