Work and Wrists
When I finished the Spring semester, I had an agitation blister in my mind from the lack of accomplishment I felt at the Kansan. I had started with every intention of expanding on the new forms of online journalism and maybe even breaking some of the Web coding they had bought.
None of that happened. My boss was double majoring in journalism and theater.
If that made your face bunch up like you just smelt a fart in a room full of girls and it wasn’t you, it should. Every idea that had been generated was continuously shot down by a mixture of apathy and ignorance. He is a good guy, but not the type that should be in charge of a Web site, much less a news Web site.
So I finished the semester collecting the much needed pay checks and doing the status quo. Status quo as set by the boss. When I had a chance to work for the Multimedia Newsroom, I was ecstatic. I had helped in that newsroom before, and it was much more relaxed while also retaining a certain assertive and exploratory stance on ways to deliver news and information.
I would get to code, break code and design portions of KUJH-TV News’ site, the very same site I helped create in an online production class. All this, and I had intentionally requested all the financial aid I could get to purchase the nice new 15″ Powerbook I’m typing on as we speak.
It’s nice.
To keep it brief, my home pc decided to crap out on me several times. The hard drive crashed or the lovely Windows OS decided to crap out, so I ended up spending just hours at the computer recovering and rebuilding the damn thing. I began to notice a subtle tingle and a bit of pain in my right middle two fingers.
I was experiencing RSI, and it hurt.
Here begins my current conundrum. I’m really enjoying my time at the newsroom, and I sure am getting to play with code, but it hurts. As I type, I have my middle two fingers taped tightly to prevent them from doing as much motion. It helps a lot. But it’s like typing with one good hand a moose hoof with the other.
I can’t make the little Spock hand gesture that indicates “live long and prosper”. Instead, I am doing the inverse of that, which I’m sure means “die soon you poor bastard”.
I figure this means, in some way, my graduation to nerd-hood is complete. I have a completely computer based injury developed from actually coding too much. This probably started when I was setting up my family with blogs.
One of these days, I’ll have insurance again and I can get this taken care of more appropriately. Until then, I’ll have to bare the endless masturbation jokes and learn to type with tape.
Ces’t la vie… say the old folks.
Lemmi tell you something… between playing guitar and back in the day when I programmed all the time (over 3,000 lines of code was a standard length of an appearingly basic program) you “break in” your hands. Obviously you want to avoid carpal tunnel, but it goes away after awhile (the pain, that is). I remember spending two hours on stretching for left hand technique (guitar, not masturbation), and at one point i felt a pinch in my hand… Immediately I put down the guitar and wrapped up my hand. Probably saved myself a future encounter with “the tunnel” by recognizing when you need to just stop and heal. Guitarists have a secret that goes around when it comes to practicing right hand technique, and increasing speed… That, good sir, is masturbation.
“Self improvement is masturbation, self destruction… now that’s divine.”
Comment by alphapyro — June 20, 2005 @ 07:54
Most academics suffer from some form of computer-related injury–whether it be the dreaded carpal tunnel, RSI, or just poor posture. I have a combination of all three, I think, even though my posture is better than most of my peers’. There are stretches that you can do that will help. Also, just take a fucking break–step away from the computer. That might help with the mental blister, too.
I empathize with your experience at the paper, also. I had a similar run-in with the president of the ACLU this past semester. Fortunately, he graduated before I managed to actually encounter him about his bullshit.
Comment by Jesse — June 20, 2005 @ 12:14
I’ve got carpal tunnel.
Lemme tell you, RSI is nothin’.
Comment by Muse — June 22, 2005 @ 09:35
I currently have rsi because of all the writing i have been doing for exams. It definately sucks major ass.
I might look into your suggested alphyo
Comment by DaMikester — June 24, 2005 @ 11:55
I’m pretty sure I don’t have any of that stuff yet. And I validate software as a full-time job, and then come home and lounge on the internet.
I drank my milk as a kid.
Comment by Adkenar — June 27, 2005 @ 17:50
My last paper I submitted to my last class at KU was hand written, all caps while I sat on the lawn up hill from Potter Lake/pond…computer, printers? Just a week or so after the “Linda Lovelace movie crew shot seens for “Linda Lovelace for President” was shot. I think I still have some confetti from the parade on the main campus… uh…
What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t have a typewriter and was just rebellious enough to do what I did by hand.
My prof. respectected my manual effort enough even though he was not that enamoured with my content to give me a “B” for my hand written paper…which by the way, was a painful cramps up to my, well all over effort that day. It sucked, plus my car crapped out and I had to get help to get back home.
Suck it up son…
Comment by Bob/The father — June 28, 2005 @ 20:00
Like my nephew heard from a guy sitting on his dock as Luke was being towed back into the cove and our dock, he shouted to Luke, “Just drink through it!”
I experienced trauma to my hands when I used to play Pinball machines when in Junior College. Then major wrist pain when “Airhockey” hit the scene.
After getting my AA degree…finally, I went to work in the real world.
Before computers, even before fax machines…
You guy and gals will have stuff coming along that will challenge you even more.
When I said, “suck it up son”, I was advising you all…this is only the beginning of what you may have to deal with…be prepared!
Comment by Bob/The father — June 30, 2005 @ 20:28