Fix your job

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

It's been a weird day, so far. Computer hung on "loading your personal settings" for about two hours when I booted this morning, and when it finally finished finding my desktop I immediately started copying all the contents of my interleaf desktop over to an external hard drive. This is in preparation for the new computer that we got a phone call would be arriving today, vice tomorrow. :whew: That's done. The next chore was to run a decryption tool on my computer, as the encryption thingie that was installed about a month ago was fouling up the data transfer to the new computers...

That finally finished while I was at lunch. I have yet to begin work on my actual work today. It may be a long week........

[piqaboo]

I've always liked that bumper sticker that reads "Question Authority".
I like it because I dont do that enough. If things are the way they are, I often assume that they are not changeable. So I get good at working around and thru the system and never think to change the system.

Recently I was recruited to be a volunteer host on a fairly large website. I had reservations, so the process went slowly. Eventually we decided we were mutually suitable and I started. There is no formal training process. One is, as I have learned, supposed to instantmessage one's coach, observe, and ask only technical how-to questions. "Why" questions are not greeted warmly. Nor are questions about situations that seem less than clearcut. Unfortunately, the instructions were simply 'to ask questions'. So I, being as noted rather literal, did. Oops. I questioned not the need for the rules (which are stringent), but the tone of voice in which the rules were enforced. Oh my. They seem interesting and good people who are running too ragged to deal with outliers, and who are not observant of the differences between questions and actions. I've learned to be ruthless with temps, and they apparently with volunteers. I have been fired.
In a suitable period of time, I shall change my signature on that site to the above QA.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Yikes! They fire volunteers?

I never question authority. Argue, criticize, denigrate, contradict...

[piqaboo]

Well, yes. And one of them didnt like that.

How are the new work computerbeasts functioning?

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

New beast functions beautifully. Wish it had all the software installed.

My publishing software was apparently not associated with my command UIC on the Rationalized List. Also, my computer could not be Administratively Accessed for the test push, because I have the wrong kind of seat association in the server. Do NOT ask me to translate any of that, I'm parroting.

I have spent much of the day on the phone to various tech "support" groups. I'm thinking positive - I brought in a Costco bag of assorted Dove chocolates and an enormous bottle of Excedrin. I'm positive they will be needed.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

A real, live, breathing IT dude just departed my cubicle.
Interleaf is now working on the computer and I am theoretically back in business. Alas, it's too late to test it today - I theoretically left the building 23 minutes ago. With any sort of luck, it'll still be on the computer tomorrow morning. :whew:

[piqaboo]

Selma,
I wish you luck!

I'm working on increasing my skills interconnecting eDMdev with eDMrun with eDE, with eMan etc.
Wheeeee!
I'm learning to write "consistency checks" and "navigation" and "derivations". These occur in something called SQL by its friends. And they are triggered by neat little buttons built into the software. I spent most of yesterday troubleshooting one little tiny consistency check (edit, save, push to part a, incorporate in part a, pull to part b, test). I learned a lot but I'm not done with it yet. I finally had to print the code on paper and find the department SQL guy, who informed me my code was fine but my logic was faulty because I'd forgotten my parentheses!
Today, I'll go back and tickle the beast somemore til I'm happy with it.
Then I can start applying what I learned to 7 more already written checks, and then I can start adding one at a time the approximately 80 more I want. Maybe by Xmas.
I have a nice bright copy of SQL for dummies on my desk. I hope never to have to open it.....

I also learned yesterday what kept crashing the entire system last week (sudden logouts are interesting). A friend was working on something complex and somehow his code was bringing the entire system down. Wheeee! Glad he got that fixed!

I feel like Blanche DuBois. I know nothing from clinical software, or SQL. I am entirely dependent on the kindness of - not exactly strangers, but really nice people from a different department. We all figure eventually the company will reorg and I will be in their dept and they will inherit anything I make, so they have a grand interest in seeing me do it right. But mostly they are very very nice people!

[BigJon@Work]

Piq, may I ask what sort of online community this website covers?

I thought you were in life sciences, one of the white coats? What are you doing learning about SQL?

<he mumbles as he beavers away at the Perl script he is learning to write.>

[piqaboo]

In April, I moved to be the informal Data Manager for a small off-shoot of the Clinical Affairs dept at work. I get to set up the electronic protocols, ensure data is entered/imported correctly, and get the data back out to the scientists (of whom I was one, until April).
This week I am muy very frustrated, and therefore trying hard to be amused.
Sub Main
result = True

EmbedMsg = " If frustrated with software, remember to be amused."

If result Then
If @frustrated@="Y" AND @software@="Y" then
MsgBox EmbedMsg,0,"Warning"
End If
End Sub

[treebeau]

Piq,

From what you wrote in your previous posts, it seems like you don't need to set the constant 'result' at all. And in that routine you have two "If"s but only 1 "End if". Take out all the if/endif stuff and just make the body of the routine...
MsgBox EmbedMsg,0,"Warning"

Seems like it would be accurate 100% of the time.

Regards,
Tim "problem solver" B.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Tim =
Piq =
Selma =

[treebeau]

A real, live, breathing IT dude just departed my cubicle...

I wonder if it was breathing or just respiring through its outer skin.

Regards,
Tim B.

[BigJon@Work]

In April, I moved to be the informal Data Manager for a small off-shoot of the Clinical Affairs dept at work. I get to set up the electronic protocols, ensure data is entered/imported correctly, and get the data back out to the scientists (of whom I was one, until April).
This week I am muy very frustrated, and therefore trying hard to be amused.

So, other than this week, how are you likeing it on the geekier side?

[Schmeelkie]

Piq - so, you're doing my job now... I mostly do data management, not clinical, but academic research. I've been doing lots of analyses lately - conference abstract deadline. Annoyingly I busted my butt earlier this week as PIs (that's Principal Investigators) wanted the analyses by Wednesday so they could finish the abstracts on Thursday, go away for the weekend and do final edits and submit on Monday. And today I come in and find an email extending the submission deadline for two weeks. One would think I would be more happy, but I know the PIs will now come back and ask for MORE analyses and try to do one more and I'll be stressed for another two weeks. ARG! Some people just don't know when to quit. I have hopes that for one of the three abstracts I won't have to do more as that PI seems like she justs wants to be done with it.

Meanwhile I have lists of all 1st-3rd grade students in 5 schools to update and add to in our database for screenings that start on Monday. And I don't work on Fridays...

well, I'll have more time if I end this post...was just reading while pumping.

[Schmeelkie]

oh yeah - I avoid SQL - leave it to our colleagues in Biostats who set up all our computer-administered forms.

[piqaboo]

Schmeelkie, its headed that way, anyway.
The end goal of this job is for me to be the data analyst for our clinical research group (we are a little splinter with no official support from the actual Clinical Dept). The R&D scientists will also want to do their own analyses of course, and I as a former scientist will be among them. The Clinical group used to have no access to the data, and that's crazymaking. So my job is to corral the data so we too can play. And because I've been part of the R&D team we work with, I speak the vocabulary, and know the customer better than the younger more clinical-monitor oriented folks in the group.

But... first I have to get the beast built. The beast is new to the company, so its not a matter of finding a buddy and working sidebyside at first. We're all flailing at it together, with different projects.
Its mostly ok, but somedays it makes me crazy. I'd like to avoid SQL but I have a feeling by end of 08 I'll be proficient in it and semi-competent in SAS as well. Ugh Ugh and Ugh.

As I said, there are folks in the Clin Dept who are very helpful - experts in SAS, or in SQL. Originally, there were others with a few months more experience in the beast. However I am now answering as many questions for the latter as they are for me, as I am working in a different direction and getting more hands on experience and planning experience. Its actually a really cool job. Somedays tho, the tasks themselves are either boring or frustrating.

Yes, Tim - you are right for that particular case.

But then on launch days (when we roll it out to a clinical site) its HappyDance all the way!

[barfle]

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ballmer_peak.png

I can't embed it because it is two pixels too wide.

[BigJon@Work]

[Serenity]

Yup! I post more when the BAC is up but I've never measured quantitatively, only qualitatively.

[Serenity]

I can't believe I totally missed National Boss Day!