This would've been much more interesting if you would've posted it as CmdrTaco.

Unlike everyone who flooded money into underwater stock options and technology stocks, my friends and I invested heavily into the college funds of exotic dancers (sure you're just doing this to pay for college...) and the children of many of the bartenders in our town. At the end of the day, I have about the same to show for it as the people who lost the proverbial farm as their 401k's went on a roller coaster ride from hell, but had one hell of a time getting there!

Case in point. The only thing more powerful than the Wave Motion Cannon is the Wave Motion Engine.

There are no technical solutions to a social problems.

As a person who worked my way through school waiting tables and bartending, then dropping out in the *typical* SysAdmin fashion, I tend to liken my department's level of service to the level of service one would receive at a restaurant.

Heavily corporate restaurants make their customers sit through a whole song and dance about the restaurants offerings and their associated flair. Heavily corporate IT makes their customers (fellow employees or clients) wade through a song and dance about red tape and process.

Mom and Pop restaurants allow more freedom in day to day management of the customer experience, likewise startups do the same.

Greasy spoons with the head waitress who can run the floor and cook the food and do the dishes while balancing the books do it the head waitresses way...

You can draw the parallels anyway you like.

The real point is, as a SysAdmin, I try to keep in mind that me and my department are providing a service to our clients in whatever way, shape or form you want to define them. Without clients, while there may be considerably more time for Nethack and Slashdot posting, there would be no job.