A day like this could also be titled:
A) This is Not What They Taught Me in Forestry School
B) Managing without Resource Management
C) Caring for the Land and Serving People…In Our Spare Time!
D) What Ever Did We Do Before Computers?
E) GS-12/460 Forester Turned Database Typist
F) Really, I’m Not Kidding! I Work for the Forest Service.
G) Computers – A Love/Hate Story
H) “Adminastrivia”
I) Welcome to the Cyber National Forest!
——– Sierra National Forest, Friday, October 2005 ——————–
This morning as I coded in at the front door of the Forest Service office, and as I pushed the button releasing the mechanical door from the reception area to the office corridors, I thought, “This will be a good day to catch up on some things.”
First, I turned on my computer, logged in and acknowledged the FS warning messages. This was a computer update day, so while waiting I checked the recorded phone messages. I dialed in the answering machine and entered my secret code. I had three voice messages.
I checked my Palm Pilot for my schedule for the day. “No appointments, so this is a good day to catch up!”
I logged into Lotus Notes to view the day’s email. There was an EUSC (End Users Support Center) virus alert so I did a live update of my Symantic aniti virus program to make sure my daily scan was updated. I also remembered that it was a while since I last ran a Microsoft Anitspyware scan for spy ware.
The scan slowed things down and the Antispyware scan was still running so I returned my phone calls. I talked to two answering machines and one human being.
The results of the Antispyware run indicate that are two files that should be removed as being spyware or suspicious in nature. I clicked to have these files deleted.
Next, I went back to answering and deleting a wide assortment of email messages from Lotus Notes.
One message was a reminder that vehicle logs are due. I walked out to my vehicle, picked up the pink sheet, did the vehicle inspection, returned to my computer, logged onto the database and entered mileages. The miles didn’t match the database, so I fixed them to match, otherwise it wouldn’t let me finish the program. Despite the time I spent filling in the database, someone still needs to see the hard copy. I walk over to the Fleet Manager’s office to turn in the pink sheet.
A Personnel Action Message (what used to be a blue “52″) awaiting my approval. This employee doesn’t for me, but since my colleagues are gone it was sent to me and I approved it by clicking on the ‘Approve’ button.
Three messages were informing me of changes to financial reporting information.
One message asked me to concur on letter in the Correspondence Database. I enter the database, concurred, printed and delivered the hard copies to Forest Supervisor’s secretary.
I quickly looked through FS Today Newsletter website.
There were at least four messages about recent litigation against the Forest Service.
At least five messages discussed the status of various databases (SUDS, and IWeb).
A PG&E employee that I work with, sent me a message telling me I should check out the attached a link to MSNBC for articles on FS decision litigation. Link: Judge clarifies Forest Service order – Environment – MSNBC.com
Boy, do we look dumb.
There was one ‘Out of Office Notification’ from a co-worker at training.
I read and delete two FERC On-line Notifications, one notice on the Combined Federal Campaign, one notice on Year End Spending.
I received, read and filed one Excel spreadsheet displaying various stream flows for a FERC project I am working on. (This email be the only resource management item I handled today.)
There were two ‘word a day’ messages and dozens other assorted messages that I already read, but neglected to delete. I quit working on my email after I cleaned up my email to only 23 messages remaining!
The Clovis office space is being reorganized. There is a whole storeroom with survey equipment that isn’t being used, and has been sitting for four years now. I’m sure we could make better use of the space. I borrowed a digital camera, took photos of equipment in storeroom, and I attached the digital photo files to a message to the Regional Surveyor asking if there were anyone out there that could use this equipment.
Photo of Unused Forest Service Equipment (one of three full cabnets):
Since I had the Public Affairs Officer’s camera hooked up to my workstation, I downloaded some photos from the Sierra’s Centennial Event. These will look great on my blog! ( Stay tuned next week for the Sierra Centennial Blog.) I disconnected the camera from my computer, returned the camera to it’s case and returned it to its owner.
I had an Enterprise Team Agreement that expired on September 30th, but the work wasn’t done, so it needed to be extended. I faxed to Recreation Solutions a signed amendment, and I got a printout confirming that the fax was successfully transmitted. I filed the hard copy for later reference.
