Tidbits, Pt. III

One last item, to close out this little series with a grace note.

One of my favorite co-workers is A, our lead tester. A moved to the United States from China, where she grew up. She is brilliant, a hard worker, and one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. 

As lead tester, she is responsible for testing the software we create and managing the resulting defects (or bugs, as they're known). 

That includes documentation defects. Most of our bugs are simply tracking devices so the team knows when something is documented and appears in the build. 

Because of some quirks in how our tracking system works, many of my bugs don't fit into the standard workflow. As a result, I am constantly having to check with A about how to handle them. She manages testing for three separate products, so I always feel guilty doing so.

A is always cheerful and never complains about my constant queries. She has a sweet tooth, so the fact that I constantly bring in goodies for her from a local bakery likely helps. :c) (And of course she is skinny as a rail.) But I think she would help no matter what.

On Tuesday she called and asked if she could stop by my desk to show me how to handle several bugs. 

As we sat, she noticed the brace I wear on my wrist. She asked me what it was for.

I explained that it was a result of the hit and run back in January, and showed her the brace I wear on my ankle as well.

She was horrified; she wasn't aware of the hit and run.

"You also had the flu for nearly a month around the holidays, didn't you?" she asked. "And you collapsed back in September and were out for several weeks."

"Don't forget that I fell and broke three ribs the day I got this job either," I added with a grin.

"Oh, you poor thing!" she said, touching my arm.

"It's been a tough year," I allowed.

"Well, that was last year," she said. "So you are all clear!"

"Thank you, A," I said. "But actually, the flu and the hit and run were this year."

She shook her head.

"Not in the Chinese calendar," she said. "Our New Year was on February 10th."

She stood up.

"So you see, your hard times are already in the past," she said.  "And that means this year is going to be extra wonderful. Because you deserve it!"

A doesn't know it yet, but she earned *two* brownies for that lovely sentiment. :c)

***

Here's Richard Thompson with a track from his brilliant new album, Electric: