Month: March 2020

National Treasure

Posted on by backuphill

analogue art box chest

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Tom Hanks.

I’m sure you’ve heard by now. I mean, this is big news. Top Story stuff right here.

How can our national treasure, Tom Hanks, have COVID-19?

There has to be some conspiracy going on here. Aliens. For sure aliens.

Hear me out here. They could easily land in the Australian outback undetected and bring COVID-19 to Tom and his lovely wife (I assume she is lovely. I haven’t met her, but Tom picked her so there must be something to her. Oh, I haven’t met Tom either. I’m just saying.)

Of course, I am kidding. He’s not our only national treasure…

Betty White! What about Betty White?

Apparently she has checked in and is doing just fine. Whew! National crisis averted.

BUT SERIOUSLY….

While I enjoy both of these actors, can we get away from covering the celebrities? Not to be callous or anything, but I am. I don’t care about their status. They don’t actually warrant “top story” headlines or an international outpouring of love and concern (you can count Kobe in on this if you want too).

They are just people and quite frankly they aren’t people we should care about any more than people in our families or our neighbors. Actually, those last two – family and neighbors – should get more care and concern than celebrities and athletes who have money to take care of themselves just fine.

Your family and neighbors need your care and concern. Pay attention to them. Stop and visit. Say, “Hi!” when you walk by. Shop local and support small business who employ the people you should be caring about.

Put your focus back on the people who actually deserve it.

 

Without notification

Posted on by backuphill

airline flight schedules on flat screen televisions

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Someone left town to visit family this weekend. Flying in these times is a rather curious endeavor now and there was already anticipation that some flexibility would be needed. The thought was that returning home might end up being a problem (that still remains to be seen). So…

Night before flight, 11:23pm: Flight is on time for an 8:00am departure.

Morning of flight, 4:11a.m: Flight cancelled and booked to another flight at 10:21am.

If I hadn’t checked of my own volition, the change would not have been known until arriving at the airport.

Did you catch that, “of my own volition”?

That’s right. Not a single notification from the airline that the flight details had changed. No text. No email. No call. That last one I didn’t really expect, but not even an email? Is that how they handle flight changes now?

Really disappointed in Alaska Airlines.

Granted, for the first leg of the trip the flight is not on their actual airline, but the trip was booked through them and they are the “confirmation number issuer” so you would think they were the ones responsible for notification.

I have always liked flying with them. They take pretty good care of you and they fly to most places I want to go for a fair price (most of the time). But, this taints the relationship a little. She luster is now gone. Oh, I’ll still probably fly with them but there is a little love lost now.

I may have a wandering eye, checking out the other options available. Fair warning Alaska, fair warning.

 

40%

Posted on by backuphill

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We, as in our office (which is in a separate location from the “head office”), got an update on the policies regarding telecommuting during this health crisis, scare, whatever you wanna call it.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, telecommuting policy said that we could telecommute up to 40% of a work week (two days) and that could only be done on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I have talked about before how my job could literally be done from anywhere in the world with an internet connection, so 40% for my office is a ridiculous restriction.

Now, with COVID-19 being a thing and recommendations from every level of government (techinically I am a public employee) stating that employees should stay home and telecommute if feasible (again, it is totally feasible for my office) the “head boss” has issued new permissions for telecommuting.

Yesterday’s email said, in effect, “we are allowing telecommuting on Mondays and Fridays now, but we are still limiting overall permission to 40% of the work week, per board policy.” In other words, we are still required to go into our office three days a week! So, if I may paraphrase…policy over people. I gotta say, that right right there is some crappy ass leadership.

I have said it before and I will maintain that I am not an alarmist by any means. I am going about my daily life normally. I went out to eat last night and supported a local business near my home.

This issue I have here is that a public institution is going against the recommendations of the government, the one that funds it, and demanding adherence to a policy which they clearly have been given the green light to alter in this extraordinary time. There is no expectation by me or my colleagues that the alteration would adjust regular practice in the future (though we would like to see that). We just want acknowledgement that our government agency is recognizing the recommendations of the government and that isn’t happening.

