8:36 p.m. - 2003-04-25
Keyboards
Long day yesterday. Left home on the earliest bus out of the community. My supervisor, A, wanted to talk and we don't do that on client time. Each group of travellers has their own distinct culture. This early bunch was very nice to be among. Quiet, introspective, half asleep probably. Another woman and I got the window seats. Her book looked really interesting. First male on the aisle seat was carrying coffee that smelled soooo good, I would have mugged him for it, if I'd had the energy, or if he was about a foot shorter. You know, then I could've reached high enough to have a chance at drinking it instead of wearing it. The fellow next to me, coffee in hand too, but what was appealing about him was just the energy around him. Calm, peaceful, gentle, or maybe just half asleep. Can't explain it, but just snuggled up to the aura. Not attraction I don't think, just the need for comfort and a sense of safety.
Reached work, got my coffee and the phone rang. Talked with A for about half an hour. Such a charmer; ended up writing a report over about six hours last night for him instead of writing in my diary. All of a sudden all the missing stuff I've been talking about since I started has become a major issue. Well about time, but who gets the job of collating all the data? He didn't insist I do it all at once, but it helps with generating a couple of month end reports I have to do for the client this weekend anyway, so it actually helps me in some weird kind of way. Really.
That was after one of THOSE days at work. Mercury retrograde = computer glitches every which way. One record took four hours to index because it was so complicated. Not a problem, I prefer to be challenged intellectually. Had to stop and save it a few times when I was asked to help C or B. Fine too, breaks from the head work keep the mind fresh. Final save at 12:30, half hour walk and back to print the record off. Guess what - well you were probably half right dear diary. The first part of the record was there from the first save - the rest? Gonzo. But the audit trail shows the save at 12:30, so where's the documentation?? This has happened before to everyone on the team at least once a month and the record somehow "magically" reappears a day or two later. My luck with such a time consuming entry, it won't. I took screen shots of everything left, so that there's a paper trail and proof. Found a couple of other records while confirming the missing records I've noted, where the data entry was coded, but the audit trail did not kick in - took screen shots of those too. Could just be that the capacity of this software is maxed out and the links are starting to become unstable or corrupted - or maybe something else. All I know is I want my record back!
On the way home a middle age male of an Eastern persuasion standing on the platform waiting for the train. Not odd, but his nose was buried in a book by Germaine Greer. Sure the look on his face was slightly quizzical, but who'd a thunk? I find her a little over the top, so for a guy my age? A lot of people already sporting cowboy gear. Well, some folks here do enjoy a party and warming up for it is de rigueur all right. But three months of warm up? It's all the street construction I guess. Pavlovian response - street construction = Calgary Stampede. And we DO party - in July ya'll.
Work today? Never mind. Started off with an e-mail from T2. Apparently my work area is still not aesthetic enough. Now, everyone else has boxes and paper scattered all over the floor of their offices, even with double the desktop work space and a couple of storage units each. But me with half a dozen files propped against the side of my desk waiting for labelling first thing this morning - well that is just unacceptable. When I was growing up, as the oldest of five children, I was always told that I was to set the example for the younger sibs, so the standard for conduct was always quite a bit higher where I was concerned. Fine. But when do I get to be just part of the group, without being on display. That was never part of the contract. It doesn't go with very high levels of productivity, when being picture perfect is more important than being accurate and efficient. Find some sweet young college co-ed for the window dressing. Surprisingly no empathy from A either. "We didn't negotiate for an acceptable physical work environment, so you'll just have to accept that, even if no one else is required to follow suit." Gee thanks.
Don't think I'll be putting in the kind of hours I did last night for free again, doing reports, if my physical well being isn't important enough to be taken into consideration. I'm on display every second I'm there, abosolutely no privacy even to sneeze. I have minimal space to work on and everything is set up for a right handed person when I'm left handed, reducing useable space yet again. My chair and the desk are so out of alignment that my feet can touch the floor or my hands can reach the keyboard, but not both at the same time. The thermostat either blows very hot or very cold and it sounds like a train station in my corner of the library, but of course what could be more important than an immaculate presentation of the work area. I've asked for small concessions to help me cope, but instead this is what comes down the pipe. Oh yes and why haven't you got more work completed? Where's a white knight when you need one? No long term commitment required - just a work situation where what I know and what I do is valued.
Notwithstanding a pending election, I guess I'd better start with the resume drops again. Otherwise I'm agreeing to the treatment. Right?
Anyway, Big Bonus when I walked in the door tonight. Oldest son with his 3 year old son in tow waiting for me. All my oldest son's old toys scattered around the living room. Squeals and guffaws of laughter from 3 big boys and a little boy too. Storytime and pizza to go, with pop and leftover jelly-beans - tradition you know.
I have a full-size electronic organ, so me and the baby playing to our heart's delight, while my son was using my computer to do a job search. He's tired of work that pays really well, but only lasts a few months at a time. Hope he finds something he likes soon. I'd give him some election work if I could, but I have no idea when an event will be called and I've always had difficulty with the idea of employing my own children with such a big staff to manage. It's just too difficult to deal with "the boss'" son thing. Compromises your child and leaves them open to censure whatever they do. Not the best experience and it's seasonal too.
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