Grinding, halting

Quick addendum to my overlong list of gripes about three-season days around this time of year: the Big Gray’s air conditioning is still turned on, and in a building this size there really isn’t a fine degree of climate control, or even an attempt at same. Certain moments, when the sun is just past its zenith and the wind is just right, do get rather warmish in late September in Virginia, and thus, the A/C runs and runs and runs. Eventually they will switch over to running the heat non-stop, but as of now the building systems are in cooling mode. I came close to losing circulation in my fingers this morning.

Also, I still have three computer towers under my desk, and only one of them is hooked up and working. No progress whatsoever, nor signs thereof, on the delayed installation of an actual secure port to which my classified computer might someday be connected. My new, upgraded unclassified computer, on the other hand? Despite the fact that I was asked in advance what if any non-standard software I needed installed (a non-insignificant question, since I’m the only developer around here) AND the fact that I promptly answered said inquiry with a thorough inventory of licenses that would have to be transferred to the new machine, when the day came for a team of IT desktop support folks to rove through the office setting up everyone else’s new computers … I was approached by someone on behalf of the office manager, asking if I needed any special software licenses. I said yes I do, I e-mailed that info in already. The rep said, well don’t let them switch your computers yet because we haven’t got your lecenses sorted right now. Also could you re-send that info again? So (with a heavy sigh) I did, and that was a week or so ago? I lose track.

But the good news is I do have a few different projects keeping me busy these days, which is nice for the end-of-quarter please-justify-why-we-pay-you-to-be-here reports that are due soon. And as I mentioned last week, we had our next option year exercised on the contract, so at least things are stable. They are in fact stable as shackles, like the one apparently joining me for life to the garbage-y old computer I type this on, but I suppose things could always be worse.

Also we are having a chili cook-off in the office tomorrow. Cheap lunch consisting of a panoply of interpretations of one of my favorite foods? I think I can punch the clock here at least one more day.