10:44 PM - 31.12.04
last day
It's a good thing I spent so much time finding extra layers of clothing last night, dear diary. With the wind chill it was well below -30C in my community when I went to catch the bus this morning. It was approaching the stop as I reached the corner. Even though I was running and waving the driver didn't wait for me. The next bus came along about 7 minutes later and I sat and chatted with the young woman who went to Romania this summer. Today the topic was work. Her partner just got a promotion and she just got a raise so it was a good Christmas for them. Stories about her co-workers trials filled up most of the ride on the train so the time went quickly.
Arrived at the office tower I work in after a four block walk. The wind was really strong and bitter and I had to walk into it to get where I was going. Tried opening the door to the main mezzanine - it was locked. Tried the other two entrances as well and they were locked as was the entrance to the plus 15 corridor one floor up. One has to have a security card to gain access from the parkade as well. I had my cell phone with me and I called the direct line of the woman who was supposed to be my liaison this week - she had assured me that she would be there earlier than I am scheduled to arrive. No answer. Stood there wondering what to do. I can't afford to lose work time but freezing out in the cold doesn't help me either. At those temperatures having asthma becomes downright dangerous and I could feel the effects beginning.
At that point a gentleman who did have a security card arrived and let me in to the building. The cards only allow one to take the elevator to the floor one works on so I couldn't go any farther, but at least I was out of the wind and grateful for that. He left for his floor and the other contract worker in the company I am assigned to arrived at the doors. The security guard still hadn't arrived, so I found the button that opened the door and let her in. I let in another contract from another company who arrived a couple of minutes later, and all three of us were using our cell phones calling all the numbers we had for permanent staffs' direct lines - all to no avail. The security guard finally sauntered off the elevator 15 minutes in to this scenario and activated the elevators so we could at least get to our floors. The two of us who work together looked at each other and wondered how we were going to get in to the office because it also needs a security card, but at that point two of the permanent staff arrived and rode up with us. Great start to the day. The people we had called had been on the floor but had opted not to answer their phones. Fine.
Since it was payday I called to check my bank balance so I could determine how much money I would have to work with once the mortgage payment was automatically deducted. There had been no deposit. I was beginning to wish I could wake up and start my real day - this had to be a bad dream, right? Not so. I called my supervisor and asked him who I needed to call. There has been some reorganization going on in the finance department of the data mangement company and I didn't want to spend client hours trying to chase someone who could help me down. He said something about another of the field staff calling with the same problem, he'd get back to me. Gave him my cell phone number since I still don't have any other access at this site. Next up called Elections Canada. I just wanted to talk with a real person to confirm the details of the work they were asking me to do. I explained about not being willing to lose this contract but explained that it might be possible to negotiate some time away as my supervisor had done for me during the summer election if the dates and hours of effort necessary were known. He said he'd get back to me on that next week. IOn a break later I called him again and offered to start the search for office space whether they wanted me to do the other work or not. Already secured. Hmmmmm. that led to some speculation.
Spent the morning just continuing on from where I'd left off. It was really difficult for the first bit because my lungs were still threatening to shut down. Respiratory distress can create some very strange effects. What I was experiencing this time was a spaced out not really anchored in this dimension sensation. I had trouble staying focussed and my eye hand co-ordination sucked, quite frankly. Two cups of coffee later I was ok though.
One of the senior secretaries came by and asked for further help on that client request the day before. She still hadn't been able to locate what she needed. I said I would call the co-worker who I was replacing at home and she was fine with that. I had wanted to talk with him about the Elections Canada issues anyway so it allowed me to multitask as well. We had a good chat as I was searching the boxes he was directing me to with respect to the lost data. Still nothing useful and there is another issue to take up with my supervisor when next we chat I guess.
Back in the boardroom my cell phone rang. It was my supervisor. He said the person he had talked to told him they had put my paycheque in the mail - yesterday. Uh huh. He asked if I had changed my banking information or moved my account. No and there had been no call from the person in question about it, even though I had included my cell phone number with the timesheet. My cell phone records all recieved calls and there were none from the data management company. He said he didn't understand why it had happened then, but that no one from payroll was in the office so nothing could be done until I received it in the mail. Great - bounced mortgage payment looming if I can't get hold of the bank on the long weekend to ask them to hold it. I still haven't any word or money from the employment insurance claim either. Lucky I have a stash of bus tickets for emergencies or I don't know how I'd afford to get to work next week without choosing not to eat this weekend. Happy New Year. I'm still sleeping - this is all a bad dream, Right? Not. He asked me to be careful with the envelope when it arrived at my home so that he could verify the date issued by the postmark. Fine.
Went back to work and that one secretary came by just to let me know the company had decided to close the office early today. She came back a bit later and asked if I could find a way to leave even earlier than that - I wasn't looking well. No doubt, left to freeze for a while to start the day and no money for basics for this weekend. I thought about leaving then but I told her I really wanted to get all the work in the boardroom done before the regular staff came back and wanted to use it. Not her fault any of it. I didn't say anything other than I thought the flu had taken all the energy I had and was still an issue. I explained about the boardroom problem and she said she would try to keep it clear for me for the first two days next week. It's nice to have someone that thoughtful in an office - doesn't happen all that often. She accepted my explanations and went on with her work.
About 12:30 my supervisor called again. The payroll thing was obviously really bothering him. He said he had changed his mind and would I call the payroll person first thing next week for an explanation of why she had done this to me. He said he thought he would have trouble getting through to her and that he also was too angry to address the issue in a calm manner. He thought maybe me explaining what impact it had on me would make her more aware of the effect her thoughtlessness/carelessness had on people's lives. I doubt it, but whatever. At this point it changes nothing. At least it made me feel better that my supervisor hadn't just shrugged it off. Not like the Elections Canada bosses anyway - or the Employment Insurance people either.
I worked through the lunch hour then left about 1:30. I completed the tasks I'd wanted to finish and my lungs were still hurting. I thought going home earlier in the day would be less stressful instead of when the temperature plunged later in the afternoon. My youngest was waiting when I arrived. My oldest had called and said they were having a party for my grand daughter's birthday around supper time. Could I come. Since all I wanted to do was crawl into bed and have a good cry I declined. I've done the stiff upper lip thing since having to leave the other contract nearly three months ago. I only have one nerve left and it is unravelling fast. My oldest picked my youngest up just after the news tonight and I have done the traditional Scots remedy for stress - cleaned house. Lucky the cats have been so accommodating in that respect. They must have known I would need mess to clean - right? Anyway thats all done and I think hot chocolate i going to be my toast to the New Year. Happy 2005 everyone.
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