Well, a voice, anyway. Debugging is debugging, whether it involves a computer or not. Today it was the steam-cleaner for the carpet. I had measured hot water and soap into the bucket, emptied it into the cleaner's reservoir, snapped the bail on the catch-bucket, and flipped the switch into the "on" position.
Nothing.
It was plugged in. But I can never remember if it's the top or bottom electrical outlets in the living room that are controlled by the light-switch. Double-checked: Yep, I have the right one. I could check the fuses, but it's easier to plug in the lamp and make sure that works. It does.
All the while something's nagging at me that I've been here before.
It's possible that I have a defective cleaner, but there's no way it'll get into the trunk of my car, and Dennis and his truck are still probably with the bees by that point, which means cooling my heels for 45 minutes--if I'm lucky.
There's gotta be something else to this. And, on second look, there's the override switch, between the back and the handle. One finger-flick later, the whole business roars to life (and Mr. Kitty takes refuge downstairs).
Now, I'm not a fan of "gut-decisions," simply because--unless they're snap decisions or it's one of those "horse apiece" scenarios--I consider them a cop-out. But nagging little voices are another matter entirely. Your mileage may vary; I just know that, more often than not, that type of voice has something to say. It's not always correct, but giving it a hearing is important.
