Things that make them upset . . . . Part 2

Ok, so if your tech guy is involved in any way (no matter how much) on the conference side of technology, this may make more sense. Vendors. Yes, vendors. Yes, they are needed. Yes, they are wanted. Yes, they are respected. Yes, they can be a huge pain in the . . . . anyway, vendors. You have to spend money to make money. Anyone ever heard of that phrase? Sometimes I don't think some vendors have. Listen, even in the blue collar of blue collar worlds where they have flea markets YOU HAVE TO PAY to get a booth. The more you pay the better the booth, location, package, etc. How does this not make any sense?

It is kind of like driving through at your favorite local burger place that you have been going to for years. You pull up to the order taking box and say that you want a # 1. You then pull up to pay for it and say, "last time I was here it was $3.19, why is it now $3.39?" They explain, with a very reasonable explanation. You pull away. You get home and you notice that the sandwich is smaller. Not realizing that the box has changed size, now bigger, making the sandwich SEEM smaller. You then decide that because it is different and more expensive, that you will not go and order a number 1 again. The next time you order a # 2. Now the #2 is a different kind of sandwich. You then complain because the box is not changed on this one. The price is still the same therefore you realize that the whole reason you were charged more for the number 1 was because they decided to change the box. Apparently stumped, you then try to go around the order taker and speak to a manger who then gives you the same explanation that the order taker gave to you the last time. Bottomline, the corporation has been around awhile. It has grown, they have merged, there are more locations, the demand is more, boxes change, things change and you have to pay what the new charges are because that is just the way that it is. Why does this not make sense to these "business" people? They then say that their sandwich was better last time than this time and now want the old sandwich back. Do you think that is going to happen? No. I do not understand why people do these kinds of things. We are not talking about small no name companies here. We are talking about companies that have been in business for years along with the people they are dealing with on the other end of the phone. Do you think that they are just going to say ok? Do you think, like the burger place, that there aren't other people in line behind them just waiting to get their sandwich? It would be nice to live in a world where there was no one else in line behind you but that is not that way that it works. Pay for what you WANT, get what you WANT. But you can't decide what the price is, or else you wouldn't need to go to that burger place in the first place.

Things that make them upset . . . . Part 1

I am not sure who all will ever be reading this, and I am not sure if you are the girlfriend, the wife, the secretary, the men who just want to know . . . or what, but this will be part 1 of things that make them (your tech guy) upset.

Time Zones. Now, didn't we ALL learn about time zones somewhere around the 3rd grade? How difficult is it to get someone in your office that KNOWS TIME ZONES? Especially if they are scheduling your calls for you. If I hear him (my tech guy) say that "they" said "oh I thought it was going to be pacific time" one more time, I think that I will scream. Do you know how rude that is? Do you know that they have things called calendars and that they have an "appointments?" Do you know that they schedule calls and appointments around the ones that they already have set in the PROPER TIME ZONES. Now guys, this, regardless if it was you in your office or your secretary, makes YOU look bad. Please FIRE anyone who can't schedule a phone call around the proper time zone. I mean they at least need to know addition and subtraction right? There you go.

K.P.

Therapy, pure therapy!!!

Rumor has it that Microsoft is dropping the Xbox 360 $100 to compete with the new Playstation 3. (due to come out in November) Ladies, let me tell you . . . it is the best (well next to the best) therapy for your tech guy. Bad day, bad calls, bad anything - an hour on this thing and WOW, what a difference! There is nothing better at the end of the day than a little time playing Ghost Recon (military) or Fight Night 3 (boxing) to get your work frustrations out! I suggest one for EVERY tech guy household if you don't already have one. I think mine would prefer one per room, but fortunately there aren't enough cable connectors on all of the tv's.

Words of advice though - no matter what they tell you, they DO NOT like losing to you at Tiger Woods. :-)

K.P.

I decided to start this blog this week after approaching a month with 2 conferences. WOW. The life of being a contractor's significant other is extremely interesting the closer you get to a conference(s). For those of you who attend conferences with your men, or who work with your tech guy, then you know what I mean.

What is VERY important I have discovered in understanding the "technology world" is subscribing to RSS feeds. I started doing this awhile ago just to make sure I understood everything that he was talking (venting) about in those "decompression moments".

I thought this would be a good way to vent and discuss ongoing issues. Although I never have anything to really vent about, I too feel his frustration when working in such close proximity every day.

A little about me . . . well I travel to each and every conference whether it be one that he/his company is throwing, or one of importance to attend. I sometimes go to the booths, listen to keynotes, and almost always do the mingle thing at cocktail hours and receptions. We work from home, so I am "involved" via ear shot during most phone calls, etc. Every single email of frustration - I am totally in on. I love the fact that I can be a "sounding board" for him, without a doubt. I think that the more supportive I am of him and the time he is spending on what he is doing, only makes him more capable of putting so much effort and time into the things that are important to him and to his business. I NEVER dissuade him from talking about work and he knows that he can talk about it whenever he needs to. We live in a beautiful place, we have a great life, and I know that a part of that great life is the fact that he gets to work in a place that is relaxing and without the day to day "riff raff" and office politics. Travel is at least every month or so, sometimes less, so the quality time of him working at "home" at his "desk" is very important.

Glad to be blogging!!!
K.P.