I am in the office today. Nearly all of us are. But none of us are happy about it.

 

Mixed messages

Posted on by backuphill

man wearing suit inside the room

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I know for a fact that I don’t need to stock up on TP. That is already clear.

What I am more concerned about is whether or not there will be a shortage of hazmat suits, thus a significant rise in the zombie population.

I don’t feel like the government is addressing this concern. Can we just get some clarification? Do I need a hazmat suit now, or should I wait for demand to overrun the supply so I can pay a price that is in effect equivalent to price gouging?

I mean, I really have an aversion to having zombies and REALLY have an aversion to having my brains eaten (or other body parts – depends on the type of zombie). I know I can start training now to get in physical shape to outrun some zombies, but I am not sure I can social distance myself from all of them, again it depends on the type of zombie.

The government has really fallen down on it’s recommendation here. I am getting mixed messages….

Is there a danger of a zombie apocalypse or not? Do I need a hazmat suit and to begin training to be in top physical condition or not?

I am just trying to determine my next course of action and the mixed messages aren’t helping.

 

TP

Posted on by backuphill

feac8be9-d942-4a33-a205-c7336d0bcb30

What the heck ya’ll doing?

I hope you aren’t one of those crazy people out there hoarding toilet paper for no damn reason! Seriously! Covid-19 ain’t got nothing to do with your pooper, people. You all are just going “5150” on us.

People fighting in the aisles of stores? Costco limiting purchases and having to hand out the TP? Empty store shelves wherever you go? Good grief people, TP isn’t gonna keep you from getting the virus and it sure as hell isn’t needed if you had the virus. All you really have done is create a black market for TP.

Ya’ll done “wiped” out the stores. I wish I was making this sh*t up. Get your mind “outta the toilet” and wash your hands instead. Let’s “flush” this nonsense asap.

See, now you got me all making puns for funs because people ain’t got the runs.

If you are one of those hoarders, STOP! Ain’t no poop emergency.

 

We all heard it

Posted on by backuphill

man using smartphone while sitting at the table

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So, my sick note means nothing, apparently.

As it turns out, I have to use another sick day today despite what the superintendent (“head boss”) said in our meeting on Friday.

On Friday, he had a meeting with out entire organization (our division really, because we are completely separate from the main entity) and we all heard that we shouldn’t go to work if we suspect we are sick but that if we could get a doc’s note approving telecommuting then we could amend the regular telecommute schedule as needed. My coworkers heard it, my manager heard it, my director heard it…or at least that is the way we all understood it.

Today, I am told my doc’s note doesn’t apply and only the regular telecommute schedule applies. WTF? According to the head office, there are no policies in place to accommodate this adjustment and until there is we have to stick with it – no matter that the head boss said something completely different.

Yeah, that’s BS – requiring your employees to burn their sick days when there is a major health concern going on when you know full well they can do their jobs from anyplace in the world without impacting the client (and have done so repeatedly). That makes complete sense.

So, I think I’ll binge on TV, and video games….and slowly burn in contempt of the head office.

Sick note

Posted on by backuphill

laptop on white desk

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I’m in WA state and there’s this thing going on. You’ve probably heard about it. So far, I’ve just heard about it too.

But, last night I developed a cough that came from nowhere. And a wheeze at the bottom of my lungs.

I checked in with the doc. At the moment they think it is related to the bronchitis I had two weeks ago. But, with the ongoing situation in WA, work doesn’t want me physically present. So…I have been “quarantined” to telecommute from home.

Can’t complain about that! No morning or afternoon traffic. No early mornings. No late dinners.

Win-win.

Except for the cough…and wheezing…

 

Expenses and new adulthood

Posted on by backuphill

man sitting on sofa reading book

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Here’s a TOUGH question for you?

