CIRCLE WITH A DOT

@uvok Adults-only markers!

I had food.

Also, my glitter pens arrived.

I think I'm calm now.

I really hate myself when I'm in this state. Was on the phone, being told that some official documents would be forwarded automatically. And I went, "So you mean they will definitely not arrive since the place is run by dimwits?!"

I'm sure eating something will appease my inner hate machine.

@NexCarter @garra Compliance? Ist das sowas wie HR was es in "der Industrie" oder "der Wirtschaft" geben soll? Also, vom Hörensagen her...

To add even MORE frustration on the IT front: I thought "Fine, just gonna buy some new lab machines!"

We have a new contract with Lenovo. With the previous Dell contract that we had since forever, I could configure my shit to my liking. With Lenovo, I can choose between "cheap shitbox with 16GB RAM" or "very expensive RTX heating powerhouse". Great. Just great.

@garra I'll actually have to find out how this is formally handled on our end, as I'm not really aware of what the IT services are supposed to provide or where their authority actually ends, and how liable we are ourselves...

What pains me the most is having to replace computers that are too old for Win11 that have been doing their super specialized thing for years, because 1.) it takes time and work, and 2.) because 11 is pretty enshittified compared to 10...

To further fuel my frustration, we were just told our grades for yesterday's DFG evaluation, and our project, despite all the positive comments, only got a "very good" ("excellent" is the best grade), and one other project was axed. There's still a chance of the CRC getting funded, but this sucks...

All this effort, prep, and work, for something one can't really celebrate, and now we'll have to wait some months until we know our fate for certain...

@garra See my reply to Karb. I'll just make my own network, with outdated systems and hookers! What could possibly go wrong? Or rather, if it goes wrong, nobody can say that I affected any uni infrastructure in any way...

@karb A part of me just wants to use my tiny army of 5G hotspots to uncouple us from the internal network (which we were forced to do at one point when the university was hacked and all IT infrastructure was shut down).

@vogelchr I really hate those buttons though... When they're in the depressed position, they're off, and when it's turned on, they're flush with their bezel. Exactly contrary to how one would expect it...

(But they're also in no danger of being pressed by accident by sitting in that corner, so the jar lid isn't really doing much hard work there.)

I often wish we had an actual IT department that would support us instead of just going around saying "You can't use Windows 10!" and then walking off, since it's not their problem if the respective equipment doesn't work anymore or can't be remotely accessed.

After such a long day (went straight to bed when I got home), one should probably take it easy.

But no, gotta put returning, fixed things into other things so the entire thing works, while searching for suspected helium leaks, and stabbing colleagues with a screwdriver.

Whew... That was one long day...

But we made it, and initial feedback is 100% positive. Let's hope this means that our CRC will receive a final funding period (and thus pay for our new PhD student).

Time for some well-deserved free food.

And if a referee asks about something you have on slide 2 of 5 million: Just go to your fucking laptop and bring up that slide. Don't reverse through a zillion slides with animations sweet jeebus...

Pro tip from a veteran of (a thousand psychic wars) past evaluations: If there are only a few sandwiches left and some referees are still sandwichless: Don't gobble them up like some undergrads ffs...

Arriving stupidly early, waiting for things to happen.

My mobile rings, a person from the neighboring group back at work. The courier is there to pick up a package, and there's nobody there.

Guess my colleague didn't manage to be there at 8 like I asked him to. Grmpf.