World Sojourner : 3760

My yearly working PTO week is now here.  I didn’t intend to always take a vacation every August to decide my future steps and catch-up on personal projects but for the last two years that has been the case.

This year’s list looks a lot like last year’s list.  This is a problem that must be addressed.

Dear Apple,

Mrs M and I really want to buy the new Apple 4G telephone and experience all it’s video, clever app goodness but are terrified of the following:

• In a word – AT & T
• The fact that AT&T has somehow convinced you that it’s okay to pull the unlimited data option due the fact that their entire system is capable of handling 2003 levels of load.  Not good.
• Your totalitarian approach to apps including Google Voice.  Two times the customer has gotten hosed due to bowing to the wishes of AT&T.  What’s up?  Do they have pictures of Steve using a Dell with Windows 7?
• The day after we get the little bundle of goodness you do something else in the name of AT&T customer experience that lessens our user experience.

I can only equate this to younger days and yearning for someone who looks great but has so many underlying issues that it’s probably not worth the effort.

al

I’m in pursuit call hell.  The fires are currently scorching my toes but that’s okay because I’ve passed out after beating my head against my desk for the first 5 minutes of the call.

The first five minutes included on conference call code change (due to echo); waiting for people to join; waiting for people to follow-up with those who should have been on the call but haven’t.  And finally, and this is my favorite, a long detailed conversation looking for the correct version of the document we’re reviewing.

Oh Google Wave people – hurry up, will ya?  My call screams for your collaborative tool.

1. One centralized place for all the support data, which doesn’t require uploading it to a highly structured interface (I’m looking at you SharePoint) just an agreed structure before everything starts.

2. Working document in one place that tracks all changes and allows you add notes and ‘reasons’ (Yo, Wave you’re up here but it requires this functionality turned on for more than just the demo and it has to work perfectly with MS Word.)

3. A project leader with the gumption to require the work to be done in a new way and punishes (read: fires, throws off the project, notes their work practices during year-end reviews) not following a more useful and logical structure.

A quick post to say that I’m impressed with the new Tiger Woods Mistress Collection Golf Balls (link). They’re slogan is “He likes to play around with them so you can too.”  I love when language gets re-written or new opportunities are presented.

For instance:

• You’re playing with these new balls and one gets lost.  Apparently they offer a text service to find out how many balls are out there.  Currently there’s a bug in the service where a tall blonde will come running after you with a golf club after the text is sent.
• I lost my ball in the woods.  (family post – rearrange the phrase any way you like).
• Is that your wood?
• Drive it straight man!
• Fore! (in case you’re not with me I’ll give a few word cues – Clinton, dress, go …)
• 19th Hole.

I personally put a Betty Boop golf head cover beside the Tiger cover because now it just seems more appropriate.

I’m done.  No there wasn’t much of a point.  I just needed to get some of this stuff off my chest.