I used to be one of two IT people in my department. The other guy quit suddenly and moved to another state. As of last week, I'm flying solo and
responsible for everything that has electricity flowing through it--and the stuff he was supposed to be taking care of has not, in fact, been taken care of for
some time. I've found machines in storage that he was supposed to set up last summer, boxes never opened, while a full third of the lab machines he was
'maintaining' won't even start up. It's unlikely a replacement will be hired before the semester starts--and it all needs to be fixed before
them. I've been 'approved for overtime.'
>.<
So, probably be around less for a bit.
oh hells.
DON'T BURN OUT.
At some point, engage warp engines and get the hell out of there for a solid weekend - reject any calls that aren't _life_ threatening, and go hang gliding
or roller blading or paint balling or watch 1789 episodes of CSI, whatever.
I'd give it about two weeks, then take a sunday, then give it another week, then take both days, then give it two weeks, take a saturday, etc, etc, etc.
good luck.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies
Ah, geeze. Good luck with it, and as WG, take the time to make sure you don't burn out over it.
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
I will echo the sentiments of Wiregeek and Bob, Don't let someone else's needs destroy your own.
Good luck and I hope you have a boss that is understanding of the need to decompress.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy
Render:
Good Luck in dealing with the unexpected burden. Take time to relax when you can, and hopefully
they fill out with a competent tech soon
(one competent, if unemployed, tech)
Kevin
A quick update/rant.
Nine weeks have passed since the other IT guy quit. Nine. Weeks. The semester started last Monday. The labs are supposed to open Tuesday (though that's not
gonna happen.) The lab server is so screwed up I'm going to have to wipe it--and ALL 70 client machines--and start from scratch. While the faculty are
badgering me to fix every little thing that goes wrong. And the position is supposed to be posted in 'about ten business days.' After which we'll
have to keep it open for 2-3 weeks minimum. And then catch up on everything that slipped. Just in time to get ready to move the labs over the winter break. And
jury duty! (At this point, jury duty is starting to sound like a vacation. In the Bahamas.)
*whine*
I did get to go to GenCon and decompress for a long weekend, and I've been able to duck working overtime until tomorrow, but I'm still pretty fried.
I'll be lurking on the forums but not posting much. I'd rather play than write when I do get a break from the craziness.
Oh, and Kevin. If you're still unemployed and willing to work in Los Angeles, I can get your resume in the short stack.
Render:
This is when you have to go to the people upstairs and say:
"You've given me X tasks to do. I can do Y (where Y is less than X). Pick the ones I'll do. The rest aren't going to get done any time soon.
Don't like it? HIRE SOMEONE."
My team has given this ultimatum regularly to other departments at my workplace, and you'd be surprised how well it works. If someone comes and bitches
about something needing to be done rightnowdamnit, point them to the boss and tell them to complain to him. It makes things MUCH easier.
I hope at least you're raking in the cash for this >
There is no coincidence, only necessity....
- Clow Reed
I sounded off in the Dept. Chair's office last week after he interrupted something important so I could fiddle with his laptop. For the third time in a
week. Everything can't be an emergency. He seems to be taking things a bit more seriously now. I'm doing "triage" until we hire someone. The
Chair's word for it, but it fits. I haven't had to tell someone to talk to my boss or the Dept. chair (or the hand) yet. People have mostly been pretty
understanding.
Raking in the cash? Not really. Fortunately, I'm being paid hourly now, so they can't make me work overtime without pay. And I'm sick of the place,
so I haven't exactly been pushing for OT approval. I've got kids at home, I can't live in my office for three months. I may get a promotion out of
this, so I can supervise the new hire. But I'm not counting on it to make up for this mess or anything.
Mostly, I just need some down time.
Render:
Yes, I am still unemployed. Send me the email address and I'll forward the resume.
Assuming, that is, they would be willing to pay for relocation, as I live in Lancaster, PA.
My address is kevncody at verizon dot com (anti-phishing measure, here folks -- trolling board software will not recognize it this way -- most such programs
look for blahblah@blargh.com)
Despite everyone's advice to the contrary, I am burned out. Fried. Toasted. Smoked. Post-combustion. I am an ex-incendiary. They finally approved overtime
at work, so I've been working crazy hours trying to get the labs ready to open. I think we're going to be ready to go on Monday. At which point
I've got to catch up on two or three weeks worth of faculty requests I've been blowing off, but I can probably stop working so many hours and start
getting some sleep. Yay.
Kevin, moving expenses are paid at the discretion of the hiring department... so I think they'd pay. Job has *still* not posted yet, but I'll email
when it does.
Finally finished rebuilding our lab server and managed to open the lab today with some of the machines available. I think we can get the rest of it done by the
end of the week... and then I've got to catch up on faculty requests that having been piling up. But I think the worst of it may be over.
Kevin: Job's posted, email sent from mshields at usc dot edu.