....the reason I have a job.

One thing I hear a LOT during my time on the phones doing tech support is "I'm really computer illiterate."  No shit.  Now, this is not a complaint, because clueless computer users are job security for me.  In fact, the only requisite skills a caller has to have when they call in are the ability to read, look, listen, point, click, and type what I tell them, and maybe pull some cables out (usually power, occasionally network).  Not surprisingly, some people don't have most of these skills (like reading).  Yes, I get illiterate people trying to operate computers.  It is possible (my preschoolers can, and they're just learning to read), but when you're trying to tech a problem, most of it involves me trying to gather the information I need from the caller.  And inaccuracy, or flat out wrong information, means that the process gets drawn out.  When it's a slow day, and this is my last call, and it's my late day, and my off time is passed because of utter stupidity, it becomes ridiculous.

(Note:  For those of you who missed it, check here for my last computer tuneup post.  It will make your computer suck less.)

This gets me to a central premise in life (and I'm pretty sure I bought a book that says this): People are idiots.

And what is surprising is where you find the idiots.  Doctors, for example.  They know their shit when it comes to the intricacies of the human body (depending on their specialty), but seem incapable of understanding the simplest common computer things.  It may be that way with most specialists, where' they've trained their brains to work intensely on specific subjects and problems, but forgot to study common fucking sense.  Trust me, I have at least one doctor in the family (who was also her high school class's valedictorian) whom I'm sure I could run circles around in ANY subject of study other than her profession.  Of course, that's because I'm the opposite.  I'm a generalist.  I've studies a little of almost everything.  While this means I can learn to do a multitude of things, it does mean that the high demand and high pay of a specialist is currently out of reach (which I figured out AFTER four years of college studying for nothing in particular).

the idiot theory also explains the current state of our political system, but that's a post for another blog, so....

Interestingly, I arrived at my current job after spending my post-college career doing things I don't have a natural inclination toward.  I've discovered there are two things that come naturally:  working with technology (thus my misdirected energies in the RadioShack universe) and writing (which was relegated to paper and word processor work until almost two years ago).  And right now, I'm thinking that applying the latter in the freelance realm will be the key to making enough money to get out of the financial rut I'm in now (because, at heart, I'm also a lazy fuck).  Of course, this will be once I get my home office properly fired up (especially clearing the desk of mounds of overdue paperwork), as my employer does frown on doing other people's work while working for them (and they are probably reading this sentence (the fine-ass great employer that they are (*kissing of the ass*))).

Of course, all this is predicated on keeping my bills paid, which means it's time to start cutting the crap out....