12:39 AM - 27.01.05
Changes
I bought the scents I mentioned a few posts ago on the advice on one of the regulars at my bus stop. She had it on and I loved the subltlety of the fragrance. She has been a regular for nearly a year now but rarely joined in or responded when any of the group were talking. It is one of the unspoken agreements of regular travellers that other people's privacy and personal integrity are never infringed upon - trespass by invitation only. It appear that she was very reserved because she was shy. It just took finding that one right question to break the ice. This morning we rode the bus and train together to her destination chatting about our jobs. They intersect in that the government department she works in has responsibilities overlapping with some of the work I do. We shared a lot of information about the generalities of both our assignments. Good conversation.
Got to work early and found the main doors still locked at the client's office. Since I don't have a security card I have to ring the bell to summon someone to open up for me. There is another entrance but it has a punch in code which I haven't been given either. The person who let me in today said they would come by my station later with the code. I appreciated her thoughtfulness of my comfort, but the companies we work for are very sensitive about control of their security and I agree that it should be that way. Emailed my supervisor to ask for some guidance on how to deal with the offer. I don't want to rat on someone but I also to want to compromise myself or the company in question. By the time he arrived for our weekly meeting he had smoothed that over and had looked in to a couple of other houekeeping queries I had had. He stood and chatted a bit with me while I finished up what I was doing then headed for the boardroom. I'm not certain if my tech from the last election has had words with him or if something else is occurring but he has been a lot more attentive and repectful of me this week. For a while there it felt as though he was trying to freeze me out of the equation on behalf of my co-worker, especially during the weekly meetings. There were times when he seemed really angry with me but I haven't done anything but come into work every day and index throughout. There was no reason for his behaviour and it was really upsetting me. Before the meeting last Friday I spent most of the morning afraid of what would be said or done next - I wasn't even certain I was going to be allowed to be involved. Not good for morale or productivity either.
Anyway this week has been much better and I think I'll just be grateful that it is so. My co-worker was quite subdued in the meeting but it isn't my responsibility to provide him with entertainment or attention beyond our tasks. I think he has been complaining to some of the regular staff, given their behaviour, about my lack of attention but the deadlines set don't allow for any wasted time even if I was inclined otherwise. I treat him the same way I treat all the other people we work with and that will have to suffice. The meeting was comfortable for me, with the liaison teasing me a bit about getting excited about what I was finding in the data. The time estimates that my coworker had submitted weren't sitting well with our liaison and the issues around labelling came up again. Still with the comments that certain requests couldn't be accommodated but with the one scientist pointing out that my tech had already created the template while he was last on this task last year. Some discussion I didn't agree with about throwing a lot of data away - not post Enron we don't and besides the legislation is very clear on retention. Convenience with respect to storage isn't one of the criteria. Also with much more stringent scrutiny with respect to compliance issues the regulatory bodies aren't cutting any of the companies any slack. If they can't produce the historical documentation requested they are levied substantial penalties and can even lose certain business privileges costing their company major revenue losses. I held my fire until the clients' representative had left. My supervisor knows the drill and has been quite assertive in other work place settings. This assignment he seems to be holding off completely going along with whatever the flow is in discussion. I don't understand the change - he is no coward. Anyway I spoke my piece after and he asked me to send him some of the supporting work I had crated for him in another assignment based on work I had done several years ago on statutory compliance. Not a Problem. The government's rules have become stricter so I'm not worried about overstating anything.
Popped in to see my chiropractor at lunch just chatting about our regular activities. I noted I had really struggled last week with the brathing becuase of the constant radical changes in our weather. Said I didn't think he could do much about that. He proved me wrong though. A little work on the intersection of th rib cartilage with the sternum and all of a sudden there was a lot more air in my lungs. Good session.
Finished off the afternoon just keying away then stopped in at the grocery store on the way home. Two males in their 30's - maybe - followed me wherever I went. It made me uncomfortable, especially when they stood behind me at the till and were craning trying to see my name on my debit card. The young woman who was looking after my order must have realized the problem and dealt with it very well. She held my card so it was facing away from them and against store policy, she did not address me by the name on my store or airmiles card. The staff can actually be disciplined for not "acknowledging the customer by name" so I really appreciated her thoughtfulness. I went out to the foyer and called a cab. The two of them followed shortly after and kept following me wherever I moved. I finally went outside hoping the cab would arrive soon. They followed me out and the only saving grace was that there was a lot of coming and going around where I had chosen to stand - for that purpose of course. The one male was trying to get me to talk with him while the other was muttering that "she shouldn't be getting that cab - it should be ours" and similar comments. He also was muttering things about a woman who was likely his ex partner from the sounds of the venom pouring out. Smart girl I think. When the cab pulled up about five minutes (seemed like hours) after I left the store the one male forced himself in front still muttering. I wasn't going to argue the with him either. I was just backing away to go into call the cab company agin when the other male pointed out the cab he had called - another company altogether - pulling up. The first one looked at me as though he still wanted to find a reason to pick a fight with me but his buddy was already halfway to the vehicle. The cabbie who had com for me was one of the regulars and I told him I was really thankful for his presence and explained the situation. My concern had also been that whatever driver they got may have had problem with them too so I was hoping that my driver would recall the other cab and be able to call in for help for him if necessary. Not a good way to end the day but at least I finally got home in one piece.
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