internet down and out of camp

FINALLY, internet....I cant believe it has been nearly 2 weeks since I was able to access the internet for more than 15 minutes without being hummed at. Ok, what happened...Seems there are two schools of thought as to what was happening out in camp. One theory was that the IT guy came in, wrote some code in the whole internet server computer thing-a-ma-giggy and the whole thing crashed. He then couldn't figure out where he wrote the code to erase it and was spending days trying to figure it out. There is also the theory that the wireless internet was being overloaded up in camp because people were coming in with their iPhones and logging on with Mac file share systems or just downloading music and movies by the handful while using Skype and all those other VoIP (Voice Over IP) software to talk to their families at home for free. Supposedly that was spiking the internet usage and if it went over a certain number point the system would shut down and have to be reset. So when the problem was sent to head office in Denver there were two choices:

1) give permission to put in effect a virus software program that would basically attach itself to any laptop or computer that used banned software (VoIP or other shareware programs) that would effectively freeze the whole system and the owner would then have to take the computer to the IT guy and say "I used a banned software" to have it removed. This would have probably taken about 2 to 3 days to implement and maybe a couple days to tell people what was happening and let them know that they were serious.

OR

2) do absolutely nothing and put it to a committee report in Denver and let people in another country make a decision after talking about it as to what to do. This will take about a month or so.

what do they decide? number 2 of course. I was putting in internet report problem forms once a day for 2 weeks straight. The other cook was doing that as well though he was making up some rather good reports. Like how he was disappointed he wasn't able to access the internet cause he had a pregnant wife that was about to give birth and he would have liked to have been able to check his email to find out if he was a dad (somewhat true since his sister is pregnant and he might be an uncle, or an aunt if it is a girl*G*, sometime in the very near future). Last I heard when the IT guy left last week was that the head IT guy from Denver was coming up to make a final decision on what to do about the whole internet thing. Luckily he goes up on May 14th so when I go in on May 19th I might have internet again in the rooms.

The whole 4 weeks were relatively typical. I did get a chance to bake for about 3 nights because Big D's cousin passed away and she had to go out 4 days early and the replacement baker wasn't able to make it in till that Friday. so I got to change from day shift to nights for 3 shifts to bake and then go to day shift again. Baking wasn't that bad. I thought I did fairly well though I did have a few problems, as to be expected. Took me some time to get used to how to bake the cookies. They are frozen ones that just have to be put on the sheet pan and baked but the timing has to be right. You go too long and they come out rock hard and people in camp like soft cookies. Of course, they don't tell me the timing and there are no instructions on the case, all I get is after two times coming out with hard cookies Radio comes up to me before shift and says "try not to burn the cookies again, dips*%t". Of course, after having shifted from day shift to nights for a short time and being sick my respectful answer was "two freaking days, no instructions and you want perfect baking? back off and go to bed". Yeah, don't think he was too happy with that response but when you are short staffed in camp and feeding nearly 200 people you really don't push people to the point that they quit*G*.

Flight out was interesting. Instead of flying straight from camp to YK to Edmonton like normal we got put on the northern milk run. We flew to Cambridge Bay then to Kugluktuk then to YK then to Edmonton. Camp to YK is only and hour and a half flight, the milk run took us from 12:45 to 5:30pm. Though one bit of fun excitement was when we were in Kug. We deplaned cause we had 20 minutes and I had to use the washroom but left my backpack on the plane. Just before boarding two guys went to the gate and had their tickets taken and started heading out the door. I was sitting just in front of the door so I got to see what was happening on the inside away from everyone else. One of the guys stood there and put out his hands and the other pulled a pair of handcuffs out of his back pocket and put them on the guy. They then walked out of the plane. When I asked the 1st cook if he saw that and then told him what I saw the 1st cook said that he heard someone mention at the ticket counter that there would be an RCMP office and prisoner flying south on the plane. When I re boarded the plane I got on in time to see the flight attendant carrying my backpack to the front of the plane. The prisoner had to take my seat because it was in the rear of the plane by the window. Best place to put a prisoner since no one can sit behind the officer and no one is beside the prisoner as a potential hostage or accomplice to escape. I had to be moved but thought it was interesting to be transporting a prisoner on a commercial flight. Though made me wonder if he got his free beverage and meal and if he did, was he allowed to go uncuffed to eat it.

So that is basically the story of the last couple weeks. Now am out of camp for two weeks before heading back on May 19th to two weeks day shift as 2nd cook and then 2 weeks breakfast cook. At least hopefully that is the plan. Either which way, gonna just enjoy my time at home with the furballs the the Mrs.