Ok, here's a question for all you poor computer people who have worked as tech support. Which is better? Having people call you every time they have a stupid question about why their computer doesn't work (usually because of something they did wrong) or not having people call you when they get an important error message, resulting in later problems of corrupted files and God knows what?

My own personal observation is that usually people do both at the same time. The people I am working with will blithely click past all kinds of error messages warning them that there are major problems with the system (which is currently being re-written as we use it, which doesn't seem like a brilliant idea to me in the first place) and then, when they can't figure out how to turn their screen on, they call tech support and complain about their computer crashing. Do tech support staff go postal? Do they get hazard pay, or extra vacation time, or free spa benefits or something? If not, I think they need it.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 11:52 a.m. @ 

 
My paperwork is coming through today! No, this does not mean that I am an illegally landed alien or anything interesting like that. It does mean that I am going to be paid... next month... eventually. Which will be good for my bank balance, which is currently sitting at a piddly $8.08. More good news is on the books for this week, as I will be starting training for Div Court on Thursday, at which time I will be entering the hallowed halls of Osgoode as an official staff member, and when I do eventually get paid, I will be receiving a raise. In other words, although I am still broke, this has been a good day for me financially.

Also, a note to Zeena. Congrats on your sister's wedding. It was a lovely service (if I do say so myself, considering my bro and I provided the music for it) and thanks for being the first person EVER to pay the musicians at the same time that you said you were going to. (Usually it takes us four months to track down our employers, during which time we end up spending our fee in long distance phone calls and various other expenses required to collect the fee in the first place.) So, best wishes to your whole family (which is now considerably larger than it was last Friday). We love you guys!

Happy 80th birthday to my Great-Aunt Toni, who is still the life of the party. I hope there are many more happy birthdays to come. Don't drink all the booze yourself.

As you can see, dear friends, this has been a week of celebration for this particular mango. May the Great Tree be equally bountiful for each of you in the weeks to come.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 11:31 a.m. @ 

 
My friends and I have all been quite busy lately. We've formed a singing group and are practicing for the Summer "Fayre" at our church. However, as usual, we're not doing this in a remotely-normal fashion. For example, take our choice of repertoire. Half of the songs we're doing are Tudor Anthems. Mixed in with that are a few Rennaissance favourites, some Billy Joel, and then there's one song in particular... well, let's just say that singing the notes isn't the problem. It's learning how to sing and laugh at the same time that makes this piece hard. Some of you may know it. It goes like this:

Oh Lord Please Don't Burn Us
O Lord, please don't burn us.
Don't grill or toast Your flock.
Don't put us on the barbecue
Or simmer us in stock.
Don't braise or bake or boil us
Or stir-fry us in a wok.
Oh, please don't lightly poach us
Or baste us with hot fat.
Don't fricassee or roast us
Or boil us in a vat,
And please don't stick Thy servants, Lord,
In a Rotissomat.

It's beautifully written according to traditional rules of theory, in four part harmony. Now all I need to do is figure out how to get through it with a straight face. Wish me luck, everyone!  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 1:19 p.m. @ 

 
Today I officially declare war on the makers of letter-folding-machines everywhere! For those of you who are fortunate enough not to have experience with these fiendish devices of torture, let me explain their truly devious design to you, so that you too will take up arms and fight for this most noble cause.

Letter folders have a place to put the paper in, and a place from which the paper is supposed to return. Emphasis on the word supposed . Instead of returning out the other side of the machine, the paper mysteriously disappears. At first, I suspected a vortex of some kind -- a gateway to a black hole out in space somewhere -- but I should be so lucky. While a black hole would cause the complete disappearance of the paper, this evil being instead holds the paper in limbo, at a place which cannot be reached but which still prevents other papers from proceeding along their natural course.

What then did I do, you ask? And so you should. Completely against my geek nature, I read the instructions! Step one, remove the thingy. Step two, remove the other thingy. Step three -- oh, you thought this was actually going to help you get the paper out? Sorry, but you need a screwdriver for that. Now, I ask you, how many people do you know who keep a screwdriver in their office?

Having finally solved the lack of screwdriver, I thought this would reveal the mysterious location of the paper. I carefully removed the cover of the machine... only to find that the inside is an entire piece of plastic, which cannot be taken apart. Why, then, did I bother to unscrew the cover? Perhaps the manufacturers thought it would make me feel that I was at least making some progress. So, now I have about four hundred letters to fold by hand, and a completely useless folding machine sitting on my desk. I think I'm going to see how well it flies at lunchtime. Maybe the fact that my office is on the 19th floor will provide it with some motivation.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 9:47 a.m. @ 

 
Welcome to my new blogspot. Please don't expect me to post every day; the life of a mango is a busy one, especially now that we're into the blooming season. I will be sure to update you on the highs and the lows ... and sometimes the in-betweens ... in my life. And if my life isn't interesting enough for you, at least you should find some marginally interesting links on this site. Meanwhile, enjoy your visit to this, the heart of the Great Orchard. Please don't pick the fruit. Thank you.  - posted by Purple Mangos @ 11:14 a.m. @