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elanya at 12:48pm on 26/02/2005
elanya at 12:48pm on 26/02/2005Well.. Less so now, but I am still quite annoyed.
It seems like there is some sort of conspiracy between mechanical objects and unsupported ECU services to thwart my every effort today.
I am tired and possibly a little sick and grumpy to start with... Although I didn't realize it until after I was already on the way to school. I wanted to find that microfilm so I could look at it and assess its usefulness this weekend, and print some stuff to read later. First, I had to *find* the fucking thing. I'm sure I've already mentioned that it isn't in the catalogue. And it isn't. I had to get the call numbers from Carl, and either he gave them to me wrong or has them written down wrong himself, or I am some sort of borderline dyslexic. nevertheless, I *did* manage to find them. There was one roll that I knoew would have stuff on it that I wanted, and one that might. So I tried to load the first roll on the machine... it wouldn't go. I switched machines, thinking that might be the problem, but nothing. I tried the other, less useful roll, and it was no problem at all.... it's just the roll. Of *course* the one that I need is a bitch to get to fucking work. And then, once I had it loaded on one machine, I realized that the only one that I could actually print stuff from was the first one I tried. Which means that even after I finally got the right roll loaded, I have to unload it, and go back, and go through that all over again. It isn *not* any easier the second time. It requires a lot of swearing... By this time, having had to hunt through half the microfiche and film to find it in the first place, and the loading issues, I am pretty surly.
I start skimming. Did I mention that these are filmed versions of handwritten copies of PRO records, but that none of them have an index? So I have to try and find stuff by finding the years I think might be useful, and skimming for key words that might indicate useful stuff. Bah. Piss me off... The volumes that are printed are indexed... Grr. Anyway, I find some stuff in July 1716. I start printing.
To print stuff, you basically use your student id (one card) as a photocopy debit card. You buy debits on a machine elsewhere. The card readers will spit out your card (or are supposed to) if you aren't actually printing anything after about, oh, 30 seconds. It's kind of annoying, but I suppose the purpose is that you won't forget your card. Well. I was trying to get something aligned properly, and the machine turned *off* instead of spitting out my card. I was afraid it was going to be stuck... I pressed the 'end' button, which is the one to get your card back. It gave it back, but now it won't read it. not on that machine, or on any of the others in the library. they aren't even the same kind of machine. I have about 8$ of photocopy credit on the card.
I took it up to the circulation peple, but they are fucking clueless cows. They don't even seem to understand that my problem is with the card readers, not the microfilm machine. "We don't deal with the machines down in the basement." have you ever even fucking been there, you stupid cow? Because then you might have a clue. I did say that none of the card readers would accept it, but that didn't seem to penetrate through the layers of hideous makeup she had plastered on her face. Useless. She asked her supervisor, who was equally dim and useless. Their recommendation was that I ask the government documents people, who run that area, and open at one. How much sense does that make? I would ask the photocopy center people, but that aren't open at *all* on the weekends. How much sense does that even make? None. Fucking retarded *system*! Fuck!
I am swearing a lot. But have I mentioned that on top of this, I can't log on to the system I need (Blackboard) to print out my assignment for Tuesday, or the midterm study guide for my arch class? Grrr... I sent in a report thingy, and of course, true to (useless) form, I haven't heard anything back.
This is not the most coherent rant. Oh, yes, and I am not going out with the ladies tonight afterall, because they are too busy. This is true, but still, well, in my curent mood, unwelcome news. Still, there is a party toight anyway, if anyone actually goes to these things, and maybe I can fool myself into thinking it will be entertaining.
At this point, I am too pissy to go back to the library and see if, by some small miuracle, the gov. docs people actually know anything about the card readers. I don't want to have to fight the microfilm again. I'm going to go home, and nap, and bake quishe. Meh.
It seems like there is some sort of conspiracy between mechanical objects and unsupported ECU services to thwart my every effort today.
I am tired and possibly a little sick and grumpy to start with... Although I didn't realize it until after I was already on the way to school. I wanted to find that microfilm so I could look at it and assess its usefulness this weekend, and print some stuff to read later. First, I had to *find* the fucking thing. I'm sure I've already mentioned that it isn't in the catalogue. And it isn't. I had to get the call numbers from Carl, and either he gave them to me wrong or has them written down wrong himself, or I am some sort of borderline dyslexic. nevertheless, I *did* manage to find them. There was one roll that I knoew would have stuff on it that I wanted, and one that might. So I tried to load the first roll on the machine... it wouldn't go. I switched machines, thinking that might be the problem, but nothing. I tried the other, less useful roll, and it was no problem at all.... it's just the roll. Of *course* the one that I need is a bitch to get to fucking work. And then, once I had it loaded on one machine, I realized that the only one that I could actually print stuff from was the first one I tried. Which means that even after I finally got the right roll loaded, I have to unload it, and go back, and go through that all over again. It isn *not* any easier the second time. It requires a lot of swearing... By this time, having had to hunt through half the microfiche and film to find it in the first place, and the loading issues, I am pretty surly.
I start skimming. Did I mention that these are filmed versions of handwritten copies of PRO records, but that none of them have an index? So I have to try and find stuff by finding the years I think might be useful, and skimming for key words that might indicate useful stuff. Bah. Piss me off... The volumes that are printed are indexed... Grr. Anyway, I find some stuff in July 1716. I start printing.
To print stuff, you basically use your student id (one card) as a photocopy debit card. You buy debits on a machine elsewhere. The card readers will spit out your card (or are supposed to) if you aren't actually printing anything after about, oh, 30 seconds. It's kind of annoying, but I suppose the purpose is that you won't forget your card. Well. I was trying to get something aligned properly, and the machine turned *off* instead of spitting out my card. I was afraid it was going to be stuck... I pressed the 'end' button, which is the one to get your card back. It gave it back, but now it won't read it. not on that machine, or on any of the others in the library. they aren't even the same kind of machine. I have about 8$ of photocopy credit on the card.
I took it up to the circulation peple, but they are fucking clueless cows. They don't even seem to understand that my problem is with the card readers, not the microfilm machine. "We don't deal with the machines down in the basement." have you ever even fucking been there, you stupid cow? Because then you might have a clue. I did say that none of the card readers would accept it, but that didn't seem to penetrate through the layers of hideous makeup she had plastered on her face. Useless. She asked her supervisor, who was equally dim and useless. Their recommendation was that I ask the government documents people, who run that area, and open at one. How much sense does that make? I would ask the photocopy center people, but that aren't open at *all* on the weekends. How much sense does that even make? None. Fucking retarded *system*! Fuck!
I am swearing a lot. But have I mentioned that on top of this, I can't log on to the system I need (Blackboard) to print out my assignment for Tuesday, or the midterm study guide for my arch class? Grrr... I sent in a report thingy, and of course, true to (useless) form, I haven't heard anything back.
This is not the most coherent rant. Oh, yes, and I am not going out with the ladies tonight afterall, because they are too busy. This is true, but still, well, in my curent mood, unwelcome news. Still, there is a party toight anyway, if anyone actually goes to these things, and maybe I can fool myself into thinking it will be entertaining.
At this point, I am too pissy to go back to the library and see if, by some small miuracle, the gov. docs people actually know anything about the card readers. I don't want to have to fight the microfilm again. I'm going to go home, and nap, and bake quishe. Meh.
bitchy