CD DB
A friend of mine named Robbin called me yesterday. She was burning some CDs for her friends. She was patiently typing in the name of the songs and the other information. I informed her that if she is online when she puts the CD in, the software will go out into the interment and find the information she is typing in for her. She didn't seem to pay that much attention while I told her. We kept talking and covered topics like who was getting married and who was a racist.
Another friend called later. She has been so busy that we haven't had a chance to catch up. During our quick conversation while she was on her way to UH, I heard the tail-tail beep of call waiting. I haven't figured out my new phone. I can switch over, but I can't switch back. I don't get it. Anyway, after we said our goodbyes,  I called Robbin back and received a great big "Thank you". She was amazed how much easier it was when you were online. You don't have to type in anything. The software just goes out and grabs all the info you need.  You do it once, and the software saves the info in your local database. She was happy. Apparently, that little tidbit of info saved her not only hours this time, but extending infinitely into the future as well. That is why I do this stuff. I actually managed to help a friend with a bit of advice. That feels good. It's too bad she is practically married.

Communication
I've noticed I communicate much better through writing than in person. Have I covered this already? Remember my complaining about trying to get IS to give us a static IP yesterday? Well, it turns out it is more politics than ignorance. The new team wants to do things differently than they are done today, but they have not come up with the new way yet. Meanwhile, they don't want to do the old way any more. The result is that we must leave the computer in question in a place where it hits the old router until the new IS team comes up with a new solution.
IP Address
This section is called communication because I am going back and forth with one of the techs on our side via email. He is a company employee. It's nice having someone who actually knows what is going on with the network telling me technical details that make sense. I have a reasonable grasp of the workings of networks. Simple networks and highly complex networks work on basically the same principle. Everything that you can talk to has a unique number. In order to get that unique number (like a phone number) either you ask for one every time you pick up the receiver, or you have one given to you permanently.
Most of the time computers get a new number (or the same one by chance) every time they attach to the network. This works great when you are checking your email, or surfing the net. However, a computer that other computers come to for information all the time (like a web server) requires a number that stays the same all the time. That way, the other computers know where to go. If you are only making out going calls (surfing the net or email) you can have whatever number on your computer. If you are a business, or a hospital where people go for information you need the same number for a long period of time.
When I look people in the face, I don't seem to have that commanding presents you need to lead. However, when I write it seems to come out a bit more. All this information is going through email. I prefer writing to talking to someone face to face.

Candles at Work
No, you cannot burn candles at work. That would be a fire code violation or something I'm sure. However, women both sell and buy candles. They are those girlie candles that smell good, or have some other girlie attribute. Cynthia had one of these on her desk. It is this candle in a can thing that smells roughly vanilla and something. No one just buys candles, right? Anyway, I always walked up to her desk, pulled the lid off and sniffed the candle heavily. I would sit it back down and hide it behind something else on her desk. I'd say something stupid like "If I took that candle, you would never realize it."
Well, our move of offices recently includes a bunch of up-ity-ups moving in to the offices next to Cynthia's area. She got on a Look-Professional kick. The stuffed animals, the Muppets, 8-ball and this candle had to go. She brought it up to me this afternoon. I traded her some very thick and thus official looking PDB (Don't ask) manuals. The candle is burning as I type. It is smelling the whole place up in a good way. Thanks Cynthia.