Working From Home

So, today I'm working from home. Why? Because we have no power in our building. We had a call from the electric company on Monday that they would be shutting power in our building from 7am to 2pm. Isn't there a way to do these works during the night? or on the weekend? Sooner or later, when living here, you learn not to ask these questions.

So, it's not just our business - I work in a 30-story office tower. So, everyone is home today from all these businesses. And I just wonder how that would go down in the US if the electric company just started announcing power outages during business hours.

It's the same with the telephone company, too. We recently experienced several issues with the telephone lines running to one of our offices. We worked for MONTHS (yes, months) to get the telephone company to help us understand what the problem was. It was unbelievable. And then, when we finally decided that we needed to run a new line - they would only schedule the works during the day. There working hours are 8 to 3 (yep, 3pm). Nevermind that this was our Customer Service hub and that all our customers would be unable to contact us for a day.

And speaking of services. I'm on my third try to get the repairmen to come here and fix the A/C in Lyra's room. Saturday - no show. Frustrating thing is when you call them they say, "Oh yeah, we couldn't come." No hint of an idea that maybe they could have called you. Sunday I came home early from work - again, no show. So today when working from home I will hopefully have success. I called yesterday and asked them to come. They told me, call us tomorrow and see if we can come. Aggghhh, can't you just schedule me in for tomorrow? I'm calling you now - I don't want to call tomorrow.

If you remember last year's stresses with the refrigerator repair - I think this year I'm more prepared. I know not to fight it. You only end up getting yourself all tied up into knots and it doesn't change anything. Believe me, I've tried. I've called the supervisor. I've called the manager. I've called the Director. Nothing changes.

One HOT Mama

So, after our dust storms, I was getting used to the reduced heat in the city. The dust was doing its job to keep us all a bit cooler (like closer to 105 than 115). But today, walking at lunch time, it's back to hot and sweltering. In fact, hot would be the wrong term. Hot is a summer day in Milwaukee. This is roasting or sizzling. Definitely hot would be an understatement.

Although my walk was only 200m, I was peeling off my blazer when I got back to the office - aaaah the chill of air conditioning. Why was I wearing my blazer? Because I have on a sleeveless shirt and I'm a bit sensitive to showing my arms here. I'm always torn between being culturally sensitive or being comfortable. Actually, the blazer helps a bit - keeps some of the sun off and in a way helps keep me cool - but once I heat up, then it's really roasting.

One more month of sizzling heat. Then come September we'll start seeing things get back to just plain ol' hot.

It's Dusty

No need to adjust your screens. This photo - although the quality is poor - is trying to show you how dusty it is. We've had dust storms since last Wednesday. Ugh.

I can hear down the corridors and halls everyone coughing in the office. I haven't bothered to cover my mouth outside - only because I'm barely outside. Best just to stay in and wait till it clears. Only good thing is that the temps have dropped quite a bit. Most days, temps are barely up to 100. And I saw that we may actually get overnight lows in to the 80s tonight.

I was glancing down at the constructions sites to see if any of the workmen are wearing face masks. Many of them have rigged up a bandana around their face, but most are working without one. This certainly has to be taking years off their life.

Oh, by the way, that long white building that you see closest to you is a new hall being added to our convention center. Supposedly there is a royal wedding booked for October in that building. I'll believe it when I see it.