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11:10 p.m. - 2004-03-29
The Borg
You know how people will sometimes comment that the scent or perfume of someone they cared about, but who is now dead, will sometimes fill the room as though that person is trying to let them know that they are near? Well for the past few days there has been the scent of a perfume in my room - sweet and delicate - when I've woken from sleep. Trouble is I'm not certain I can connect it with anyone. I have a couple of nice perfumes of my own, but it doesn't smell like either, so it can't be explained away by a leak from a bottle either. It could also be the faint scent of real flowers too, but it's way too early for any such thing from outdoors and what I'm reminded of is lilies or jasmine, neither of which would be wafting through the air here in real time. Curious.

The meeting today with the other Southern Alberta Returning Officers was - well it just was. I like all the other people a great deal and on that basis I enjoyed myself. The opening statement of the session was that every one had been gathered so that the less experienced people, including the new support person from Elections Canada, could pick the brains of the more experienced Officers. Dangerous business that since I don't have much left to pick over. I didn't know whether to feel complimented or frustrated and swung between both. First, I have a lot of other work that needs to be done and I've already spent close to a hundred hours since the new year coaching and mentoring while trying to meet my own deadlines. Secondly, Ottawa is paying the new support person a very healthy salary to do that training and mentoring. Yet now not only am I expected to look after my peers, but also an entirely different layer of administration - on her command ostensibly. What's wrong with this picture. Even though there were other seasoned ROs there, I seemed to be the one that was continually being asked to respond to questions. It's wonderful that my skills were being acknowledged, but I'd like the respect that goes with that. Being summoned to a command performance doesn't do that. What I really fear is being expected to mentor upon command, during an event. As I've mentioned before, in a 50 day calendar it is not unusual to put in an average 12 or 16 hours for each of those days to ensure all of one's own responsibilities are met. Where is the time supposed to come to do the support work too? By two o'clock I had a whopper of a migraine. The actual new information that was offered up could have all been discussed by noon at the latest. The meeting itself, which often slid into random small group discussion unexpectedly, lasted until just before 5 pm.

I did get two pieces of useful information. First we are getting a raise both in our own salaries and also in the wages that we can offer our staff. That is a relief since I was beginning to hear people say they couldn't afford to work for the wages offered - it didn't pay their basic bills. I know that feeling well and I respect the honesty of the people telling me that, but I still have to find a way to staff the polls and my office. Fees and wages for this type of work are set by Parliament in what is called the Tariff of Fees. We can offer potential staff less than that rate but never more. There is no room to negotiate, and no benefits of any sort that might make up the difference. The second tidbit was that we would be getting our own laptops - after the election. Good enough. I'd like to have one, but I'd like to learn about all the features in a more relaxed time than during an event.

The two stories that caught my eye in my e-zines today were both from the library news source lisnews. The first article was about the practice of some librarians to act as internet temptresses. temptation. What these sneaky people do is send out the first chapter or two of a book that they believe will lure their patrons into their lair - um library. Pretty creative, and effective from all accounts. The secodn stroy is just a reminder of how precious the right to free speech - or keyboarding - is. This story from the People's Republic of China reports that the government has been closing down webhosts because the writers/bloggers are expressing dissenting opinions to government policy. FreeSpeech Not good or healthy for any society. The Borg R us.

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