Prelude: For many years the Sysadmin on Call at Kiva Networking was given the name "The Stick". Later in the same year as the first sysadmin day, a co-worker brought in a real stick brought from Africa by his father to be passed around for the period of a week. The designation of the stick had great significance among the co-workers who needed to call on the system administrator's powers.

The Stick

Here stands an artifact of great power. Brought by an elder one from a far away land around the first of a day that we now honor each year. With powers imbued by the masters to give the one who wields it the authority to alter a user's destiny and control the fate of a network.

Whomever would hold this device was given the authority and name of the device itself. The Stick. For half a fortnight, people would come from around to seek the abilities of the wizard who held it at their side with the calling "Who's the Stick?". Whether it be a user's lost key, lack of access, killing zombie processes or defending fortress under siege; Come by day or by night for no dilemma was impossible to resolve for The Stick.

When the designated time had passed, that master would choose another able and responsible wizard to wield it.

The network that this stick protected has long since passed but its spirit lives on in each wizard who has been given these sacred administrative rights. Let all of us carry The Stick once in a while or honor those that do.

Happy System Administrator Day!