Author: Sistertech

Let your light shine

Sistertech has arisen. She has arisen indeed!

FYI: Sistertech is not a “neatnik”. Those of you who have stopped by my workshop know this. You seem to love me anyway, and for that, Sistertech is eternally, and she does mean eternally, grateful. I stumbled over (literally) a few boxes that has some old work shirts, an odd sticker or two, some old (but clean) coffee mugs, and the like. Martha Stewart she is not, but Sistertech is trying to keep in mind that  neatness, along with geekiness, is right up there next to godliness.

We do our part in following the lead of The One In Charge whenever we attempt to make order out of chaos. To that end, I’ve tagged all this stuff and am having a garage sale. Stop by any time.

Leading a life of prayer 1.0

Sistertech doesn’t usually think of herself as a “big tease”. So excuse the teaser title of this post. However, it is a topic that occupies a lot of Sistertech’s time. In our line of ministry, we often observe the way humans separate the “holy” from the “every day”, the “sacred” from the “daily, yucky, normal” what have you. This is a false dichotomy, of course. Still, it is one most of us fall prey to at various times either throughout our lives or at least a moments throughout the day.

Sorting through these kinds of theological knots is above Sistertech’s pay grade. But for the sake of the Internet bonding we have begun, allow me to share an entry from my personal diary. (You won’t go blabbing it. I think we’ve established that amount of trust, yes?)

I got out of a long shower tonight and thought about
all the prayers that need to be said for all the
suffering people all over the world. I thought,
“If I just didn’t have all the other stuff to do,
I could finish the task of praying day and night.”

Sistertech laughed out loud at herself. Of course, she knows better than to separate one’s prayer life from any other particular activity. As all of you in the tech world know, we’re praying constantly! How could software programs possibly come to market without prayer!

But seriously, it’s just a sign of the burdens upon Sistertech’s heart that for a moment she forgot that the “sacred” doesn’t happen only in a special place, at a special time, by a special person, saying special words, or singing special songs. We pray every moment we attend to our intentions and when our intentions are directed to what we’re attending to. And I certainly do mean that to sound as circular as it did for that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

By “intention” I mean just that: the focusing of an angel’s soul on that which should be its sole focus: giving praise and glory to The One In Charge. That said, I do appreciate the fact that it is harder for some of you to be so single-minded.

Bottom line: whether one is installing some more RAM, dumping a clogged up cache, updating one’s Twitter page, or making a cup of coffee (which is what I’ll need to be doing if I don’t hurry up and fold my wings for the night!), I urge you to stay focused on that which we should be attending to at all times: breathing. Yes, breathing. It’s a marvelous form of prayer.

Oh dear. It’s almost Sunday in Australia!

Psalm of the Day

Psalm of the Day for Friday, January 15, 2010.

It’s 12:42 am on Saturday! I suppose I could “cheat” and crank out a lot of these reflections in advance and simply schedule them to post “right on time”. My dear ones, there’s only One who is always “right on time”. (Some of you know To Whom I’m referring. )  Sistertech is fortunate, at least she thinks she is, in that she lacks any serious difficulty with the sin of striving for perfection. I would tell you my other sins, but let’s face it: we’ve just met. I’m not that kind of Tech.

So while the posts may from time to time be “late” from the perspective of picky humans, please rest assured that when Sistertech adjusts her wings and attends to The Document, she really is coming at it “live” — mistakes and all.

Psalm 17

1Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2From you let my vindication come;
let your eyes see the right.

In our line of work, clients and even our colleagues, will often doubt the elegant solutions we offer to resolve computer difficulties. Sistertech knows of one recently retired Tech who, someone questioned her solution, would mutter: “Fine. Don’t trust an angel! See how far it gets you!” This, shall we say, is itself, not the most elegant of responses to such situations. What’s worse are those situations when others lie about what one has said, done, or thought. From my personal experience, I’ve found it much  better to allow The One In Charge to be the final arbiter of who is right and who is wrong. And the Psalms are brimming with reminders of how and why this is a good operating practice.

3If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
my mouth does not transgress.
4As for what others do, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

The Psalmist does set a rather high bar. There’s no getting around it. But Sistertech thinks it never hurts to aspire to more than others might assert you are capable of achieving. I was going to say that Sistertech tries always to “outdo” herself. This it not true. I rarely even try to do that. I’ve already confessed that I am not perfect. What makes me think, then, that I can sing this psalm along with the Psalmist whilst retaining any modicum of credibility?

Good question.

Two guidelines help Sistertech. I gladly pass them on to you. Always, always, always try to NOT make the same mistake twice. (Making new mistakes is perfectly acceptable as far as Sistertech is concerned. What one wants to do is reduce the number of endless loops. Second, one must always, always, always take a moment to discern whether or not the omission or commission of a thought, word, or deed revokes one’s salvation. In other words, when in doubt Sistertech asks herself, “Does my salvation depend on this person’s opinion of me? Of my work? Of my spinach salad dressing? Or of my interpretation of the Psalms, for that matter?”

