IT Support

The other day I posted a picture of Kitten Thunder working on my computer on the business Facebook page. I titled it “KnowSocial’s IT department.” Little did I know today I would be doing real IT work and that Kitten Thunder would prove to be less than helpful.

I bought a laptop in December that is awesome, except one thing: it doesn’t work with the wireless in my house. So I’m stuck, every day all day, sitting in the corner of my office at my sad little corner desk. I could go elsewhere, I suppose, because my laptop works fine with the internet in cafes. But then I’d have to buy coffee.

Anywho, today I decided to tackle the wireless issue. First, I traded in my ancient modem for a new modem. This meant crawling under The Boy’s desk to unhook the power and untangle wires. Obi was all about that. He identified EVERY wire as the one I wanted to put through the hole in the desk. EVERY wire. Oliver sat on top of the desk and tried to step down onto my back whenever it was flat.

The easy part was driving to the cable/internet company and convincing them to replace a perfectly good modem.

Home again. Of course the plug was a different shape than the last one so Obi and I rearranged the power strip. Each time a plug came loose Obi was bumped in the nose by my hand. Eight times. Eight. Times.

Then began the process of turning on my laptop – sitting on the floor in The Boy’s office. There were twenty updates. Oliver scratched his chin on the corner of the monitor. Obi joined in and scratched his chin on the other corner. I held the keyboard down to keep my laptop from tipping over.

The wireless seemed to be working. I took the computer to the dining room. Kitten Thunder declared that, if the computer was on their table, they should be allowed to type. And to kill the portable mouse. KILL! Steal? KILL!

I turned on smell-o-vision to distract them.

A while later, just as I was finally getting some work done because Oli left and Obi was supervising from the new cat tree, the wireless abandoned me. We spent the rest of the afternoon at The Boy’s desk, computer plugged into the modem so I could download a new driver. Obi showed me all the places he likes to be while The Boy is working: behind the monitor, on top of the cupboards, on the scanner, in the printer nook…

What Kitten Thunder lacks in IT skills, they more than make up for in support.

***

It’s Thunder Thursday! Today we bring you Mr. Peaches. My friends from high school, Jack and Robbie, are the lucky owners of this gentleman. Robbie has been lucky enough to have cats most of her life. Jack is a recent convert, thanks in no small part to the charms of this little guy.

And no wonder, Mr. Peaches is one heck of a salesman. Here he is, blatantly plugging Jack’s newspaper.

I haven’t asked him, but I’m sure Mr. Peaches would insist that I also blatantly plug Robbie’s jewelry biz.

Good kitty.

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Our First Month: A Report from Oliver

Note: This report has been dictated to The Girl by Chief Executive Kitten, Oliver. She will not be adding in her two cents.

"The trials and tribulations of the cat, they are many."

This past month has been a hard transition for the Thunder staff. With The Girl staying home, our roles in the household have been more challenging than ever. First, my primary duty is to ensure maximum quality couch time for the people. You’d think this would be easier with The Girl doubling the amount of time she spends in the house. However, she is stubbornly refusing to go to the couch for long stretches of time.

I though we were making progress. For several days The Girl spent maximum time on the couch. My quality assurance, in fact, had her convinced to spend the night on the couch as well. Even though she insisted on coughing and sneezing – which I think is kind of disturbing – we were working steadily toward our couch time quota. Then, inexplicably, The Girl went back to insisting on long stretches of sitting in front of the box of light. She is there from breakfast time to lunch time and again from lunch time to dinner time.

I’ve adjusted my work schedule to allow for Girl supervision from the condo and snuggling in front of the box of light. Obi has also taken on additional Girl supervision duties. Plus, he has to come up with extra cute things to do because she is here so much. Luckily, The Girl doesn’t seem to get tired of the old standards: belly rubbing, playing with shadows, becoming a bed monster, etc.

In addition to our household duties, Obi and I have put some thought into The Girl’s business. We’ve tried to convey our ideas to The Girl but she seems to want to do this on her own. This afternoon while I was listing business leads she pretended not to understand me. “What?” she said. “What do you want? Does your tummy hurt?” Please. Just take the advice, or not, and move on.

All in all, it has been a successful month. I fully expect to receive our bonus, at least a can of tuna, any day now.

Reporting from in front of the box of light,
Oliver Pi
CEK

Lessons Learned: Week One

As you know, I quit my comfy job at the State to open a social media company. This first week has been very educational. Here are some of the very important things I have learned:

1. No matter how many times I walk into the living room, Obi needs his belly rubbed. As if no one has rubbed his belly for days rather than 15 minutes.

2. If I work in my office for hours at a time, Obi will entertain himself while supervising me. By unmaking the bed. And unpacking the boxes from my State office. And knocking things off of flat surfaces.

3. Oliver believes the best way to get good thoughts into my mind is through head butts. Repeatedly, as I try to see through him to the computer screen.

4. The sun through the window + The Girl’s shadow on the wall = hours of InTV viewing pleasure.

5. The afternoon nap is nonnegotiable. Seriously. I have one to two assistants in my office all day but at 3 p.m. I am suddenly alone. Kitten Thunder goes upstairs to power nap in order to prepare for their evening responsibilities.

I’d show you adorable pictures of Obi unmaking the bed or a video of him watching the hit show Girl Shadows, but my computer won’t cooperate. So those we’ll save for another day.

More lessons, I’m sure, are forthcoming.

***
Many of you have asked after the grey kitten’s health. He is doing much better! In fact, the combination of the steroids he had for the pain with the antibiotics has him feeling super charged. He is spending most of his day on the top tier of the new kitty condo – seven feet up in the air. But, because of last year, I won’t stop worrying until the antibiotics are gone and he is healthy on his own.

***
Some of you have asked about my tooth. I’m happy to say that this is my third day without any pain killers whatsoever. After six months maxed out on Advil (and Percocet, for a while), the freedom to eat and drink without worry is so nice.

Day one

Today was my first day of self employment. Just as important, it was Kitten Thunder’s first day of having a new work schedule. The problem? I don’t think anyone told them about the change.

In their defense, it has been a weird week. I was home early on Friday. Then, on Saturday, The Boy and I headed off for Christmas part two with my family. We were sneaky about it and Oliver didn’t know we were going until The Boy pulled his suitcase out at the last minute.

We returned last night.

So this morning, when we got up and prepared for work as usual, there was no reason for Kitten Thunder to think anything was different. I had a meeting all morning so I returned at lunch time. Then…I didn’t leave.

Obi stayed with me until I ate lunch and went back to my computer. But, when I was done for the day, I looked around and found I was alone. Hmmmm. I found Kitten Thunder upstairs taking their afternoon naps.

We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.

On another note, Oliver is limping. Of course he is. Because nothing makes a person feel good about self employment like unexpected expenses ON THE FIRST DAY they don’t have a guaranteed income. Grrr. Let’s hope this limp, if it is the dreaded Fever Of Unknown Origin returning, decides to make a quick exit with just one round of antibiotics.

Keep your fingers crossed for him. And if you hear a haunting sound coming from our region tomorrow at 9 a.m., it is us…taking a c-a-r to the v-e-t.