P.I.C.N.I.C.

A co-worker  told me a funny story a year or so ago.  It came to mind today and I thought I'd share it.

She was on the phone with a German cohort who was having an issue with a spreadsheet that he was supposed to update.  It was meant to be straightforward, so when he called with a question, she was surprised.  After some discussion, it became abundantly clear that issue was not the spreadsheet - just simple human error.

"Oh, the German fellow said, clearly a PICNIC! I'm so sorry to have troubled you."

"A picnic?", she asked.

"Yes, you know - a P.I.C.N.I.C."

"Is that a German word?  Here, in the States, it means an outdoor meal."  

He laughed, "No, it's an acronym...  Problem In Chair, Not In Computer."

As someone who loves wordplay and puns, Sarah came by to share the story; we laughed at how clever the term was - and the irony of having learned it from a guy whose first language was German.

PICNICs are so common... and sometimes hard to avoid; have patience with yourself and remember that none of us is perfect. If you're too frustrated, take a break and come back to it; that's the nice thing about computers - you can always try again.