Working in IT is an experience, I know that much. I can't be the preacher of everything about working in IT (or in general) but I can tell you that I have learnt that the Information Technology industry is a very colorful world.. Including shades of grey.

Just in case you weren't aware I am a Network Administrator for a medium sized company... and I need a little venting today.

If I had a nickel for every time I had been threatened, sworn at, accused of sabotaging things or not doing my job I kid you not I would be filthy rich. I'm going to go through a few examples of these situations.

Threats
I don't get these much, I guess because they are generally the result of a staff member's breaking point. But here is a couple:

• Kyle, if I lost this email there's going to be trouble.
• If I lost this document you're dead.

Nine times out of twenty these threats are uncalled for, said out of frustration. I have only personally been the result of a handful of lost data situations.

Swearing
This is a good one, every one swears, shit I swear all the time. Most of the time it is out of frustration in not being able to do something that until they ask me, is driving them crazy. The swearing is generally not aimed at me (but sometimes is) but nonetheless is abundant. Here are two popular ones:

• This system is SHIT!
• Kyle, its f*cked!

Both of those will usually stream out of an employee's mouth when using a particular piece of software that unfortunately, as some will understand, cannot be NOT used. But you have to love it.

For the most part I swear a lot too.

Accusations
These ones are rare, but they are situations that actually do get on my nerves a little. I'm a very calm person, ask anyone, but there is always only so much one person can take.

Generally most of the accusations I get are demonstrated in a positive manner ( I suppose ). What happens is something goes wrong on a user's system. Now they will either ask me to come and see it, or troubleshoot over the phone. Due to the magnetic energy of IT guys the result is that as soon as I begin to assist the problem does not exist. This while exciting the particular staff member, leads them to assume I was doing something to their computer/account to stuff them up just so I could fix it.

I have to admit the thought it amusing, but pointless.

All in all the point of this entry was really just to vent, it can take a lot of patience to cop some of the insults and loss of patience that staff have with the "IT Guy".

That's it for now.

Hello again,

Today’s topic title is all about my dinner on Saturday night, but before I get into that I'll go over my weekend too... all and all pretty mundane at times.

Fiona and I went out to dinner at Cactus Jacks for something simple as neither of us felt like cooking. I love it there! I couldn't say anything better about the place even thought I have been there nearly every weekend for the past six months (sometimes even twice :-P). I got some money out for the bar because we had to wait for dinner and Fiona had a couple of the Strawberry Margaritas she likes, I had about five rums and two shots, I think one was an undertaker and the other was a strawberry doughnut. Needless to say I probably shouldn’t have drank that much before dinner, but hey, it was Friday.

Dinner was good and gave us a chance to relax and the rest of the night went well. Got a cab home and walked/staggered (depending on the person) off to bed.

Saturday was just some birthday shopping so won't get into that, but Saturday night was the night we originally intended on going out, down to Palmer Street (for those of you who don't know it is Townsville's "restaurant" street. We decided on the Bistro One restaurant to give them a second chance from the last time we went and they lost our order after 45 minutes. This is where my advice starts...

DO NOT GO TO BISTRO ONE RESTAURANT EVER. The service, bar man and food were all terrible. I can't comment too much on the food as Fiona said she liked hers but the duck was crap. Here are my down points about them:

• Slow to give us menus after we had sat down: about ten minutes
• After finishing a drink we had to ask  (yell out to) a lady to serve us for more.
• That same lady forgot my order twice before she got to the bar and when the drinks finally came she gave me the orange juice and Fiona the rum (um. duh).
• The bar man, to whom which we were sitting close, looked like he was either: 1. Going to pass out from boredom or going out the night before 2. Taking something not so legal.
• Drinks were either too strong or too weak, made wrong.
• Entree took about 30 minutes to come out, mains came out a few minutes after.
• My meal, the duck, was crap, it was chewy and tough. Fiona had veal, I didn't like it but she did.

Good points:

• Sorry can't think of any

Okay I think that’s enough of my complaining and you get the point.  After that we were going to go to town but it was too early so we went home.

Sunday we went to my brothers house in the city and spent the day there, towards the end I wasn't feeling too good but the day was good, I was sick for the rest of the night with a migraine and whatnot but just went to bed. I'm still sick today (Monday) but got to go to work just in case they need me.

Well I think that's it, sorry if anyone likes Bistro 1, but they really do suck now they have let me down twice. My advice, stick with Cactus Jacks at Cannon Park.