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11:39 AM - 29.09.04
Rice Paper
I spent some time in the temporary records center this afternoon. The brother came by about 1:45 and asked if we could switch security cards. His has the coding necessary for entry to the other tower while mine hasn`t. He`d been asked to go retrieve some records but was tied up with something else - would I mind going with one of the movers instead. The reason for the escort was that we had one whole class of newly acquired records that hadn`t been merged into the rest of the collection. I`ve been the one taking the lead in assessing and documenting technical issues in them - or how I spent my lunch break - so he felt I might as well do the integration necessary while I was busy with the other task. Fine. A trip through the bowels of the complex was interesting - if you like mazes and puzzles. I do but not running behind some guy who is 80 feet tall - most of it long, long legs. About 15 minutes after we arrived at our destination the brother arrived with one of the scientists in tow. He needed access to the materials there. Handed my security pass and the keys to my locked storage space back to me and asked for his in return. I hadn`t needed his pass and I didn`t understand why he thought the swap was necessary to begin with. I felt better, even though I trust him, having my own id back.

I was done and back by 2:30 and the brother was a bit taken aback. How could I be done so quickly? Magic don`t you know - I know my numbers as well as my abc`s. I had found another strange combination of documents while I was there and showed him the results. Meant the next bit of the afternoon was taken up with verifying what a scientist had told him earlier, researching some facts in our database then troubleshooting a bit. The programmer for this software is supposed to be in tomorrow so it now is another "to do" task on his list. It was a nice break from the rest of the day though. The temporary records center is located in a huge open area enclosed by windows looking out on Chinatown and the river valley. With all the foliage on the riverbanks and escarpment a blaze of autumn colours the effect was breath-taking. Add in a flood of natural light and I would have been content to stay there to work.

The nicest part of the break was no other staff to contend with - a pretty cranky, restless bunch they were today. I suppose it could be the weather. A bit nippy and unpredictable but that is a normal state of affairs here. I`guessing it has more to do with the job security issues and all the upheaval around staff location - moving offices - and responsibilities. It appears that much stricter management in terms of handling of data is being imposed and not everyone is happy about that. The co-ordinator came marching back in tomy cubbyhole as soon as she arrived this morning stone faced. She didn`t even look at me or talk to me when I said good morning. Just stomped over to the thermostat and adjusted it. It was terribly hot and stuffy in our work area but that is no different than any other day. I`m guessing one of the contractors changed the setting and she didn`t approve. I don`t bother trying because it is a central power thing around here - I don`t want to be involved in petty stuff like that. She emerged from the corner where it was located and left in high dudgeon. I heard her barking at a group of scietists who had come to ask her how she was going to handle some of the new data for their group arriving as they spoke. She wouldn`t let them finish their sentences and wouldn`t answer their questions. She just kept complaining about the amount of work she had to do and finally told them she didn`t know how it was going to be dealt with - go away. NO discussion or negotiations not even a request to hear what they really needed. And so it went with several of the administration team that she works with. All testy and looking for a fight it seemed.

I tried to stay out of the line of sight of the combatants - just working on the data flooding my own little domain. The brother came by at about 9 am and asked if I could handle some tasks for him since they were urgent according to his sister. "Just get..." and a list of end results she wanted. All doable but not all at once and not within an hour or two thank you very much, given all the other deadlines we are supposed to meet. Just did as I was aasked and wondered what my supervisor would have said had he known. A lot of the work was again things I should not do under the noncontract I have but the software was acting up again and I really couldn`t say I refused without risking provoking a firestorm. As I noted earlier some people were just looking for that spark so that they could blow. I`ll call him tomorrow I think and just touch base. Glad to get out of there today, walking on rice paper without tearing it is for the Zen masters, we mortals just aren`t equipped. Right Grashopper?

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