You decide - Mr. Magoo or Homer Simpson?
I started work with a new advertising and marketing firm this week, woo hoo, yee-haw and alleluia. And even though the Big Guy is often telling me I’m too hard on myself, I feel that I had an almost-normal human level of concern over whether I’d do a good job and whether they’d like working with me. But having only a minor level of anxiety was clearly a foolish response to life, since as I’ve mentioned before, I control the universe through the power of my highly-developed Organ of Worry. In fact, if I worry enough about something, I can practically guarantee that it will never happen.
I didn’t realize that I should have been pre-worrying about the chance that I would look like a bumbling freak of nature at the end of my first week with my new company.
On Monday, my employer kindly walked me through the process for uniting Microsoft Outlook and SBC Yahoo email. Apparently, no one else using Outlook has trouble with any other kind of email system. It’s just me.
On Tuesday, during the company-wide online meeting (my company is in Texas), I clicked on another link in the web page and locked myself out of the chat room. This required me to IM my boss to get me back in, though he didn’t know what to do because no one had ever done that before. “I can see you in the room,” he said.
“I know, but I’m really not there. I promise. It says the room is full.”
He had to stop the meeting, saying, “Hold on. We lost Angela.” Oh no, that wasn’t disruptive at all. I’m sure nobody noticed me logging completely out and then back in again to access the chat room, while they all waited in silence.
Monday I received a notice that my first pay stub was available online in their payroll provider. I’d logged in once before to verify that I could access this (generally I’m conscientious about making sure my technology works); when I logged in the first time, it required me to change my ID and password. On Tuesday, I attempted to login. And folks, I tried every freekin password I’d ever created, but NOTHING got me in. So I clicked the “forgot password” link.
The system reassured me that I’d see a shiny new password in my email inbox directly. But hours passed, and no email. Friends, this website is nothing but a login screen - there are no ‘help’ features, no ‘contact us’ links, no ’save me, I’ve screwed up and need to talk to someone’ buttons. The previous emails all had a “noreply” address. So I kept clicking the reset. Someone was going to get an inbox full of my requests, and they’d have to pay attention to me at that point. Squeaky wheel, you know.
Two days later I admitted defeat and changed my tactics. I asked my boss if he had a contact for the payroll company. But the payroll company said, “We can’t do a password reset, only the employer can do that.” And even when I begged, for the love of all merciful things, that she not make me look like a clown once again in front of my boss, she remained firm. “Call your employer. There’s a link they have to click.” Sure, THEY get a link.
Here’s what ensued when I IM’ed my employer about the situation.
me (6:08:54 PM): Hmmm…(payroll company) tells me there is a link that the employer has to click, which will reset my password. They apparently can’t access that.
me (6:09:25 PM): Would it be too much trouble for you to do a reset?
me (6:09:35 PM): I seem to be having a rough week with logins, lol!
him(6:12:56 PM): yes I can try… not sure what they are saying but I’ll try… why did you have to reset it to begin with? I haven’t had that issue?
me (6:14:25 PM): So embarrassing…I forgot my password. Darn.
him(6:14:39 PM): Did they issue it or did you?
me (6:14:45 PM): I did.
him(6:14:54 PM): you forgot your own?
me (6:15:06 PM): Yeah, that is the embarrassing part.
me (6:15:30 PM): I hope you’re laughing at me!
<Silence. Crickets chirping.>
him(6:15:36 PM): Does it not have a “forgot password” button?
me (6:16:39 PM): It does, and when I click it, it promises to immediately send me an email with a new password, but I haven’t received one in 2 days.
him(6:16:41 PM): hit the “forgot password”
me (6:16:55 PM): I’ve tried it about 8 times.
him(6:17:06 PM): are you checking the right email address?
me (6:17:12 PM): Yes.
him(6:23:16 PM): I’ll have to play around… not sure at this point and need to head out for the evening
Mr. Magoo? Homer Simpson? Bungling idiot? Do you think any of these images are on his mind as he drives home? I’m thinking yes.
Published by angelawd on June 6th, 2008 tagged Joyful living, Time Plus Tragedy Equals...
June 6th, 2008 at 3:58 am
D’oh!!
[Which, according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary means:
Usage: interjection
Date: 1993
—used to express sudden recognition of a foolish blunder or an ironic turn of events.]
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:24 am
lol… I thought I was the one making it difficult on you and that all my technology wasn’t working correctly!
So it seems we were both thinking “no! not on her first day!”
I honestly thought my stuff was messing up and I was embarrassed.
Funny story though
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 pm
What a relief! Glad you’re laughing now!