Well, I missed the first round of lay-offs in payroll.  The AMA was true to her word.  She said that she would terminate those who didn't find things to do.  The two who were laid off were at a bit of a disadvantage because they worked the late shift, and it is harder to get engaged in something.  They were young, not self-starters.  I had to look to find things to do, and I was close to running out of things to do when it was decided that the new procedure of storing bundles of time sheets in boxes wasn't acceptable, and that they would have to be filed in individual employee folders.  There are about 4500 time sheets a week, and the file drawers are rapidly filling up, so I should have plenty to do.  I actually filed all day yesterday without feeling like I was in the 7th circle of hell.  We'll see how it goes as the week progresses.  After a few days of filing, it gets old.  But, every day is a new experience there. 

Yesterday was a big day for field operations.  They had been working with only 2 or 3 terminals to scan in census forms, but yesterday they had 13 terminals to use from 6 AM until 11 PM.  The program ran much faster than it had before.  There was still some waiting time involved between scanning and input, but it was seconds, not 20 minutes or more.  By the way, the entire form is not input in the local office.  The form is scanned in, and 4 items are entered.  The actual input of data takes place in another location.  This process simply logs in receipt of the form before shipping to the input site.

So, yesterday, everyone is working away.  Payroll is being input, and census forms are being scanned, when we had a partial power outtage.  Most of the computers and half of the lights went down.  It also affected the bank across the street.  One of our employees got a call from her daughter who works at the bank.  She was locked inside the vault.  It's not the first time that it's happened.  It only lasted about 30 minutes, fortunately.  It felt a little like we were in a third-world country where electricity is not dependable. 

When they asked for volunteers to work until 11 o'clock inputting forms, I did not volunteer.  I went home at 5 o'clock. 

Well, guess I'd better get ready for work.  It's time, as Julia Roberts's character said to her dad in Steel Magnolias.