What frustrates me most

[mapsedge]

What frustrates me most about my partner (DataGuy) here at work is that he live constantly within the situation of Buridan's ass*, which is to say that he is indecisive. 

* Buridan's Ass, or the "rational donkey", refers to a paradoxical situation wherein an ass, placed exactly in the middle between two stacks of hay of equal size and quality, will starve to death since it cannot make any rational decision to start eating one rather than the other.

DataGuy is, by and large, my controller.  He prioritizes the work I do day to day because he is the one who takes client phone calls and therefore knows which clients need the most attention on any given day at any given hour.

We have two hot projects at the moment.  Both are billable.  Both are mid-process.  Both are due at the end of the month.  I came to a stopping point on Project 1, turned it over to the client for approval, and moved back to Project 2.

I'm spinning plates, that's all.  Progress on one, turn it over to the client.  Progress on two, turn it over to the client.  Lather.  Rinse.  Repeat.

DataGuy is of the opinion that we should go ahead and assume approval on Project 1, finish it and publish it to their website.  I agree (typically, this client never moves forward without a push), but there's no harm in letting them wait.

I wait for fifteen minutes while he looks at both projects on the to-do list.  Both billable.  Both mid-process.  Which one to work on, which one, which one...

I'm going to work on Two, I says.

Wait, One is billable, he says.

So is Two, I says.

Yeah, but..., he says.

I've been cooling my heels for a quarter of an hour that I could have been making progress, I want to say, but don't.  Instead I say, I'm going to work on Two.

Quote for the day: Do not mistake "talking" for "action."

Comments

[jehosefatz.livejournal.com]

I apply the same logic that applies at 4-way stop signs if you hit the sign at the same time as somebody else: the one on the right has right of way. Alternately you can apply the solution to mazes: tear the hem out of your robe, tie it to something and start walking in circles around his desk while it unravels until he chokes.

Then work on the one you want to work on.

Oddly enough, both donkeys and mules are generally a lot smarter than they get credit for being. Much smarter than horses, for example.

- Jeho

[emeder.livejournal.com]

That's correct unless you cross the state line. In Kansas the one on the left goes first (which I didn't know until last month, eek). In that case, I can understand the confusion when you don't know what the rules are. However, not knowing is not applicable in Bill's situation.;)

incorrect

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

Someone was having you on, then...

Kansas Driver's License book, page 20, heading "Right-of-Way", item #2:

"When two vehicles enter an intersection from different roadways at approximately the same time the driver on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right"

Re: incorrect

[emeder.livejournal.com]

Then someone needs to change the KS state driver's license test. I had to change my license over to KS from MO and my husband had to renew his. It's an open book test and he mentioned that that was one of the questions and the guide that they had there, and the test concurred, said that the right-of-way vehicle is the one on the left. Perhaps I should call them so that they can fix that? Funny thing is, him being a KS renewal and me being a newbie, I didn't have to take the test.*chuckle* Not looking forward to having to start to do that; just gums up the works for renewal. At least in MO, once you pass, and don't let it lapse, you never have to take it again.

Re: incorrect

[jehosefatz.livejournal.com]

Most of my driving career has been in KS and MO and I just treated them the same way... although I don't recall ever having that question on a test. Fortunately, Oregon has the same rule.

In Turkey whoever is the largest has the right of way regardless of when they approach. This applies to intersections, lane changes, driving on the sidewalk, crosswalks... pretty much everywhere. I like that rule, in general, (especially the driving on the sidewalk part) but only if it applies to the size of the occupants of the vehicles and not the vehicles themselves. I win most of those fights.

But alas, while I am large my car it is small. Much is the saddity.

- Jeho

Re: incorrect

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

I think perhaps the way the rule is quoted, someone might find it easy to read it incorrectly.

Inasmuch as what I quoted was from the KDOT web site, and one might conjecture that it is the current correct information, that information being in concert with most if not all current states in the union, that the likelihood of a misunderstanding or misinterpretation is far greater than all of the current documentation being incorrect, advising drivers that they should yiled to the left...

But that's just Me :)

We are also speaking of Kansas, where as long as you keep it between the ditches and the police can see you are wearing your seat belt - anything goes.

[brotherwilliam.livejournal.com]

Does his PC boot up to a favorite game ? I used to work for one like that.
He SWORE he NEVER played that game...and yet Autoexec.bat read:
"cd\games\CHESS.EXE"

May he rot in his own bucket of indecision.

bw