The answer clearly is, “No. It does not.” Once that has been settled, Sistertech finds that the various complaints that are inevitable in our line of work usually can be set aside with alacrity.

6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O saviour of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.

I love this next part for it has brought me a great deal of comfort.

8Guard me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,

The Psalms certainly has a keen view for what it feels like to be cornered and desperate. If nothing else, we know that we’re not alone in enduring the difficulties we find ourselves in. In fact, it’s rather nice to hear someone else say to you, “I just hate it when that happens to me!” These words of the Psalmist remind Sistertech that whatever difficulty she’s facing, she can count on The One In Charge to help her out.

9from the wicked who despoil me,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11They track me down; now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12They are like a lion eager to tear,
like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14from mortals—by your hand, O Lord—
from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
may their children have more than enough;
may they leave something over to their little ones.

I’m not a big fan of sarcasm and some Psalms are quite heavy handed in this regard. But the point is unmistakable: there is a clear distinction here about the agendas we pursue. While the point of the psalm is a negative one here, I read it as a reminder to be as choosy as possible: do I want to pursue this kind of thing or that? Choices have consequences.

15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Hmm. “Awake”. One must first be asleep before one can be awake. Minor detail.

Do one thing

Those three words. “Do one thing”. Productivity blogs and hacks are ubiquitous on the Internet. And for a good reason: people need them! I can just imagine the myriad of ways the post could continue, “Do one thing and do it now!” or “Do one thing that can be done in 2 minutes”, and so forth.

But Sistertech cautions her clients that there is more to life than productivity. One of the senior Technicians just relayed to me something that she had been told by an Early Adopter, as we like to call them. This Technician was an early follower of The One In Charge. What she said was: “Do one thing for somebody else every day”. Without their having asked you to do it, without the fear of penalty or reward, without hoping that the same act shall be done unto you.

“Do one thing for somebody else every day.”

Now Sistertech, and the rest of the known cosmos, has been aware that we should “practice random acts of kindness”. But that saying, while, um, kindly, always seemed a bit too saccharine for spurring people to action in the difficult days in which we live and move and breathe.

No. We need something more direct.  Something more firm. Something, well, more muscular and not so wimpy sounding. “Do one thing for somebody else every day.” It has a nice ring, doesn’t it? Easy to remember, too.

Have you thought yet of your “one thing”?

Psalm of the Day

Sistertech puts this psalm in the category of “earthquake” psalms. Psalm 18 is quite apropos considering the recent spate of earthquakes we’ve had. Sistertech encourages you to join her in following the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program service, @EQTW on Twitter. It’s a two-fer: You’re informed nearly instantaneously of earthquakes and tsunami warnings, and second, you get a little tech frission from all the tech bells and whistles on their site.

Psalm 18: 1-20

1I love you, O Lord, my strength.
2The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
so I shall be saved from my enemies.

4The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
5the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

To cry out and not be heard? Devastating. I join the Psalmist and pray: Dear One In Charge, remain with those buried under rumble in Haiti. Assure them of your Presence.

6In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

7Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
8Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9He bowed the heavens, and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10He rode on a cherub, and flew;
he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his covering around him,
his canopy thick clouds dark with water.
12Out of the brightness before him
there broke through his clouds
hailstones and coals of fire.
13The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice.
14And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.
15Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

The One In Charge is coming, people. Look busy!

16He reached down from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of mighty waters.
17He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me.
18They confronted me in the day of my calamity;
but the Lord was my support.
19He brought me out into a broad place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.

Those 1-800 computer customer support numbers? Remaining on hold for what is commonly called “eternity”? How far superior is the Customer Support service Sistertech relies on.

Psalm of the Day

For Wednesday, January 13, 2010.

Sistertech has many mottos. One of them, inspired by the Hippocratic Oath is “First, do no harm.”  This psalm reminds me of Sistertech’s Seven Step Plans, a variations on that motto.

Psalm 37:3-6, 32-33

3Trust in the Lord, and do good;
so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
4Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Step One: Trust in The One In Charge.

Step Second: Do Good.

5Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6He will make your vindication shine like the light,
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

Step Three: Repeat Step One.

Step Four: Repeat Step Two.

32The wicked watch for the righteous,
and seek to kill them.

Step Five: Recognize that not everyone follows Steps One and Two.

33The Lord will not abandon them to their power,
or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

Step Six: Don’t let the turkeys get you down.

Step Seven: Repeat Step One.

Rescue efforts in Haiti

Sistertech’s heart goes out to all those in Haiti who are suffering from the earthquake. I especially am keeping in my prayers all those in the tech field who are in Haiti or who are on the way. The death and destruction is horrible. The situation on the ground pre-earthquake was close to untenable. The earthquake has just made matters far worse.

[Before I go on, Sistertech must distance herself from the comments of the Reverend Pat Robertson. I have more to say here.]

