Re: TELECOMMUTING

Subject: Re: TELECOMMUTING
From: Stuart Burnfield <slb -at- FS -dot- COM -dot- AU>
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 1995 11:44:59 +0800

Pam Owen opined:

> ... I sometimes yearn for the good ole "snow days" or whatever
> "ligitimate" excuses I find not to work.

My wife used to work at a Catholic primary school. The principal would
turn a blind eye if a teacher took a very occasional "mental". A mental
was when there was no physical reason for you not to turn up to work --
you just had to have a day off or go crazy.

> I don't get paid when I don't work, I find it hard to say no to
> my neighbors who aren't telecommuting (and thus staying home during a snow
> storm), and who want me to join them in a snowball battle or in nestling up
> in front of roaring fire, popcorn in hand, to watch a video.

I've never nestled up in front of the fire with my neighbours, but it
does sound like fun. Pity it doesn't snow here.

> ...I was one of those "my dog ate my homework" people in school. ;~

When I worked at a Social Security office, people would put in duplicate
forms if the original was lost or damaged. One person's form was eaten
by snails in the letter box. Someone else's had been 3/4 eaten by mice.
They'd thoughtfully stapled the remains of the original to the copy,
with a couple of authentic mouse poos still stuck to it 8^\

ObTelecommuting:

Small kids can be a problem. Children between about 18 months and 4 years
don't understand why Mum or Dad can't come out and play. It's worse if
you get calls from customers or other outsiders -- you're pretending to
be in the offices of a mega-corporation and your two year old is hammering
on the door and shrieking "Daddeeeee!!!" A few years ago when we were a
four person shop, this happened to my boss. He was on the phone to an IBM
manager in the U.S. trying to reassure them that we were a solid outfit.

Anecdotally yours
---
Stuart Burnfield (slb -at- fs -dot- com -dot- au) Voice: +61 9 328 8288
Functional Software Fax: +61 9 328 8616
PO Box 192
Leederville, Western Australia, 6903


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