[Watching The World Burn]

So my one and only employee just gave me notice that she's switching over to a bigger firm. I knew this could happen, and I knew I'm going to be in a tough spot if I can't get someone in time to replace her, but frick, it happened at a bad time where I'm just starting to get busy.

I was so close too, was going to be looking to hire a full time CPA in the summer/fall, and then I would have options in the event she leaves, but now I'm scrambling. At least she valued me enough that she gave me four weeks notice so I have some time to plan.

[Buug959]

Overnight last night (Friday) the forecast deep freeze arrived along with the high winds. Temperature dropped to -28c with the windchill making it feel like -39c. Pretty cold when you're not used to it but I had no reason to go out in it so no huge deal. Somewhere around 4am I woke to a sound I haven't heard since installing the heat pump a few years ago... the furnace was running. The heat pump just couldn't keep up with the cold. Again, no biggy. The real drama started when I got up at about 8am and discovered that my refrigerator was not working. It has a history of taking a long time to restart after a power outage, a couple or three hours usually, so I wasn't terribly concerned. That is until I checked my most sensitive clock and noticed that it had NOT reset meaning the power had not gone off overnight. Huh. I did some research and discovered that this particular model of refrigerator has a history of motherboard failure. More research turns up a popular diagnostic test and , sure enough, my fridge failed exactly as the test predicted. Still more research and I have the new motherboard ordered from Amazon ( arriving Tuesday ) for $270CDN. Meanwhile I have a fridge full of food that is no longer being refrigerated so I decide to go out and pick up a small fridge to use until the new motherboard arrives. I've been thinking about getting a little fridge for cold snacks for a while now so this seemed like the perfect time to get one. So now I have to go out ( did I mention the deep freeze and nasty windchill numbers?) and shop for a small fridge. This means moving the Golf which I park in front of my truck. It's cold but the Golf fires up reluctantly. My truck doesn't realize that it's cold and starts like the champ it is. Off I go but before I start looking for a fridge I stop to eat. After filling my belly I hop back in the truck and turn the key. I know what you're thinking, it won't crank. Nope. It spins over just fine but it doesn't start. WTF? I try again. Still doesn't start. I swear under my breath and pull the key out, wait a few seconds, put the key back in, turn it on and wait a few seconds then crank it. It fires up like nothing was wrong. SMH. That's a little disconcerting but it's running fine so I brush it off.
Off I go in search of a fridge. My first stop is Home Depot. Turns out it was a good choice because I found a great little fridge for under $400 Canadian pesos. Sold! I pay and take it out and load it on my truck. Finally things are starting to turn around...Nope. My truck won't start, won't even attempt to turn over. I pop the hood and look for anything obvious like loose battery cables etc. All looks good. I try jump starting it even though I'm not convinced the battery is the problem, dash lights, headlights, stereo, wipers all work perfectly. Once again it feels like -39c in the wind and I'm in the middle of the Home Depot parking lot pointed directly into the frigid gale. I climb back in to the truck out of the wind.
I'm sitting there wondering what my next move is when I remember that I have CAA. Woo Hoo! I dig out the card from the bowels of my wallet (never used it before) and call the magic number. I get the obligatory " high volume of callers", " please stay on the line", " or try online" blah, blah, blah. After a remarkably, in my mind, short 3 minute wait I'm talking to the CAA rep and tell her my truck won't start. She gets some details including where I am and puts me on hold for a short time. When she comes back it is not with good news. Apparently because of the unusually frigid weather my area has been classified as a "Red Zone" and they are only responding to "Emergency" calls and because I am "safe" in the Home Depot parking lot they won't send anyone.Of course she couldn't even give me any guess as to when they might be able to respond. So there I am sitting in a truck that won't start with a new fridge in the back and a fridge full of food at home getting warmer by the minute and no help from CAA. What to do now? I look out the windshield and notice the Home Depot rental van parked in the opposite row facing me... Eureka! I'll rent the van, get my new fridge home, save the food ('cause we all know how expensive groceries are now) and deal with the truck tomorrow...when it's supposed to be "only -15c". The van rental went smoothly and I'm now back home, a half-thawed dinner in the oven and a big glass of rum in my hand. Let tomorrow bring what it can, I'll be ready.
This may not sound like a legitimate "FML" post to some of you, that is until now. While sitting back enjoying my well deserved rum I caught a quick flash out of the corner of my eye, a green flash, the same colour of green as the display on my fridge panel. FFS my fridge came back to life and is purring like a well fed kitten... and a tray of ice just dropped in the ice maker. At least I'll have fresh ice for the next rum. And believe me there is going to be a next rum.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Esteban

We haven't heard from vreihen16 in a couple of weeks. Hope he finally got his vacation.

Vacation? Today is the first DAY OFF that I've had since my 12/20 post...every one of them working 12-16 hours per day out of a closet on-site since I don't even have a freaking office there since COVID! For the first time in four decades, I hate the IT field, computers, networking, etc, and don't want to ever work another day in the field.

I can't afford to retire yet. Even worse, my ticker batteries have 3-4 months left in them before they (and I) die, so I sort of need health insurance or else I would have quit a month ago. (The company that my DW works at is teetering on the edge of bankrupt, and no way would I jump onto their medical plan or even count on her pay checks not to bounce as a primary income source.)

FML, FML, FML!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm signing out of my computer now, because my eyes need a break before the onslaught begins at work all over again tomorrow. Did I say FML?!?!?!?

