Career defining moment

[harry-whodunnit.livejournal.com]

Installing a DVD-writer in the autopsy room at the local hospital, I realise I grabbed E-SATA cable out of the parts bin rather than SATA, and a jog back to the van for the right one will take 20 minutes, going over the time they've allocated for me to do the work.

I ask the manager how to best handle the situation and he suggests that I take my time fetching the cable because they can easily kit me out in a gown and waterproof boots and throw up a couple of splatter screens so they can get on with their work while I get on with mine.

I nod and smile at this, but inwardly I'm whimpering because I've already seen the tools they laid out for the job. I may turn vegetarian. Or give up eating altogether.

Fortunately for my peace of mind, the ambulance carrying the body was late.

On an unrelated note, I'm studying for a hardware cert at the moment, and it's deadly dry stuff. Can anyone give me some study tips?

Comments

[tullamoredew.livejournal.com]

I've got a DCSE myself, and the only reason I did it was because I had to, while working for the company.
dead dry stuff, and usually, experience with the hardware in the CV is enough, unless you're going to be working as a field tech for the particular hardware vendor or outsourcer

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

About the only way I found to get interested in the hardware is to put some of it together, or at least take a tour through a local assembler's parts bin. Or check the parts out on GIS. Otherwise it's all "dammit, how many pins does that have again?" and "gah, maximum cable length, maximum cable length...".

[harry-whodunnit.livejournal.com]

GIS is new to me. Is it a website?

[emsporter.livejournal.com]

Google Image Search, I suspect.

[kedemel.livejournal.com]

Ha! I'm an admin assistant at a funeral home, and I've helped out in the back. I've seen a few post-autopsies and car wrecks and it's rather interesting (and sad).

[harry-whodunnit.livejournal.com]

I do tech support and embalming,

For fun, or profit?

[mr-scoot.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great combination. It's the logical end result of policies that do not tolerate the willfully ignorant (ref older post's "I'm computer illiterate" line) and downsizing.

Pebkac: "Won't go".
TS: "Plugged in?"
Pebkac: "Don't talk technical to me. I'm computer illiterate. Fixit! Not go."
TS: "Well, we have only one possible TS step. Please touch the metal part on the back with your left hand, and grasp the electrode…er… handle sticking out of the wall in your cubicle. … No, the metal one. Yes, the damp paper wrap needs to stay on the handle for this to work… Thanks, hold on now."
"Pebkac: "well, is it" zzzzzzzzzzzzzxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz!splort
TS: sends IM to facilities - "Pls remove ex-user from cubicle B1129, move to Embalming."
TS: Hits aux-5 on phone. Now in "after-call wrap-up", heads down to the embalming room.