Where's my ID badge?

[Argus]

At the place where I work, each employee has an ID badge that doubles as an access card to the building. (It can apparently also be programmed to allow access at other sites, but I haven't had a need for that.) The card is needed to enter through any of the outside doors, and also to get from the reception area to the rest of the building (meaning that entering that way requires two uses of the card); I think that last usage was added for some kinds of customer interaction. I usually keep the card in my laptop bag outside of office hours. Some people hang the card from a lanyard while in the building, others (including me) clip it to the outside of a pants pocket. (The clip has a reel of string that allows the card to be held up to the sensor and then drop back.) My habit is to transfer the card from my laptop bag to my pocket while walking up from my car.

This morning, I found myself in the reception area with no idea where that card had gotten to. I couldn't find it in the pouch of the laptop bag, I set the bag on one of the tables and searched through the pouch, I even lifted out the laptop to see whether it had somehow ended up underneath. When I had about given up and was ready to head back out to my car to search for it, I let my hand drop to my side, bumping the clip where that had been the whole time.

After I got to my desk, I realized what the really silly part was. I was in the reception area when I did my search. That meant I had already used the card to enter through the outside door.

[Mytical]

Wait! When did you start working here?! hehe. Sounds like what we use, and you would be surprised how many people misplace them, lose them, etc. I've even found one in the pot of a tree that sits by the front desk....

[bankworking]

We use those at my bank. It's a written warning if we lose ours. I keep mine in my purse and never take it out, since the sensor will read through the pocket if I swing my purse up next to it.

[dalesys]

That's not my cow! -- S. Vimes

[Argus]

We use those at my bank. It's a written warning if we lose ours. I keep mine in my purse and never take it out, since the sensor will read through the pocket if I swing my purse up next to it.

The sensor will also read our cards through the laptop pouch, which I sometimes rely on if I forget to take it out before reaching the door (and I always put the card in a specific part of the pouch so that I know exactly how to position the laptop bag). I would consider leaving it with that bag during the workday, except that the closest restroom to my cubicle is in the reception area, requiring the card again to return to work.

[Mytical]

It is eerie how similar this is sounding. Next thing you know you are going to say that Security Officers sit in the Front Lobby....

[rose_metal_nz]

I did the exact same thing, word-for-bloody-word this morning. In my defence, I was low on caffeine but DAMN so glad I'm not the only one!