weekly writing assignment

So I decided to hop back on the MamaKat bandwagon this week, because there was such a great email fiasco at work today, I just had to share.

We have 5 shared computer stations at work, where you have to log-on and off. Every so often, somebody forgets to log off and leaves their account open. Which isn't really a big deal, since there isn't any classified info on the computer or anything -- just staff schedules, patient schedules, email, stuff like that. What makes it a big deal is that if you leave your account open, you leave yourself open for email pranks.

For instance, once everyone in the department got an email from "Doug" saying that he had decided he is the most important person at work and he wants a heated parking space next to the door and a $10,000 a year raise immediately. Somebody else invited everyone to a book club at her house, this month's selection "The Kama Sutra". You get the picture.

Anyway, we all got a real email from the infection control coordinator today with an update on the swine flu and just general info about hand washing and universal precautions and all that.

Later, at lunch, I was complaining about the heating/cooling system at work. It's always on automatic which means that cool air blows out of the vents until the temperature gets too cold and then it switches over to hot air blowing out of the vents until it gets too hot and then cold air blows out of the vents and on and on.

"Why can't we just have NO air blowing out of anywhere?" I asked. "Today, it'd be a perfect 67-74 degrees if the system just broke down and we just, say, turned on a fan!" I had spent the entire morning putting on a sweater and taking off the sweater and putting on the sweater and taking off the sweater... "I feel like I'm going through menopause or something, here!"

"Uh-oh" Doug said "Do you have the cold sweats? "

"yes, I do"

"Are you lethargic and cranky?"

"More so than usual, yes."

"I think you may have the swine flu. You should go home immediately and quarantine yourself"

Then, apparently, Kim left her account open.

That afternoon, everyone in the department learned that "Uh-oh, Heather has the swine flu"

And even later, we got an email reprimand from the hospital director to "please refrain from sending jokes through facility emails, especially jokes of a sensitive nature."

I'm going to quarantine myself now.