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It's just one of those days!

9/4/2013

9 Comments

 
I should’ve realised the day was off to a bad start with the cold shower. That was the first clue.
The power’s gone off. I’d better go and have another word with those boys upstairs – they’ve been unwittingly tripping the power by using a faulty light switch.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” says the landlord, “There’s no power in the street today from 8am till 2pm.”
That information would’ve been handy - if I had it the day before.
I check the time: 8.30am. I’m meant to be online for my weekly course webinar at 9am, ready to do an online PowerPoint presentation. 
I’m not actually panicking at this stage, though; as a Toastmaster I’ve got my back up Plan B (I fortuitously printed my presentation notes the night before). But even Toastmasters couldn’t have prepared me for this particular challenge: no electricity.

Plan C
The laptop - although I realise my PowerPoint presentation is on the desktop computer (the one without power). Clue #2. 
Still no need to panic. I’m prepared enough to do my presentation without the PowerPoint file.
8.45am. As the laptop fires up I notice the battery level: 40% power remaining, about 1.5 hours. It’s going to be close. Clue #3.
I could’ve called my course facilitator at this stage and bailed on the webinar. 
“I’m running late due to an unexpected power outage,” I say instead, “but I’ll be online shortly.”

9.10am. Pretty good effort, I think. What’s that saying about persistence pays off? 
“Err, can I go first with my presentation,” I ask, watching my battery level drop below 30%. Just over an hour, at best.
We amble unhurriedly through assessment tasks, questions and other study discussions which chew up the next hour and my battery power.
Relegated to second in line for the online presentation, I launch into my 10-minute spiel around 10.05am, with 15 minutes of power supply remaining. Clue #4.
No need to rush though – nothing worse than powering through a presentation at breakneck speed. 

And that’s how my presentation –

…ended abruptly. 

Halfway through my talk, the laptop simply blinked off. 
Oh well, I’d warned them repeatedly about my battery situation.

My only concern was how to spend the next 4-5 hours without access to power: no computer, no kettle to make a cuppa, or throw a load of washing on.
Picture
Image: David Castillo / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
10 things to do when you’ve got no electricity
1.  Sit on the deck and gaze out at the ocean
2.  Read a book
3.  Clean your jewellery
4.  Listen to choir instructional songs on your MP3 player
5.  Go to the library
6.  Have a coffee down the street
7.  Go grocery shopping
8.  Have a nap
9.  Tidy up
10.  Go for a walk
A highly productive day, really.

Of course, had I known about the scheduled power outage in advance, I would’ve transferred my PowerPoint presentation across to the laptop and charged up the battery.
But sometimes, you have one of those days where no matter what you do, you just can’t fix the unexpected challenge. Perhaps it’s best to ignore that erroneous adage about persisting or ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try again’… 
It would at least have saved me a lot of unnecessary frustration!

Have you had one of those days when everything just gets worse, no matter what you do?


Related post: Sorry, I'd like to thank you

9 Comments
robbie link
9/4/2013 02:33:47 pm

Wow what an amazingly productive day. I think self care was part of the plan from the begining but your didn't know it at the time your sub conscious took over control once you lost power Good Stuff congrats what a simply powerless day.

Reply
Hari Kotrotsios
9/4/2013 02:54:02 pm

Indeed, Robbie. The only way to keep myself away from the computer all day is through an enforced power outage! It's amazing what you can still do even with no electricity.

Reply
you know who
10/4/2013 12:11:03 am

no 11. slap that doofus upstairs around the head and shoulders with the laptop, no power required! oops sorry hari !

Reply
Hari Kotrotsios
10/4/2013 03:32:19 am

Hi you know who! No, I don't use my laptop to slap people around, no matter how frustrating the situation. I've since charged up the battery, so it's ready to go in the event of another power outage. But some advance notice would be most appreciated!

Reply
Peter Nolan link
10/4/2013 11:46:27 pm

Bad day for a presentation, Hari. I had one that was perhaps worse. As the military communications-electronics specialist at our embassy in Washington, I was requested to provide a briefing to a rather large group of senior officers at the Pentagon. Topic? Australia's proposed new satellite system. Source of presentation? Canberra. Did it arrive in the diplomatic bag as promised? No. Quick phone call to Canberra. Sorry, do it anyway. Scratch head. Hastily make up a few OHP slides (No Power Point in 1982). Go to Pentagon and wing it. Result? No one seemed to notice, and the discussion quickly turned to how the proposed Australian system might fit in with the rapidly-expanding US satellite network. Sigh of relief and gracious acceptance of invitation to lunch. Several beers to steady nerves. Still have the odd nightmare about it. Cheers. P

Reply
Hari Kotrotsios
11/4/2013 08:24:26 am

Excellent thinking on your feet, Peter! As we say in Toastmasters, as long as you look and sound confident, the audience doesn't know that you're winging it!! Well deserved beers, by the sound of it. I know a good psychologist if those nightmares persist...

Reply
Peter Nolan
11/4/2013 09:13:29 am

I've already had the treatment. Nightmares now more colourful. P

Robbie Murray
12/7/2013 01:17:32 pm

Wow Hari don't do that to us, becoming hermitised it doesn't suit us!
But do like the idea of coffee in at your place and yes the view is a little hard to get use to. Sounds like the ideal relationship though, slopping aroud in P.J's whilst brewing up a coffee staring out the window as time goes bye and still the world is at your finger tips when you want it. Yes I think I'll copy your existance.
Take care my friend I'll see you in cyberspace soon

Reply
Hari Kotrotsios
13/7/2013 09:45:39 am

I highly recommend the lifestyle, Robbie.

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