I managed to survive the government shut down

I was renewing my credentials and the requested more information so I had to send it in.

This dragged out the process but it wasn't too bad. I knew I'd have time before the current credentials expired and then Bingo! Government shutdown and the Coast Guard people stopped working.

For a while it looked like i was going to be screwed and my credentials would expire while I was at sea and I'd have to be pulled off and maybe face disciplinary action but the shutdown ended.

Then I realized they were swamped with three weeks backlog and I was running out of time before I had to return to work.

That's when I pulled an old trick out of my hat. 

Even though I never get to meet these people face to face I generally try and get ONE person to handle my case. I may have to wait and sometimes lose a day because they have a day off here and there but I try and establish a rapport with one person.

I do believe it paid off. I called the Coast Guard, asked for the woman I alway ask for and pled my case to her, explaining that time was running out.

She said she'd see what she could do and PRESTO! 

Later that afternoon I got an email telling me my credentials were in the mail. I had them in my hands with three days to spare.

It pays to keep one's temper and establish a rapport with someone in any office you do business with.





To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY