[J. Stein]

I work as a project manager for a digital media company. I have been managing the automation of a sales force for a cable company for the last 2+ years. Right now I am managing 4 individual rollouts (projects) and the larger program they fall into. I spend maybe 30 hours a week on the phone, in meetings. I send and receive about 200 emails a day. I live by a computer.

This week, the company I work for migrated everyone from Microsoft Outlook to Lotus Notes. Putting aside personal preferences and familiarity, the two systems are probably about equal. I'm sure they both have their plusses and minuses, even if right now I can only see the plusses of Outlook.

The migration, however, has not been flawless. No technology project ever is, so I guess this is really about in line with what should have been expected. I guess. Doesn't help me.

For the past week, I have lost my calendar. I have no visibility into what meetings are coming. I cannot send meeting makers. I cannot accept or reject meetings other people send me. Now, this got resolved last night around 6 pm, but for most of the week, I was flying blind. Didn't love it.

For the past week, I was also without my contacts. So the only way I could email someone was if I opened Outlook, created an email, typed in the name and then retyped it into the Notes email. Then close the Outlook email shell (and tell it not to save as draft). It added 5 steps to something that didn't need 5 extra steps. And, mind you, I'm doing this about 100 times A DAY. This still hasn't been resolved and I have a feeling I'm just going to have to recreate my contact list in Notes (all 1412 contacts. That'll be a fun time).

For the past week, and going forward, I lost my email history. Its there in Outlook, but I can't access it in Notes. Querky, but in time it won't be a problem. Just not something I needed this week.

And the implementation itself had other issues. VPN was down, so I can't access the Notes client form home and changes made on the Webmail weren't propagating back to the client, so it was like throw-away.

It all combined to create a stressful week at work. And I rarely get stressed out about work. Rarely.

Add to all of this the World Cup, for which I leave... tomorrow. Not like that doesn't add 100 tasks to the list.

Add to all of that some home improvements that are going on right now and all the crap that has to go into that (not sure why I thought starting construction this week woudl be a good idea with everything else going on...).

I have no idea why I am posting this. Sometimes I write venting emails to put things in perspective. Usually I delete them. Never posted one before. I must be getting old and soft.


edit: not really a very bad week. just a bad week. nothing broke that can't be fixed.

[Freak36]

Aww, poor J. Stein. A good rant usually helps relieve stress anyways.

Enjoy yourself at Cup, I'm sure it'll be fun. Can't wait to watch you guys on the webcast next weekend.

[J. Stein]

Rants do help.
Figured I should do something before I took it out on the wrong person this weekend.

[danbob1088]

Should be a good time down there in Florida then!

Lotus Notes , always been more of a fan of Outlook. Hope things work out quickly with it.

[painter4life05]

I have often wondered what you do for a living I was going to say a Lawyer. That sucks man

[Seekey]

I feel your Lotus pain...we use it here at work and I cant stand it.

Ill ask around the office Im sure there is a way to import a mass list of contacts.

[sumorai]

Originally Posted by J. Stein

I have no idea why I am posting this. Sometimes I write venting emails to put things in perspective. Usually I delete them. Never posted one before. I must be getting old and soft.

Ditto.

Does this mean you lost emails that were sent to you this past week?

[p8ballz]

I'll bring you some meds to calm you down

[J. Stein]

I dont know. Some went into Outlook, some into Notes, but I can't say if others just disappeared.

I use a organizing paradigm called "Inbox Zero". Well, I use a hybrid form of Inbox Zero. And my inbox is all ****ed up. It's driving me nuts.

[badboyz21]

You need a hug, Mr. Stein.

[J. Stein]

No. I need my contact list.
And to get off this thing and get back to work.

[badboyz21]

oh...well I can't get you that, but I can give you a hug if you want. sorry.