# Why am I here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 9, 2018, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510 "2018-02-09T13:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/1 "2018-02-09T13:33:12Z")
No, the question isn’t meant in a cosmic sense as in, “What is my place in the universe?” It means, “Why the hell was I asked to risk my life driving through a snow storm to get to work in order to provide tech support for an empty building?” Because of this major storm, school was called off last night at around 6 PM. Unfortunately, though there are no teachers or children or administrators here today, “All support personnel must report.” Now, I can understand why maintenance has to be here. There are the boilers to keep an eye on and a massive amount of plowing and snow shoveling to do to make the place accessible for Monday. But me? I am the technical support Help Desk. My job is to respond to tickets and phone calls asking for assistance. There is NO ONE HERE. Who is going to call me?! Argh!! :smack: Okay, I’m done. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/2 "2018-02-09T13:42:41Z")
Is there a [room 217](https://www.google.com/search?q=room+217&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1-ab)? Stay out of it! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/3 "2018-02-09T13:43:28Z")
My work was closed - tho the streets don’t look all that bad, and I have only a 6 minute commute. Lots of folk (including the public) come from far greater distances. Been a while since I’ve had a “snow day”! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/4 "2018-02-09T13:43:53Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > But me? I am the technical support Help Desk. My job is to respond to tickets and phone calls asking for assistance. There is NO ONE HERE. Who is going to call me?! The maintenance guys! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/5 "2018-02-09T14:39:14Z")
Yeah, our schools are closed but the message said that “Support staff and twelve month staff” still had to be there. I assumed it had to do with union contracts or something, I dunno. My job isn’t affiliated with the school in any way and I got a text message saying that nothing that couldn’t wait until Monday was worth landing in a ditch for today. ---
**Author:** ![biometricks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecae2f/32.png) [@biometricks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biometricks)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/6 "2018-02-09T15:08:59Z")
I’ve been in the same situation, but the reason for me to be there was because Accounting had to go in to run payroll. So IT needed to be there just in case they had a problem or needed toner. What the administration doesn’t realize/care in situations like this, is that it’s really inconvenient for maintenance to plow around the cars of the office staff that was forced to go in and to have to hustle to clear snow from emergency exits for people that should’t be there. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/7 "2018-02-09T15:23:36Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > But me? I am the technical support Help Desk. My job is to respond to tickets and phone calls asking for assistance. There is NO ONE HERE. Who is going to call me?! > > Argh!! :smack: > > Okay, I’m done. At least you can prop your feet up on the desk and get caught up on your reading. Or run your WoW characters up another couple of levels. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/8 "2018-02-09T19:17:03Z")
My street still hasn’t been plowed and I called off. Jasmine, I couldn’t help but notice your SDMB break from 2002 until last week. What happened? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/9 "2018-02-09T19:57:42Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > No, the question isn’t meant in a cosmic sense as in, “What is my place in the universe?” It means, “Why the hell was I asked to risk my life driving through a snow storm to get to work in order to provide tech support for an empty building?” > > Because of this major storm, school was called off last night at around 6 PM. Unfortunately, though there are no teachers or children or administrators here today, “All support personnel must report.” Now, I can understand why maintenance has to be here. There are the boilers to keep an eye on and a massive amount of plowing and snow shoveling to do to make the place accessible for Monday. > > But me? I am the technical support Help Desk. My job is to respond to tickets and phone calls asking for assistance. There is NO ONE HERE. Who is going to call me?! > > Argh!! :smack: > > Okay, I’m done. Maybe you could go help shovel snow. Or maybe there’s a union rule about that? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/10 "2018-02-09T21:16:21Z")
Or in the immortal words of Dante Hicks: “I’m not even supposed to be here today.” ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/11 "2018-02-09T21:18:51Z")
At my last job, we had to staff for the day after Thanksgiving (database support). We constantly joked about bringing in a ping pong table or games to play, because if we were lucky (unlucky?), we’d get 1-2 calls all day. Instead, we pretty much sat around surfing the net and listening to music all day. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/12 "2018-02-09T21:46:11Z")
Heh. I asked myself the same thing Tuesday night while I sat in a plow truck in the parking lot of a QuikTrip watching it NOT snow for 8 hours. Actually it did snow, heavy flurries for about 20 minutes, but that’s it. I suspect I’ll do something similar for 12 hours tonight. Bringing more books. I don’t care if I have to go in and it actually snows, but showing up for the 20% chance of snow for one hour overnight sucks. Tomorrow night should be fun, though. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/13 "2018-02-10T01:55:18Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > My street still hasn’t been plowed and I called off. > > Jasmine, I couldn’t help but notice your SDMB break from 2002 until last week. What happened? She may not be back to answer you question until 2034…. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/14 "2018-02-10T02:05:05Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > No, the question isn’t meant in a cosmic sense as in, “What is my place in the universe?” It means, “Why the hell was I asked to risk my life driving through a snow storm to get to work in order to provide tech support for an empty building?” > > Because of this major storm, school was called off last night at around 6 PM. Unfortunately, though there are no teachers or children or administrators here today, “All support personnel must report.” Now, I can understand why maintenance has to be here. There are the boilers to keep an eye on and a massive amount of plowing and snow shoveling to do to make the place accessible for Monday. > > But me? I am the technical support Help Desk. My job is to respond to tickets and phone calls asking for assistance. There is NO ONE HERE. Who is going to call me?! > > Argh!! :smack: > > Okay, I’m done. Can you come by and map my new computer to our printer? Our HelpDesk doesn’t feel like responding to my ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/15 "2018-02-10T23:15:50Z")
A handful of us bothered to navigate into work today, including the boss. As the snow continued into the afternoon, we asked about leaving early. After a moment’s thought, he agreed to let us leave _15 minutes_ early. Gee, thanks. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/16 "2018-02-11T00:23:49Z")
I don’t blame you one bit for being pissed off, I would be. I hope the time passed quickly and you made it home safely. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/17 "2018-02-11T00:45:25Z")
Better than my asshole “had a stroke and was forced to retire” boss, who worked from home every day but threatened to give us warnings if we didn’t show up when it snowed a foot, and countermanded a VP’s “everyone can go home at 2pm on Christmas Eve” email to make his team stay until 5pm. /yes, I still hate that fucker. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/18 "2018-02-11T01:50:48Z")
I had to go in yesterday, but it was because I had to go get a test car and get it to another facility for prep and then get it back to my building. it actually wasn’t that bad; a hell of a lot of people stayed home so my drive in was rather peaceful; a slow and steady 35-40 on the interstate. likewise for the drive home. OTOH, the downside to having a 4x4 vehicle with real, actual winter tires is you get pissed as all hell at everyone else who doesn’t 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/19 "2018-02-11T02:49:52Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > At my last job, we had to staff for the day after Thanksgiving (database support). We constantly joked about bringing in a ping pong table or games to play, because if we were lucky (unlucky?), we’d get 1-2 calls all day. Instead, we pretty much sat around surfing the net and listening to music all day. Based on their response to reported problems, I thought that was what the help desk staff did every day. ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-am-i-here/808510/20 "2018-02-12T06:55:04Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > No, the question isn’t meant in a cosmic sense as in, “What is my place in the universe?” It means, “Why the hell was I asked to risk my life driving through a snow storm to get to work in order to provide tech support for an empty building?” I’m not trying to be smart but I feel the two questions ultimately have quite similar answers. I’m not sure whether it’s the same though. :dubious: