I have this new job, kay, I've only done one day so far but I really enjoyed it and was looking forward to going back. It's as a substitute EA at a jr. high school with special needs kids. It's a great program with a great staff and really great kids. I worked one day and then it was spring break.

Here's how it works: I register on the automated system and then I get a phone call between 6am and 8am letting me know that they need a sub that day. Sounds simple enough.

Well, first I had trouble even registering on the system. You're supposed to use your employee number for both the sign-in name and the password, and then once you're on the system you can change your password. It wouldn't accept my employee number. Called the help desk and left a message. DIdn't get back to me. Tried again. And again. Nothing. Tried again an hour later and it worked. Strange, but whatever, and I never did get a call back from the help desk.

So, yesterday after not getting a call all week I thought I should just check my profile and make sure I had the right settings and schedule to receive phone calls, maybe *I* had set up something wrong? The system wouldn't let me on. I tried a variation of my new password. Nope. I tried every variation I could think of. Nope. Now, not being the most brilliant person at remembering passwords or security questions (see here for an example) I looked around for a "password help" button to have my password sent to me, but no button. I called the help desk and left a message. I refreshed the page to try again and lo and behold! it took me to a completely different sign-in page! What the what?! So I asked for password help and it sent my password to my inbox. Well, look at that, it was exactly the same password that I'd just been trying! Punched it in the new page and voila! I was in. All my settings were correct, so I assumed it's because everyone's just had a week off that no one is taking time off. Three hours later the help desk lady calls me back.

Now, this morning. 6:30am I get a phone call. Hooray! Daryl gets to the phone before I do (I got tangled up in the curtain trying to retrieve my glasses from the window ledge...) and passes it to me. I dutifully enter my employee number and it asks for my password. I confidently enter it. Invalid. What? I enter my employee number as maybe the phone system hasn't caught up to the online system. Invalid. I enter my password again. It hangs up on me! I madly get to the computer to see if there's a way I can accept the job online. Everything works for once and I do a job search and there it is! The job I've just received a call for and would love to accept, but I can't accept online because the system is doing calls, so try again later.

ARRRRGGHH!

I call the help desk. I get the answering machine and don't even bother leaving a message. By the time she gets back to me it'll be too late. I check online again, the job is still posted so I search frantically for a way to accept it online. Can't find anything. Check again, the job is gone. It's been accepted by someone else who the system actually likes.

How frustrating. Daryl and I head back to bed where I lie awake at the point of tears. I FINALLY get a call and I can't accept it!

Please, please, please automated system, can you just get things together so I can go to work?