Whispers from the Myth Teller

On Friday mornings, we have goodies waiting for us in the cafeteria. Everyone takes turns each week to bring some kind of morning treat on Friday.

By the time I got there, people had lain waste to the box of Tim's donuts and Timbits, but there were a few left. I picked up two Timbits and proceeded to my desk.

When I bit into one of the Timbits, I was shocked to see that the Timbit was an empty shell! It was just an empty Tim skin with no doughnutty goodness inside!

What the deeper meaning is to this, I gotta wonder.

I just got an email from the developers that they are adding a new tab to the Options dialog box. This adds a new level of functionality to the application that, as it stand now, is undocumented.

When I went to talk to them to find out what the heck is going on (why are you adding new functionality 1.5 weeks before release), I was told that this was a simple change and it meant maybe 1/2 a page of new documentation (tops).

Let me tell you what this "simple" change means the following to me as the writer:

1. There's a new procedure to be documented.

2. There's an existing object that needs to be updated with this new functionality.

3. All the screen snaps of this dialog box must be retaken for the two User's Guides and the Online Help.

4. All the procedures that mention this dialog box must now be updated (there used to be only one tab, but now that there's two, there's an extra step to include).

Did I mention that I'm supposed to have all this done in a 1.5 weeks? Did I mention that six chapters of my User's Guide is still out in review?

Fortunately, I do not smoke, but I am eating more junk food than I should. When other people people get stressed, they lose weight. That sounds like fun.

One of the most difficult aspects to working is dealing with difficult people. I find it galling that I have to keep the peace, be calm/cool/collected, be polite, be respectful, while I have other people here who are constantly rude and aggressive.

When I get pushed, I tend to push back. But as a techwriter, I can only push back so far because I tend to need people to get my job done.

I sent an email to a progammer guy that went something like this:

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To: ProgGuy
From: Hobbes
Subj: The Blue Doodad

How does the Blue Doodad work? Does it interact with the Red Doodad?

His reply:
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From: ProgGuy
To: Hobbes
Subj: Re: The Blue Doodad

The Blue Doodad doesn't work right now and I don't have time to fix it. Don't ask me about this again. I will let you know when it is working and how it works.

My reply:
================
To: ProgGuy
From: Hobbes
Subj: Re: The Blue Doodad

Can you tell us when you will get back to us with the information? My deadline to get stuff in is next Thursday.

His reply:
================
From: ProgGuy
To: Hobbes
Subj: Re: The Blue Doodad

The Blue Doodad doesn't work right now and I don't have time to fix it. Don't ask me about this again. I will let you know when it is working and how it works.

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Argh. I'm tempted to just quote my original reply to him and see how long it bounces back and forth until one of us cracks.

Actually, I'm beyond tempted. I've just gone and done it. I'm a bad man.

I just got back from signing a contract with my latest client, which is my first client in four months. It's been a nice vacation, but I'll be glad to have something to challenge myself with. And the money doesn't hurt either.

It's been a busy week and the next week is going to be a killer too. Lots of stuff going on in the local Pagan Community (Men's ritual next week, upcoming Yule Fair) and I've got a few shows coming down the pike as well at the Gryphon D'Or (November 23rd) and Shaika cafe (December 7th). And then there's the new contract and all the work that goes with that as well.

The niggly bits for the Book/CD are dragging things along though. We need to go back into the studio to record a final bit, the artwork is still outstanding, and the covers need to be designed.

A busy life is a good life.