At what point do you have your adult children fend for themselves?

Specifically, a child has graduated from high school almost a year ago and is now 19. Oh, and I’ll add that the child is not currently living in your home. Said child has college expenses covered already (tuition and housing), but has no job.

What do you think?

What do you continue to support/provide and what do you not? What would you consider “extra” versus necessary?

There are some difficult discussions coming up and I am curious how you see this topic. I realize this is a bit of an open ended question and can be taken in a lot of different directions, so I am open to any and all responses.

Domestic

Posted on by backuphill

beer filled mug on table

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OK, this is gonna be a rant for those of you who like to indulge in the consumption of an alcoholic beverage called “beer.” If you aren’t one of those people, I guess you can stop reading now (or not even click on the post – it’s fine, whatever…).

I hate to sound like a beer snob here, because I really am not one. BUT, (yes, there’s always a “but” in statements like that) you really don’t have to be a beer snob to understand what I am about to say.

How have domestic brewers stayed in business for so long? Like, really?

While I haven’t consumed piss water, I am pretty sure that is what it would taste like. Domestic beer is weak, it’s nearly clear, and it’s cheap (unless, of course, you are forced to buy it at a sports stadium like I was).

I can’t remember which stadium I was at in Arizona when I was surprised that there were no choices of micro-brewed beer. The other stadiums had them, so what was the deal with this one? Anyway, I was forced to buy something domestic (ok, forced may be a little strong since I could have kept my wallet in my pocket) to go along with my overpriced stadium food.

The experience was not enjoyable. I didn’t like the beer. Water. With a little food coloring in it. Pretty sure that is all it was. And, to top it off, if was $11. WTH?

So, anyone else out there baffled by domestic piss water beer? Anyone care to defend it?

Power(less)

Posted on by backuphill

people wall blur inside

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Traveling in the electronic age is rather interesting, or frustrating, depending on your point of view and experience.

On my vacation last week, I had the opportunity to visit four different airport concourses. All were Southwest Airlines concourses, but I am not actually sure who is responsible for setting them up. Obviously the airport maintains them (cleaning, etc.), but as far as designing and then implementing the design, as I understand, that is up to the airline.

The interesting thing is that all four airports had vastly different designs and amenities. Seattle’s hub, surprisingly, was the most comfortable and there were AMPLE places to plug in the electronic devices. Between a bar looking setup with plugs to all the chairs having plugs and USB ports, there was no fighting over access. As such, there was no possibility of running short on power, but I was just starting my trip so everything was fully powered already.

San Jose’s Southwest concourse was rather dinky and probably the least comfortable of all four, but again the chairs all had plugs and USB ports available so now finding a place to top off the devices wasn’t difficult. Find an open seat (maybe more difficult since it was a small place) and plug in.

Phoenix’s Southwest concourse was actually comfortable, but access to power was rather sparse. Again, I was fully charged so I didn’t need a place to power-up, but if I had there seemed to be a few “bar” looking places spaced throughout the concourse, but the plugs available at these were limited. The seating had no charging capability at all, at least not at the gate I was at and it didn’t look any different any place else.

Finally, Southwest’s Sacramento concourse was a decent size but again the power options were really limited. Again, there were a few of those “bar” options, but again nothing in the chairs. Fortunately, there wasn’t anything that needed topped off for me at this point in my trip. I was conserving power fairly well.

The return trip home was rather eye-opening. I fully expected that what I had available to me on my trip down would be available to me on the way home. That was not the case. I was a little surprised that the airline didn’t have the same amenities available in all of it’s concourses, at least as far as access to power goes. Yes, I know size of the airport and what other comforts available depend highly on the design of the building, but the easiest and most effective way to offer power options to your flyers is to add the chairs with power access right in them. The last two airports, not so much.

So, if you haven’t flown in a while, be prepared to be “powerless” on some legs of your trip. You may have to supply your own as the battle for outlets continues to increase in our electronics driven lives.