WWTBAM Bored

I am battling it out with a case of bronchitis - it's been with me for five days and even the medication prescribed by the doctor hasn't done much except make the coughing less deep. This doesn't bode well for choir rehearsal this evening - we're starting on Faure's Requiem, which will be our Lenten performance. I normally sing baritone but now I'm guessing I could be a basso profundo - if I could sing the right notes.

I'm also caught up in a snafu with our IT support people - the "most efficient organization" about which I've complained before. Over the weekend one of the sites that I rely on to pull data for reports and data calls (known as "Army Business Intelligence") upgraded its version of the software. I logged on Monday and was told that I had to install a new version of Java Virtual Machine in order to access the system. I downloaded the JVM and tried to install it, only to be told that I didn't have the rights to do so (which I suspected would be the case). I then called ACE-IT (the organization) and requested it be installed. The person with whom I spoke said that he wasn't aware that this was "an authorized application within USACE" (Corps of Engineers) and would have to refer the request up the chain of command. Yesterday I get a call from someone else in the organization, who basically said the same thing. I told him that this was unacceptable because that system is an Army system and I, as well as many others, use it a great deal. He apologized but was firm - it has to be approved from higher up. So I'm still not able to access the system and I have several data calls to answer.

Welcome to the wonderful world of bureaucracy. Well, being in govt you are already there, as well you know.

I myself used to work for a super-efficient, turn-on-a-dime dept. We prided ourselves on our dime-turns. Whoop! Regime Change! Whoop! Same dept, but now nothing can happen without being passed under the eyes of a long chain of higher-up-beings, in writing, in triplicate. Well, in the computerized form of triplicate. And then passed, eventually, back to the people who are going to do it anyway.

February is the suckiest month for lungs. Last year I had pneumonia. This year, the kids are picking up various wonderful bugs, and Rain Man and Erin both had something that had the wettest, rattliest cough as a symptom. Rain Man's cough got a bit better, but he developed strep throat along the way. Erin told me "I'm a coughing machine" this morning, but she is improving, finally, after 10 days. No infection, thankfully. Stephen had the flu three weeks ago, and Mini-me is home still today, but greatly improved. I just didn't want him to go in and have to come back halfway through the day.

His best friend's sister was in the hospital for a week. Something caused her to lose vision in one eye, and they did a spinal tap on her. I haven't found out what the results were since he's been home and I don't want to call the family until he goes back and asks his friend if she's home yet.