The Trials and Tribulations of Oscar

Oscar is a grumpy, old thing. Sometimes he even exhibits characteristics of his namesake the Sesame Street character. He's a pain so work with, let me just tell you. I have often commented to my co-worker that one day, if she comes by and there is a large hole in the wall across from me, not to worry, she can find Oscar just on the other side of that hole.

Now before you jump to conclusions and call the police and have me arrested for attempting to harm poor Oscar, let me clarify... Oscar is my computer.

Yes, I gave him a name and refer to him as a person. It makes yelling and shaking my fist at it a little more gratifying. Hardly a day passes that I don't feel the need to glare at the screen because once again Oscar is failing to open a Word document. Come on, its like the easiest of tasks, I'm not asking him to run probabilities or generate complicated graphs or whatever it is computers can do these days. It's like getting a 5 year old to take a bath just to get him to wake up in the morning. Talk about grouchy. It will take him 15 minutes just to get me to the home screen and then heaven forbid I ask him to open Outlook so I can check my email. Forgive me Oscar, for wanting to be a productive employee.

Oscar recently had his guts replaced (and by that I mean he got a new hard drive). I thought, " This is it, he is finally going to work at an acceptable speed and I will be able to run more that 2 programs at a time! Hallelujah!"... Well, Oscar sure is some kind of joker. For about a week he was running relatively smooth for is age and was causing me to growl at him constantly throughout the day. However, I don't think he liked being tolerable very much because he went right back to being an insufferable old geezer.

The day I get a computer that was manufactured in this century is going to be one GREAT day. But until then, I'll be putting up with Oscar and his antics (and secretly wishing he will randomly internally catch on fire). Everyone should probably say a little prayer that he does not meet his end flying through the wall across from me.

Ducks Have Bills Too

Thursday of last week was much like any other work day. I drove my nice little commute and was diligently working when a co-worker starts calling my name. Curious (and secretly dreading I'm about to be given a new task), I walked around the corner to our reception area. Before my eyes on the reception desk sat the best mid-work-day surprise ever invented: An Edible Arrangements.

When the holy lights faded and I grasped the fact that this cute, edible treat was mine... I started to think. Who in the world is sending me such a wonderful treat?? My parents are out of the country... and let's face it, they are the only one's I received flowers from in the last, well, we wont talk about how many years that's been. And I certainly don't have any suitors who are sending me presents in the middle of the day for no reason... so, this has got to be a mistake and this yummy goodness is, alas, not for me. But fear not dear friends. The cute duckie filled with fresh fruit is indeed mine! I open the card to read "The Rubber Ducky Rebellion Strikes Again!" love, The Sister. This therefore proves the fact that I have the BEST big sister in the entire world.

This wonderful gesture was to congratulate me on receiving my first, real big-girl job! Yet another step into the real world for this writer. Small steps that are bringing me ever closer to that thing called adulthood (I know scary word... I'm sorry for having to use it here but we must all one day embrace the word and it's meaning).

So basically I have an AWESOME sister that I am truly blessed to have. Thanks big sis for loving me and helping this little duckie find her place in the world. LOVE YOU.

p.s. the picture says it all!