Through technology millions of dollars have been raised for the Red Cross and other agencies. It probably is too soon for the group Technology Without Borders to ramp up in Haiti, but something like that would surely be helpful in elevating the quality of life in Haiti as time goes by.

On my wishlist is some way to keep cell phones and social networks up and running without relying on local power. A human-powered  smart phones that double as self-replicating relay towers. I admit it sounds farfetched, but then nothing is impossible for them who believe in The One In Charge. Just think about all the Star Trek technology in use today.

Pat Robertson and Haiti

Sistertech draws upon remarks made by the Rev. Pat Robertson (founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network) from the ABC’s Good Morning America website:

Enter the Rev. Pat Robertson, who always seems to have a ready answer for the unanswerable.

“You know … something happened a long time ago in Haiti. … They got together and swore a pact to the Devil,” Robertson said on the Christian Broadcasting Network’s “700 Club” Wednesday.

“They said, ‘We will serve you if you get us free from the French.’ True story.” That’s right: Robertson seems to suggest the Haitians brought the earthquake on themselves, in a deal with Satan.

“And so, the Devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal.’ And they kicked the French out,” he went on. “You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after another.”

Sistertech knows that Robertson’s views are based in centuries of theological teaching. The history of this kind of theology is indisputable. This doesn’t mean, however, that it was ever sound or that we should continue to accept it now that it is clear that it is unsound. Sistertech thinks back to E. B. Tyler’s  “doctrine of survivals”: we do still say “Gesundheit” or “God bless you” when someone sneezes. Why? Why still bring The One In Charge in to the mix? Because of this leftover superstition that evil spirits or worse were attacking or involved with the poor soul who was sneezing. There’s a survival of these superstitious views that are so lodged into society that various remnants of these behaviors persist.

Sistertech also knows that Robertson has never meant any harm to come to the Haitian people. It’s just that they’ve been cursed, that’s all, he says. It’s not as though Robertson is putting a curse on them or asking The One In Charge to harm them in some way. Quite the opposite. I’m sure The Inbox records show Robertson has sent many, many prayers for Haiti. I have an inkling that he’s probably done more for the people of Haiti than have the people excoriating him over his comments about Haiti.

The interesting thing, nay, the creepy thing, about his remarks is that I can’t help but recall clients who were sure their computers were “cursed”. I know that there are bad and evil people in the world. Some of them are hackers who spread damaging viruses all around the world. I don’t know whether lives have been lost because of a malicious worm–and who wouldn’t call one of those dastardly things a curse?–that some person without a sliver of goodwill in his or her heart inflicted upon the rest of the world. But our peace of mind suffered. Huge amounts of time was lost never to be regained. Businesses, families, and individuals have lost money.

Are certain software products cursed? Are all products by a certain computer maker cursed? I don’t think so.  On the other hand, in Sistertech’s ministry we deal with the all too predictable consequences that happen sometimes when, you know, certain programs are used. I’m just sayin’…

Psalm of the Day

It’s the feast day of St. Aelred of Rievaulx, which obviously leads Sistertech to the topic of friendship.  We have a lovely psalm with which to end the day. A perfect match.

Often people assume that Sistertech is, well, anti-social and maladjusted. The technologically advanced among us often have this reputation. It is not entirely unearned. But not all geeks are pen-protector wearing, Red Bull swilling, monosyllabic, poor excuses for properly socialized human beings. Some, such as Sistertech, are quite refined, actually. It is comes from having many interests and skills. But enough about me.

What Aelred reminds us of today is the value of friendships. It is true, our ministry is mostly a solitary one. When we can, it might be a good idea to involve our friends in our computer projects. Or perhaps after a service call, you can invite a colleague for a caffeine-taurine draught. But most of all, friends, especially those steadfast ones, are reminders of the steadfast love and care of The One In Charge.

5Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgements are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.

7How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

10O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to the upright of heart!

Psalm of the Day

There are a few verses here that a very close to Sistertech’s heart.

Psalm 3      A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

1O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2many are saying to me,
‘There is no help for you in God.’
Selah

Don’t take it as a taunt. For Sistertech it’s: “There is no help for me except in The One In Charge”. It’s something from The Documentation that Sistertech recites most. Hand’s down. Ever started a repair and hit that little “speed bump”? That USB port that’s not working? That pesky corrupted file that insists on saying “Hello World!” when you least have time for the joke?

It’s good for people in our industry to admit not defeat, but to admit that one’s success rests solely in the hands of The One In Charge. Sistertech is glad Ps. 3:2 is with us. If it hadn’t been written she would have had to write it herself.

3But you, O Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
4I cry aloud to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy hill.
Selah
5I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.
6I am not afraid of tens of thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

How many of us have experienced this? We lie down. We fall asleep. We wake up. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Sistertech still struggles to embrace this routine. It’s a brilliant one, though. Stick to the basics: go to sleep (at some point), get up every morning (“morning” is relative), and don’t worry about the competition. (See below)

7Rise up, O Lord!
Deliver me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

8Deliverance belongs to the Lord;
may your blessing be on your people!
Selah