Yeah, I said it. Wow, that felt good! Sorry if that offends anyone (especially if you’re a printer empathizer).
I get asked questions from users all the time about the issues they are having printing. Below you’ll see a few examples to help answer those concerns, mixed in with some ranting.
“Choose a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
The timing of this blog landed on the week of my 3rd anniversary at Birds on a Cable (as well as living in Chicago), which gave me time to reflect on what the ride has been like. In these 3 years, I’ve grown so much that it’s hard to recall not calling Chicago home, or working for Birds. I think that’s part of being a grownup – you forget the past and focus on the future.
My laptop has been bluescreening (BSOD-ing) for about 2-months, now. I have a hunch it’s related to sleep settings, or some aspect of a power shift that is broken: from power to sleep, battery to sleep, or falling asleep all by itself. Any change in the cached memory that isn’t finalized by a full shutdown is intensely discouraged by my machine. But who has time to fix it?
My website bio reads: I never thought I would own an IT company. But, fortunately for me, after some gentle nudging from loyal clients and a bit of a shove from previous employers, I have a pretty great gig. I love my clients, coworkers and the change of pace technology offers. 2AM emergency phone calls never seem to matter when I can fix what’s broken.
Recently I planned a switch to a new Internet Service Provider (ISP) for my apartment. It would be faster and cheaper – dreams do come true! Everything was great until my previous ISP shut off my internet before they were supposed to. This put me in quite a jam since I’ve also cut the cord on cable, and use the internet to watch TV. Not to mention, it was approaching the weekend during football season, which means I need to watch my fantasy team. Obviously, this had me scrambling to find a solution ASAP. And … it also got me thinking about the impact downtime has on businesses, and the problems those outages cause. Probably more important than watching my fantasy football team play.
One thing every desk jockey complains about at some point in time is discomfort in their arm (usually the mousing arm). A lot of people think this is caused by poor wrist position, and while that may be true to an extent, it’s only a single piece a larger puzzle. In this scenario, wrist and elbow problems often develop due to extended periods of wrist pronation (having the palm in the face-down position). Ideally we would counteract this by trying to leave our hand in a neutral position 90% of the time, but we don’t live in an ideal world. So what, you may ask, can be done to counteract this most insidious of ailments?
If you’re reading this post, there’s a great chance you’re sitting at your computer or on your phone. That’s the thing: we sit a lot – in the car, at dinner, at work, on the couch, etc., which can turn into low back issues. We also slouch a lot which causes neck and shoulder pain. Here are some simple exercises to counter the repetitive actions we put our bodies through daily.
I’m going to put up an out of office today. I rarely do this, even when I’m out, which likely drives the other Birds bonkers. But today, while I’m out pontoon-ing on a Wisconsin lake, I’m going to push the DND button and hope for the best.
Just like Windows XP, all good things must come to an end. If you are reading this, and still have Windows XP installed, it’s time to buy a new computer. As my time with Birds on a Cable comes to a close, I want to reflect back on some of my most memorable experiences. Before I fly the coup, let me leave you with my Very Profound Life Advice.
What does that even mean? “Excuse me, do you have this desk in a size 8?”
What I’m referring to is proper office ergonomics – keeping the body aligned as we sit 8+ hours a day, staring at computers and each other. Stop for a quick moment without moving – check yourself. Whatcha doin’? Are your shoulders more forward than your chest? Is the natural curve in your low (lumbar) spine rounded (maybe pressed into the corner of your chair between the seat and the backing)? Are you looking down or up at your computer screen? Are you slouched and sitting low? Do both feet touch the floor evenly?
