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This was written by a coworker in my building. Anyone doing software development can see many layers of truth in this...
I wish this were a parable. I think of it as allegory.
At work, in our break room, we have professional coffee makers. These coffee makers have a spout on them, where you can get hot water for tea by lifting a small red lever. The lever has a spring in it to snap it back down when you are not using it, thus shutting it off. In OUR break room, on OUR coffee machine, the lever is broken, and you have to first lift it to begin getting water, then lower it to stop the water from flowing.
I walked in to get coffee just now, and the lever was up enough to have a fairly persistent drip. On the counter, where the drip accumulates, someone had placed about 10 paper towels to soak up the dripping water.
I removed the soaking towels, and put down the lever.
Oftentimes, people ask me what I do at work. This story explains my job better than any explanation I have come up with previously.
I wish this were a parable. I think of it as allegory.
At work, in our break room, we have professional coffee makers. These coffee makers have a spout on them, where you can get hot water for tea by lifting a small red lever. The lever has a spring in it to snap it back down when you are not using it, thus shutting it off. In OUR break room, on OUR coffee machine, the lever is broken, and you have to first lift it to begin getting water, then lower it to stop the water from flowing.
I walked in to get coffee just now, and the lever was up enough to have a fairly persistent drip. On the counter, where the drip accumulates, someone had placed about 10 paper towels to soak up the dripping water.
I removed the soaking towels, and put down the lever.
Oftentimes, people ask me what I do at work. This story explains my job better than any explanation I have come up with previously.