One of my co-workers sent me an email explaining that two Job Codes expired on Collection Agreements and they aren’t being recognized by our Paycheck program. I go into the Work Plan website to create a Work Plan for the agreements. I thought ” I’m supposed to know how to track this through a website; but I can’t remember which site, and can’t figure out what information is on the site or how to enter it”. Maybe it’s on the IWeb site, but I haven’t learned how to enter that site, so I just postponed learning IWeb for another day. Maybe it’s on a website associated with the ASC (Albuquerque Service Center)? But, I haven’t learned how to navigate that web site either. I’m sure I’ll need it for something, but not today. I just printed a hard copy of the Work Plans and hoped the Province Agreements Staff know what to do. I dropped it off at her desk and she said something about sending an email message to ASC.
At lunchtime, I microwaved a frozen lunch. I took it back to my desk and I checked my blog to see if anyone had made any comments. I also logged into my checking account to check my bank balance, and I downloaded a new wallpaper for my computer. I forgot something to drink so I went to buy a bottle of water and some potato chips from the vending machine across the hall.
After lunch, I backed-up some of my files onto my one gigabyte, Lexar Jump Drive. I can’t stand that lame excuse, “I lost the document when my computer crashed. I don’t know what happened…so I had to start over.” I back up my work, regularly.
Personal Financial Disclosures are due this month. This is where certain federal employees must declare other sources of financial income. In addition to filling out a form listing my financial resources (not very long), I took the three mandatory web based training modules on employee ethics requirements. I printed copies of the forms I saved last year, signed and turned in the hard copies to Human Resources.
I thought to myself “there must be better things ahead!” Of course, the holidays are coming up. I checked the Sierra National Forest website for the Forms Directory. I downloaded, printed, and filled out a Leave Slip for my holiday vacation. Realizing that I needed to make sure I will have enough leave for my leave request, I logged onto the National Finance Center’s website, checked my leave hours and added up the hours between now and Christmas. I’m good to go, so I signed it and put in my supervisor’s mail box.
Thoughts of my supervisor reminded me that my performance rating is next week. I opened the Sierra NF Website, downloaded the current Wellness Plan, filled in the blanks, filed and printed a copy for next week. I also downloaded the Individual Development Plan (IDP). I only printed this form because I’m certain that we’re expected to fill this in on line, but I can’t remember which website has the IDP program. I tired an old link in “My Favorites” and I found that the “TIPS” Training Integrated Personnel System was replace by the USDA Aglearn System. “I’ll do a hard copy now and worry about accessing Aglearn when we receive a mandatory message saying that we are all required to enter our training into the specified website.”
In Lotus Notes, I filled in my time in the Paycheck program and I checked to see if I had enough hours this Pay Period to leave early. “Rats. Nope, I need to work the whole day” I added this week’s hours and exited Paycheck.
Program Financial Reviews are due this month. I accessed the Sierra NF Financial Management website and unzipped the current Transaction Database. Moving though the 12 report screens, I ran a report that summarized the year to date expenses for the 15 Lands Job Codes. I printed a copy of the report and entered each total into my financial reports Excel spreadsheet. I saved and copied the spreadsheet and pasted a copy into a message to all the lands staff letting them know the status of the Sierra Lands budget. After I received my copy of the message, I printed it and put it in my FY2005 Budget and Reporting binder.
We were supposed to discuss our financial status earlier this month, but the meeting was cancelled. Since I couldn’t remember if the meeting was re-scheduled, I checked my Palm Pilot and didn’t see anything about another coordination meeting, so I sent an email to my supervisor (she’s not in her office so I can’t talk to her) asking her when are we are going to discuss the end of year financial reviews?
My cell phone rang and it’s my son. He’s at home and wanting to know if he can have an after school snack. I plugged in my phone to keep it charged.
I had hoped to check on my Travel Vouchers, and reset my password for FedTraveler.com, but I decide to save those items for the next time I need to book a flight. I also didn’t get to the Forest Service uniform website to learn how to order uniforms on line, but I plan do that maybe next month.
‘My Favorites’ in Internet Explorer is a mess, so I created a new folder and moved a few files and deleted a few links that no longer work.
At the end of the day, there are over 100 emails in my Lotus Notes Trash file. I logged out of Lotus Notes, and syncornized my Palm Pilot, shut down my computer, picked up my cell phone, put away my memory key, and started for home.
