On the Road

Finally back to work! Ha -- surprised, aren't you? I shipped off to Chicago on Sunday and I've been working like a one-armed paper-hanger. The manager/salesperson for the client apparently told them that they'd have ALL the forms they needed (including data design and loading existing data) in three days.

"Oh, M said that that form would take only two days."

Well, I thought, M is speaking out his ass. He had NO IDEA how complicated or uncompliated the form was, and what was necessary. There were no requirements, and still no SOW. But, it is gloriously wonderful that the end-user actually knows what they want. Unlike my previous client, who just made things up as they went along and changed from one day to the next, this user has put in a lot of effort to make sure that they have what they need, can articulate what they want, and is willing to work to make it happen. I'm pretty shocked, I tell you. Shocked, in a good way. The long days are a bit tiring, though. The primary manager (who is also the reports developer here) wants a lot of handholding, but hasn't taken the hint yet that I can't finish if he continues to interrupt me. He's such a nice guy, though. I keep trying to tell him that I'll walk through everything when the first draft is done and we'll talk about it, but that if he keeps asking me for help right now (on unrelated things, including installing Forms on his laptop), I'll never finish what he needs. But, it's going well.

I pulled/strained/broke something when I was hoofing it through the airport in Chicago (after a 1 1/2 hour delay sitting on the tarmac and the craziness of landing at O'Hare at midnight) that feels like a serious, horrible, world-class charley horse in my left calf. My first thought: DVT! Ack! Blood clots! But it appears that this is actually just a strain or something (at least I haven't dropped dead yet). Add this to the still-cranky achilles tendon problem in the other foot I've had since we were in Ireland, and I'm pretty gimpy.

Which adds to the back pain. I don't think I've felt this OLD in a long time. I am quite literally devolving into a knuckle-dragging whiner as we speak. Hotel bed, the worst office chair, and sitting at the computer all day....see? Whining. I take about two minutes to straighten up when I stand up, and even then, it's not really upright. I may have to sleep on the floor tonight.
They should be insulating the basement as I am writing this -- the Adorable Husband has promised to send on pictures so I can update things and show you what it look slike once it actually has walls!