I have had a day. Just after I got started with an eight-hour scoring shift, I had a system problem that kept me from seeing the essays my raters had scored. Checking their scores is 50% (at least) of what I do when I'm monitoring, so that was bad. I got that squared away. When I returned from my lunch break, I wasn't able to log on to the network. I had to close out and retry three times. I loathe Firefox, but unfortunately I have to use it for certain scoring programs. (I'm currently using my old computer and updating it, but I'll get to that.) Never once did it occur to me that any of these issues had to do with my computer; I just thought the system was glitching, as it sometimes does.
Mid-afternoon, my computer began to be sluggish. Again, I figured it was a network problem or the scoring platform. Why would I think there was a problem with my computer? It's barely two years old. By the end of my shift, clicking score points was taking forever, and I started to realize the problem was, in fact, on my computer. It's been acting weird ever since my forced Windows 10 installation. When my shift ended, I tried to turn off the computer. I chose "Update and Shut Down". Nothing happened. I thought maybe I hadn't clicked the right thing, so I tried again. Still nothing. I turned it off manually and ran out to meet a student who had asked to talk with me about her grade.
When I got home, I turned on my computer. Nothing. Completely blank screen. Well, it wasn't completely blank: I could see the cursor in the middle of the screen. I kept pushing buttons. Literally nothing happened. I turned it off. And on. And off. And on. I thought about throwing it but decided that probably wouldn't help, so instead I pulled out my most-recent old computer, the pink one I love but whose port was damaged. It just wouldn't charge or stay on. Oddly, though, the plug for my new computer seems to work on the pink one. It's charging now and staying on. This is very good. I'm working six hours tomorrow, and while I'm not thrilled to spend half my Saturday on the computer, I did put in the availability and don't want to cancel, even though I was scheduled at the last minute.
In the midst of all the computer craziness, today -- for the first time ever -- a rater became confrontation with me regarding my feedback. He was a total jerk! As soon as I got off the phone with him, I sent the program coordinator an email with the rater's identifying information and what he had said to me, and I also called the company. I'm not putting up with that shit! And in a rather passive-aggressive move, after the phone call in which he was being an asshole, he kept putting responses into a queue where I'd have to advise him on them. I never mind helping raters on my roster -- but this guy was doing it (I'm pretty sure) just to be a smart-ass. I guess the joke will be on him; my scoring company really likes me, as do virtually all my raters, so it's pretty likely this guy will not be scheduled much or at all after his shenanigans today.
Rarely have I been so glad to have a day over with. I'm really hoping "Ol' Pinky" holds out over night and into tomorrow. So far, so good. She's actually holding a charge! Eventually I'll get my newer computer repaired, but with my class ending in less than a week and more scoring tomorrow and Monday, I won't have time for a while. It's not even 9:00, but I think I'm going to bed -- with hopes that tomorrow is a better day. Here's my wish list, just in case anyone's listening who can grant it: no computer problems, no obnoxious raters, and the ability to access the papers I need to post for my current and upcoming classes. Is that too much to ask for?
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