The boiling water cooler

I think it's important that everyone know the oddities of my office life.

Since I was booted out of my own private office and into an office space with three other women, we all knew we'd need to make adjustments. But I'm the only full-time member of this communications/design team and therefore I'm here by myself adjusting most of the time.

And so I relay the things which happen while the other gals are away.

And this week we have had a possessed water cooler.

When it was first delivered Carrie was here and we were so excited. I believe she cheered or maybe even danced. She even called Danielle and drank water on the phone and gulped extra loudly so Danielle could hear.

The rest of the afternoon the water cooler kept gurgling and bubbling and really being rather loud. But we didn't care, we had our own water cooler and that was awesome.

The next morning I came into work, just me, no one else was there for the day. The water cooler was still bubbling. But this time I noticed it was also filled with moisture or steam up at the top of the bottle. Upon further inspection I realized the water was boiling.

BOILING!

So I called Jim, he's one of our IT guys, but he's also a good friend of mine. He came down and he agreed the water was boiling and the water cooler was too hot too touch. He unplugged it and we called the vendor.

The next day they brought a new water cooler. But they put the old bottle of water back on. And floating in it were black particles. So we removed that bottle and put a brand new bottle on it. Still...black particles.

So we called the vendor.

They told us black particles are magnesium. It wouldn't hurt us. But that they'd bring us new water bottles and another new water cooler.

So this morning a new water cooler and two new bottles were delivered. The water cooler gurgled and bubbled for several hours. But now, just now, 40 minutes before I am to leave the office before the weekend the water cooler is at peace with itself.

And my friends, I am drinking a nice glass of cold, clean water.

Next in office stories I think I'll tell you about our photography database which restarts itself 30 times a day and blinks Windows icons at me.

And maybe it's really not important that you know about these oddities, but it's still kind of interesting, right?

Labels: carrie, chicken, work