[Esteban]

^ Sorry to hear of your woes, vreihen16, glad to know you're still with us. Hope that things get better for you. Hang in there, buddy.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Buug959

Overnight last night (Friday) the forecast deep freeze arrived along with the high winds. Temperature dropped to -28c with the windchill making it feel like -39c. Pretty cold when you're not used to it but I had no reason to go out in it so no huge deal. Somewhere around 4am I woke to a sound I haven't heard since installing the heat pump a few years ago... the furnace was running. The heat pump just couldn't keep up with the cold. Again, no biggy. The real drama started when I got up at about 8am and discovered that my refrigerator was not working. It has a history of taking a long time to restart after a power outage, a couple or three hours usually, so I wasn't terribly concerned. That is until I checked my most sensitive clock and noticed that it had NOT reset meaning the power had not gone off overnight. Huh. I did some research and discovered that this particular model of refrigerator has a history of motherboard failure. More research turns up a popular diagnostic test and , sure enough, my fridge failed exactly as the test predicted. Still more research and I have the new motherboard ordered from Amazon ( arriving Tuesday ) for $270CDN. Meanwhile I have a fridge full of food that is no longer being refrigerated so I decide to go out and pick up a small fridge to use until the new motherboard arrives. I've been thinking about getting a little fridge for cold snacks for a while now so this seemed like the perfect time to get one. So now I have to go out ( did I mention the deep freeze and nasty windchill numbers?) and shop for a small fridge. This means moving the Golf which I park in front of my truck. It's cold but the Golf fires up reluctantly. My truck doesn't realize that it's cold and starts like the champ it is. Off I go but before I start looking for a fridge I stop to eat. After filling my belly I hop back in the truck and turn the key. I know what you're thinking, it won't crank. Nope. It spins over just fine but it doesn't start. WTF? I try again. Still doesn't start. I swear under my breath and pull the key out, wait a few seconds, put the key back in, turn it on and wait a few seconds then crank it. It fires up like nothing was wrong. SMH. That's a little disconcerting but it's running fine so I brush it off.
Off I go in search of a fridge. My first stop is Home Depot. Turns out it was a good choice because I found a great little fridge for under $400 Canadian pesos. Sold! I pay and take it out and load it on my truck. Finally things are starting to turn around...Nope. My truck won't start, won't even attempt to turn over. I pop the hood and look for anything obvious like loose battery cables etc. All looks good. I try jump starting it even though I'm not convinced the battery is the problem, dash lights, headlights, stereo, wipers all work perfectly. Once again it feels like -39c in the wind and I'm in the middle of the Home Depot parking lot pointed directly into the frigid gale. I climb back in to the truck out of the wind.
I'm sitting there wondering what my next move is when I remember that I have CAA. Woo Hoo! I dig out the card from the bowels of my wallet (never used it before) and call the magic number. I get the obligatory " high volume of callers", " please stay on the line", " or try online" blah, blah, blah. After a remarkably, in my mind, short 3 minute wait I'm talking to the CAA rep and tell her my truck won't start. She gets some details including where I am and puts me on hold for a short time. When she comes back it is not with good news. Apparently because of the unusually frigid weather my area has been classified as a "Red Zone" and they are only responding to "Emergency" calls and because I am "safe" in the Home Depot parking lot they won't send anyone.Of course she couldn't even give me any guess as to when they might be able to respond. So there I am sitting in a truck that won't start with a new fridge in the back and a fridge full of food at home getting warmer by the minute and no help from CAA. What to do now? I look out the windshield and notice the Home Depot rental van parked in the opposite row facing me... Eureka! I'll rent the van, get my new fridge home, save the food ('cause we all know how expensive groceries are now) and deal with the truck tomorrow...when it's supposed to be "only -15c". The van rental went smoothly and I'm now back home, a half-thawed dinner in the oven and a big glass of rum in my hand. Let tomorrow bring what it can, I'll be ready.
This may not sound like a legitimate "FML" post to some of you, that is until now. While sitting back enjoying my well deserved rum I caught a quick flash out of the corner of my eye, a green flash, the same colour of green as the display on my fridge panel. FFS my fridge came back to life and is purring like a well fed kitten... and a tray of ice just dropped in the ice maker. At least I'll have fresh ice for the next rum. And believe me there is going to be a next rum.

Glad things worked out for you. Sounds like luck was (finally) with you.

I think I would have a few more rums too!

[tranquility]

Ya, sending good vibes. Man...

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Vacation? Today is the first DAY OFF that I've had since my 12/20 post...every one of them working 12-16 hours per day out of a closet on-site since I don't even have a freaking office there since COVID! For the first time in four decades, I hate the IT field, computers, networking, etc, and don't want to ever work another day in the field.

I can't afford to retire yet. Even worse, my ticker batteries have 3-4 months left in them before they (and I) die, so I sort of need health insurance or else I would have quit a month ago. (The company that my DW works at is teetering on the edge of bankrupt, and no way would I jump onto their medical plan or even count on her pay checks not to bounce as a primary income source.)

FML, FML, FML!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm signing out of my computer now, because my eyes need a break before the onslaught begins at work all over again tomorrow. Did I say FML?!?!?!?

I'm so sorry to hear this. I checked your profile a few times to see if you'd logged in. I was hoping you were down south and off the grid.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

For the first time in four decades, I hate the IT field, computers, networking, etc, and don't want to ever work another day in the field.

Shoulder available. I can't help, but can commiserate.

Me: Just recently, despite all my battles, I seem to have been converted to salary. And for the last 3 closed Fridays, I've been at work at least a part of the day. In two weeks we are replacing all the core network switches, and two weeks after that all the central office phone switches.