Workload Whinge

So my homelife isn’t really the sole reason I haven’t been writing much lately. To elaborate, I’ll give you a partial list of what’s on my plate at the office, in no particular order:

  • Complete IIS web cluster for Corporate Internet group. (Begun last night, hopefully completed tomorrow night.)
  • Rebuild not one, not two, but three studio PCs. (Prod 1, Prod 3, News 1.)
  • Create a joint email account for new job-share partners. (And discard their “old” separate accounts.)
  • Develop automated backup system for new fileserver. (You know, the server I rolled out a month or so ago? Yeah, I’m still doing backups manually. When I have the time to do so. Which isn’t often enough by far.)
  • File paperwork. (Discard old papers, sort and file new, print out things that need printing. Yadda yadda yadda.)
  • Figure out how to set up access to the admin interface of a website we just brought in-house last week. (The interface currently relies on a hostname in the old host’s domain. Not good.)
  • Replace floppy drives in two Account Exec’s computers. (Not a priority of course, but this one’s been on the task list for the entire year.)
  • Sort through CD-ROM library, weeding out obsolete materials and organizing the remainder. (Yadda yadda yadda.)
  • Install GM’s new computer. (It’s prepped, and it’s sitting under his desk alongside his old computer. I’m just waiting for the go-ahead from him.)
  • Prep and install new computers for two promotions staffers, five traffic staffers and a sales assistant. (That’s not counting refurbing existing computers for two new sales hires.)
  • Meet with AS/400 specialist to determine the best way to ensure a complete and useful backup. (Turns out the backups I’ve been making every three weeks aren’t worth the tape they’re spooled onto. Uh oh.)
  • Come up with a good way to back up the email server. (Nope. Haven’t been doing this for a while now, ever since the new office server became a nightmare project from hell.)
  • Put a sound card into one of the music office computers. (The built-in sound system isn’t working, and I’m not interested in shipping the thing back to HP for repairs. Easier to just slap a Soundblaster PCI into the damned machine.)
  • Replace the CD-ROM drive in one of the digital audio workstations. (This task has been on the list for about four months now.)
  • Install new video card drivers and TV player software onto one of the broadcast studio GP computers. (At least, I think that’ll fix the crashes they’ve been having all year.)
  • Test “bad” batch of RAM. (Actually, I think the RAM sticks are fine. I think the computers we tried to upgrade with them are pieces of crap. See “traffic staffers” above.)
  • Set up spare computer for interim PD over at the other building. (So he can check his email without using “webmail,” which is clunky. And so I don’t have to try reinstalling his music-scheduling software, which would be a major PITA.)
  • Clean, clean, clean. (My work areas are a mess, and that’s no joke.)

There’s more, of course, and that’s just the stuff I know about. Surprises come daily.

And yet, any attempt to improve the staffing level of the technical department gets immediately shot down. Well, at least I have job security. Right?

Comments

4 responses to “Workload Whinge”

  1. Korashime Avatar
    Korashime

    Keep fighting the good fight brother!

  2. Celina Avatar
    Celina

    You need happy helper elves – that’s a lot on your plate and not the kind of bite size projects one might hope for. Good Luck Ducky and pace yourself if possible.

  3. Lilith Avatar
    Lilith

    I sure hope they won’t mind when you burn out and/or have that long-overdue nervous breakdown. You know, that’s actually a worker’s comp issue; you’d think the company would care just a wee bit. Grrrrr…..

  4. ayagi Avatar
    ayagi

    It’s always those damn backups…