Thought you were going to say clogged because of condoms then remembered WW2.
I agree, personnel problems are really the worse, they make every job unpleasant. I aways tell people if I have a good chief, first and C/M I can solve any shipboard problem, personnel, operational or technical.
On the other hand if there is a problem with one of those top four officers solving even the simplest problems is difficult.
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I sent the new guy, aka FNG, to do a holding tank removal. It was an odd one, the tank was stainless steel, which of course got pinhole leaks at the welds, so someone cut the top off of it and stuck a bladder in there. I told him to be careful, all the deck plates were out.
I gave FNG a bit to collect his tools and went down below to see how he was doing. Well right when I came around the corner Mr. FNG stepped right into space where the deck plate was, fell onto the bladder, his weight pressurized the bladder, the hose fitting on top of the bladder let loose, and he was the centerpiece of a shit fountain.
I was laughing so hard I could hardly point him at the nearest shower 
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Ok: Two parter here.
- Least favorite job was answering the STUPID F’KG emails from the office, and OPCON when I was TAGOSing.
- Solved “female” head issues on the ship by announcing that any feminine products found in sewage, would result in all USN females assisting with cleaning (didn’t have any females in ships civilian crew at the time). After one event, no more events happened during the whole 4 month cruise.
Tough-love always works!!
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Armed with nothing more than a sawzall and nitrile gloves you make your cut into the line. A little brown watery mess dripping out with no vacuum means you’ve cut in the right place. Sending the snake towards it’s target. The anticipation builds with the whine of the snake. Suddenly it bogs down! the clog has been found! With renewed energy the snake is hauled back, the line starts to hiss. With the unspooled snake piled at your feet you work quickly to slide a coupling over the spot you cut.
Back in the shop the engineers pore over the mess on the end of the snake. Paper towel? Tampon? Baby wipe? How could those fools flush such a thing after so many warnings?
I’ll take a shit clog any day over something mundane like cutting filter material or cleaning parts.
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Nothing better than having somebody, anybody else clean the parts
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Ok…my new least favorite (disclaimer: I am a deck guy so actual sewage is not involved):
Dealing with constant password resets on my office computer, the wheelhouse computer, and company email accounts. I am not a tech guy; if I click on something, enter the security code, and hit enter, it should work, right? Are little demons in there (Terry Pratchett’s Discworld)? Waiting for me to say “Memo”? Do computers naturally distrust me? Dogs like me, I like dogs…is this something similar? Do computers know I distrust them and decide to make my life hell?!?
Obviously, I have not had a good morning, tech wise, aboard the boat today. Time for coffee. (Rant over)
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shouldn’t it be "stuff you “HAVE” eaten?
You’re right. I don’t usually blame the tools but I find that typing on an IPad rather than a computer causes regular stuff ups.