1.04 terabytes does not sound that big...

Actually, I only have 600 GB of space remaining on my H:\ drive. As your company likely uses a different lettering system, the H:\ drive is my personal space on the company server. Personal is a loose term; earlier this year, I was instructed to remove 4 GB of photos...copies of most of the pictures from this here blog. Even with the photos deleted, I am still using almost 400 GB of the company's storage space. A few GB are old spreadsheets and word documents...probably work related stuff; the rest is 3 and a half years of email...some of it could be considered work related, though most of it are gems like this one (all names [save mine] have been deleted to protect those that have gone on to positions of management):


_____________________________________________
From: xxxx xxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 12:00 PM
To: Lasko Michael B; xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx; xxx xxxxxx; xxxx xxxxx
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

If following Lasko's email format you should write the compliment as "xxxxxxx, you handled the call really well. You know how I know this? Because you are loud".

Then you should innocently say that you were complimenting.

Then you should apologize, because you are wrong.

And you should buy me ice-cream because you owe me.

Thanks.

_____________________________________________
From: Lasko Michael B
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:58 AM
To: xxxx xxxxxxx; xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx; xxx xxxxx; xxxx xxxxx
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

Let me let you in on the general format of email correspondence with xxxxxxx:
Start off with a compliment, that could also (and will) be interpreted as an insult. (Example: Kudos, you handled that call really well!)
Apologize for your “misinterpreted” email.
Apologize again.
Promise to buy ice cream to make up for your misstep.
Come up with some reason why you can’t buy ice cream today.
Tell a story about the delicious ginger ice cream your wife made last night…mmmn, mmmn, ginger.
Write a few lines about frozurt.
Change spelling of frozurt to frogurt, and then to fro yo.

There, you are a quarter of the way through the day.

_____________________________________________
From: xxxx xxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:51 AM
To: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx; Lasko Michael B; xxx xxxxxx; xxxx xxxxx
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

This is not a forum for suggestions. It is not a load, it's an opportunity to interact with a coworker.

_____________________________________________
From: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:50 AM
To: Lasko Michael B; xxxx xxxxxxx; xxx xxxxxx; xxxx xxxxx
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

That sounds great Michael. Takes the load off of us. Or you should just set up 100 emails to be each delivered at different times throughout your vacation. It’ll be like you are still here.

_____________________________________________
From: Lasko Michael B
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:48 AM
To: xxxx xxxxxxx; xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx; xxx xxxxxx; xxxx xxxxx
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

I’ll try and drop into ein Internet-Kaffee.


_____________________________________________
From: xxxx xxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:45 AM
To: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx; xxx xxxxxx; xxxx xxxxx; Lasko Michael B
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

Uhmm…try about 30? I guess you can split it up--10 emails each?

_____________________________________________
From: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:44 AM
To: xxxx xxxxxxx; xxx xxxxxx; xxxx xxxxx; Lasko Michael B
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

Is there an email quota that we have to meet? How about 1 email per day? I think that is fair.

_____________________________________________
From: xxxx xxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:42 AM
To: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx; xxx xxxxxx; xxxx xxxxx; Lasko Michael B
Subject: FW: You have pto starting weds?

I need email buddies from the 12-26th of July. Please think of topics to email me about. You have until weds.
_____________________________________________
From: Lasko Michael B
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:39 AM
To: xxxx xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: You have pto starting weds?

See you on the 26th.

_____________________________________________
From: xxxx xxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2006 11:39 AM
To: Lasko Michael B
Subject: You have pto starting weds?

HRMPH!

xxxxxxx xxxx, Pharm.D.
Consultant Pharmacist
RxSolutions

___________________________________________________________________________________
It reads much better if you start at the bottom. I am struck by two things:
1) I used to have a whole lot more free time at work.
2) I almost miss the quibbling. Almost.