Adventures in Photocopying

So I have become rather intimate with the office photocopier, having spent literally hours over the past few days photocopying summer program medical forms, one page at a time. I have gradually learned all sorts of interesting tricks, from how to use the automatic feeder to my best advantage to how to make the copier do two-sided to two-sided or punch holes.

Today, I learned a bit of photocopier-ese. Here, with help from the "photocopy man" who came to do some repairs, is a rough English translation:

Photocopier: "click-click, click-click, click-click"
Rough translation: "You are making a lot of copies. That means I need to add more toner. Don't worry - this noise means I am doing what I need to in order to give you quality copies."

Photocopier: "Grind, grind, grind." (from where the paper comes out)
Rough translation: "Stop putting heavy things like books and file folders full of medical forms on top of the paper sorter (or whatever the place where the papers come out of is called)!"

Reply from those of us in the office: "But we have nowhere else to put it!"

Problem: There is no other good surface in the photocopy room for putting stuff down when making lots of copies
My suggested solution: Put a table in there
Problems with my solution:
- a) there is no room for a table
- b) even if there were room, we have no table to put in there, nor are we likely to get one any time soon - that is, ever
Solution to the first problem with the solution: We need something the size of a tray table - that, we should have room for
Solution to the second problem with the solution: If we don't have a table, why not make one - here is a garbage can that has flat sides, and has an open top about the size of a try table, if a bit narrower - and over there, I see a paper cutter - which is the perfect top for our trashcan table.

It worked beautifully. I am pleased to report that the paper cutter's surface was the perfect size not only to cover the garbage can - and even leave a little space at the side for when I needed to throw things away - but also to hold an open file folder.

Of course, then there is the problem with the solution to the problem with the solition to the problem....

Problem: The maintenance guy might think i am trying to throw away the paper cutter
Solution: Take the paper cutter off the top of the garbage can at the end of the day
Problem: I didn't

So we will see what happens tomorrow. Meanwhile, if anyone wants to suggest a solution to the problem I have with my solution to the problem with the solution to the problem...

Overall, however, I have a feeling the trash guys are intelligent people, so i am expecting the paper cutter to still be where I left it when I return tomorrow - especially considering that I was probably at work later than most of the maintenance guys anyway...

And if this is what happens to me after two hours of copying today (which followed at least three hours on Friday), just imagine how my blog entries will look a few days from now... I have at least four more hours to go...