authentication

today i was supposed to take part in a video conference seminar; only me in geelong everyone else in melbourne. unfortunately there was a power outage of some sort which meant although they could see and hear me i couldn't see or hear them. this is a tad awkward when THEY are doing the presentation. so there were a bunch of tech people who leapt into action, really quite efficiently to be honest. but before they arrived with their cabled capes flying i had to pass the standard authentication test that seems to be generally reserved for women. it went something like this:
phone (in geelong room) ring ring ring ring
leonie: hello
Melbourne tech: oh, you can hear that?
leonie:sorry?
MT: the phone?
LR: yes i can hear the phone...
MT: but you can't hear us on the conference?
LR: no.
MT: but can you see us?
L: no
MT: you can't see us?
L: no
MT: cause we can see you
L: no i really can't
MT: and you can't hear us
L: no. no sound, no picture. nothing. except for the phone.
MT: we can hear you.
L: how interesting...
MT: okay i'll get someone to come and look
L: great thanks
MT: and you can't see us now?

at this point i have to hope that they couldn't see me either cause my body language was NOT polite...i mean what are the odds that i was going to suddenly say "oh, my, yes! sillly me, i was looking at the WINDOW not the TV! Boy do I feel foolish! Golly thanks so much for making me check again...i'd hate to have been wasting everyone's time....

grrrr