Sunday, January 30, 2005

Fu Zhang zoo

Just a bunch of nonsense in the titles, but that's what miscommunication is about, right? Missed communications, the childs' game of 'Telephone'-- you whisper it to me and I'll whisper it to Patty and she'll tell two friends, and they'll whisper it to two friends and so on 'til this very simple thing I first said is translated into a completely new language that now some card-carrying-member-of-Mensa-geek needs to design software for.
Recently I was trying to access Duke University/Healthcare's Human Resources website where job-hunters, it is explained very clearly in the homepage text, can post their resumes and maintain an online application. Easy enough, right? I spent nearly 1 1/2 hours completing this task. Most of that time was trying to figure out how to register a login name and password for a new user.
I am not a stupid person.
I know what is intuitive and what is not.
I know what is expedient and what is a total waste of my time in convoluted, dead-end buttons. My frustration was that here is a well-renowned University and Healthcare system with what appears to be a friendly, usable HR site. The irony is that I am looking for a technical communications job with a potential web design/development bent to it and find myself hobbling about the various links like some half-wit still believing that somewhere I can register a login name and password. Two words: INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE.
A lotta clicks later, I finally accomplished this very simple thing. But don't ask me to do it again.

Friday, January 28, 2005


Friday afternoon coffee with marble Posted by Hello

Who Sent who?

No other way to start this business than with the ceremonial emptying of my change mug this morning. Speaking of "two cents."
I am down to $2.00 in my checking account. I wrote to a friend this morning that this really no longer constitutes a "checking account," but is more akin to the hollow environment of a child's piggybank. I HOPE there's a lot in there when I shake it around, but I know the chilly reality. I'm writing content for informational websites....I think....for a marketing firm. I hope--there's that word again-- that I'll find work doing more technical writing and utilizing some tools I'd really like to build into my resume, versus, MS Word zip files over and over.
My cash mug. I decided I'd try and dig up enough change to get a coffee at "Third Place" at the end of my block, a luxury I have denied myself for the last 2 months. That's sad, isn't it? Coffee as a "luxury" item? My other blog is titled "Strong Coffee" . THAT's some strong coffee.
So, a luxury on a Friday afternoon--cuppa joe down the block at one of the most popular coffee houses in Raleigh. That's what I'm paying for. Popularity. I know, Free Trade beans and all that, growers making more.....
I've really wandered from what I intended to say, but, it's all about the cup of coffee right now.

I managed to dig one quarter, 3 dimes and 2 nickels off the top layer in the mug. Mixed in with the mash of odd marbles and seaglass chips. I was downright angry over the Canadian quarter that someone ripped me off with once upon a time. Everyone else but me seems to have eagle-eyes on those--handing them back with a, "Sorry, caught ya" wink. Even vending machines won't be gyped. I finally dumped the "I Love NC" mug over. Marbles rolled everywhere, much to the amusement of one of my cats. Mexican coins.....why? Old guitar pick. Dead AA battery. Mother-of-pearl shard. Allen wrench. "Mother-of-Pearl," is right. Kennedy half-dollar and Betsy Ross silver dollar--who the hell even knows those are real cashola anymore--no. Great, another Canadian quarter. Ripped off twice. Polished stones-- agate, tiger's eye, turquoise. I love rocks. I did find half-a-dozen more dimes and enough nickels that perhaps might buy me a small black coffee of the day. SMALL luxury.