You: How old is it?

It's so old, that owning a generator is pretty much standard practice.

Last night... (smiles, waits for laughter to die down)

Last night as the clock was making it's final round of the night, I was saving my files and packing up when the power went out. We've got UPSes, but they are only supposed to keep the vital systems running for the 30-45 seconds it takes for the building's generator to fire up. However, apparently the superintendent never got around to fixing the generator when it broke down a month or so ago. So as the last machines ran out of battery and fell to silence, we made our way out to the parking lot to wait in the fresh air for the power to return.

By now it was a few minutes past 4am, which is when I normally head home. However, the parking lot has a motorized gate which becomes quite stubborn when you deny it its motive source. The chain can be removed quite easily, and I had my tools with me, but the building's owner has made it clear he doesn't like it when we do that, because the grease on the chain picks up pebbles from the asphalt, which then jam the motor when it resumes normal operation.

By 4:30 the power hadn't yet returned, so we made our way up to the lounge on the third floor to sit on the couches and wait. Finally, at 6:30 or so, the owner showed up and removed the chain from the gate himself. And, as is fitting, moments after he finished sliding open the gate by hand, the power came back on.

When I got to work today, they were surprised to see me. They said they figured I'd come in a few hours later to compensate. Dammit :)

If this experience has taught me anything, it's that I shouldn't feel bad about letting them pay to fix my door, and that I need to get off my ass and get that done.