babbling blue

Last week at work, everyone got an email from the company about accidental calls to 911. Apparently the city’s 911 center has complained that they are getting 911 calls from us, and people frequently hang up when they realize they’ve dialed the wrong number. This results in them having to call back and–if they receive no response or voice mail–dispatch someone here to make sure everything is OK (or so they claim). The email asks us to be careful when dialing and to stay on the line and explain that we mis-dialed if we do call 911 by mistake.

What I want to know is, what genius decided it would be a good idea for most corporate phone systems to require users to dial 9-1 to get an outside line and make a long distance call?! After that, it’s a simple slip of the finger to hit another 1 by mistake. I’m sure there was a reason for this choice–and I’m too lazy/busy to research it–but honestly, what do they expect? It’s going to happen.

Also what makes people think it’s ok to hit/bang on my cubicle wall when they walk past? For my first 10 months or so here, I had a window seat. It was nice! Now I am in a terrible location; I’m on an aisle outside the print/copy room and across from the drinking fountain (the water from which tastes like it came out of a rusty bucket, so I use a different one). And people walk past and tap on my wall. I guess they think it’s a friendly greeting or something, but it annoys the shit out of me (and often startles me too). Knock it off!

Oh and I got a promotion.