Listening: "I'm a Fool" by Letters to Cleo, "Boogie Shoes" by KC and the Sunshine Band, "Superfreak" by Rick James, "Here I go Again" by Whitesnake

Reading (perhaps quality): Still with From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman

Reading (definitely pulp): Nothing.

Drinking: Iced Tea.

August 13, 2003
on and off all day

Had another fire drill here at work. Actually they haven't been drills so much as smoke alarm malfunctions. Since we've had several in the last few months they're an annoying part of the routine - the siren starts, you hear people swear under their breath, everyone grabs their bags, and we start to troop down the stairs. Movement on the stairs is pretty slow but people have started getting better at sorting themselves into slow and fast lanes - the first few times down I thought I would have to deck a couple of slow women from the fourth floor. Then we have to all meet up at a park a couple of blocks away. This morning I'd been at the office for about 45 minutes before the alarm went off so I hadn't changed from my walk-to-the-metro attire of tank top, work pants, and flip-flops. I mean here on the fifth floor no one from my office sees me but Matt, I'm decently covered, and the catalogers only come in to talk to me when the plants need watering. And while I was happy to be out in a tank top in the early morning humidity I did feel bad for being so casual. Note to self - first change clothes then check e-mail.

Got an e-mail today from a fellow SIM(S)ian where she mentioned how she misses the collaborative working environment there. Oh God, I know what she's talking about. I love my coworkers but I do miss the people I worked with in school and the feeling at the place where usability was the most important goal and politics was relatively removed. I miss bouncing test ideas and analysis off of other people - there's just little time for that here and everyone's projects are so different it's hard to offer a helpful analysis. I've done this kind of work for a while now and while I love seeing the real world results of my work, I do miss the freedom and political isolation more research-y bits.

Finished the analysis of the first sets of user test from a few weeks ago. Results were interesting though nothing shocking. I'm so glad to be doing testing and analysis on a regular basis again - for a while most of my Usability work here was writing and teaching/ lecturing but I really missed being a practitioner. What I really need to do is brush up on my skills (particularly interviewing) the temptation to jump into silent moments and start talking is great, and unfortunately quiet comes a lot with the people I've been using as test participants. But they've all been great - patient with me, and with detailed thoughtful comments on the sites. Re-read some work on writing reports that people listen to - the whole bit about emphasizing the positive and couching the negative in a way that shows what can be done. So I think I've come up with something that's both diplomatic and unflinching - another sideways coup on my part I hope.

Doing (life and related tasks): Working. A lot.

Doing (crafty stuff): Finishing some embroidery projects from a while back.

Wanting: More hours in the day.

Anticipating: Getting out of town this weekend.