Tomorrow morning I'm flying to Denver on my first ever business trip. I was originally going to stay for 4 days but another all-day training meeting came up the following Monday. It's cheaper for me to stay in Denver over the weekend than it would be to fly back here on Friday and fly back there on Sunday night. That means I won't be coming home until a week from Tuesday.
I have a 17 year old kid stopping by every day to feed my cats and pick up the mail. He's done it 2 or 3 times before and he does a good job. I pay him around $7 per day, which is a lot cheaper than boarding them. He seems happy to do it and the cats are less stressed out. I just have this nagging feeling that I'm not paying him enough. His mom is (was) my manager and she negotiated the amount, so I guess it's okay.
My coworkers have suggested things to do and see while I'm in town. I have an expense account for meals, lodging and travel but I'm on my own for entertainment expenses. I might try to find a theater and see the new Harry Potter film but that's something I could do at home. I could also go shoe-shopping (my new obsession) but, again, I can do that here. I hear downtown Denver is packed with things to do and most of it is within walking distance of my hotel. It's just a little bit daunting to be staying alone in a strange city. I may be so overwhelmed by everything that I spend the weekend sleeping!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Feelin' groovy
The last 7 or 8 months have been exhausting. I've worked an average of 60 hours per week since December. The short version is that the field converted to a new system and there were major issues with their data flowing into our system. This created a huge backlog of manual research and mandatory (unpaid) overtime. Those issues are mostly resolved now but there are still a lot of errors caused by training issues/noncompliance with procedures. Joy.
This is no longer my problem because as of Friday, July 1st I have a NEW JOB!!! It's a job that has me scared shitless but it's a job that promises to respect my personal time and allow me to have a life again. The exciting thing is that I didn't apply for it, I was referred to to it by someone who had been impressed by me in my old job. The manager invited me to interview. That has never happened to me before and I was extremely flattered. I had a job offer within 3 weeks of that first phone call but was not allowed to tell anyone where I was going until the end of May. Then, less than 2 weeks after I announced that I was leaving, the rest of my department was given notice that they would be laid off next spring. Wow. I am so glad not to be going through that again.
Now that I have some spare time, I've started on a project in my downstairs bathroom. The ceiling was water-damaged and sagging in places. There was also a hole cut out above the shower where a plumber fixed a leak from the tub in the upstairs bathroom. That was 4 years ago. Yeah. I'm a slob.
My brother Five was here last week attending training in the city. I live about an hour closer to the shop than he does and I was thrilled to have him stay with me. He's a lot of fun; we like a lot of the same things (sushi, scifi, seafood). He's also very handy and has been renovating his house mostly on his own. He helped me get started on the bathroom. Together we tore down the old ceiling and put up new drywall. He even helped me put on 2 coats of mud and sanded the first coat by himself.
This morning I put on the last coat of mud (I hope). Tomorrow I'm going to sand it. If everything looks flat then the next thing to do is paint. I chose a white paint for the ceiling and a light periwinkle blue for the walls. I might be able to finish the ceiling tomorrow and maybe get the walls done by next weekend. I'm so excited to have it finished! I think it will look really great with brown towels and rugs.
Now that I've popped my home improvement cherry, maybe I'll move on to other rooms. I really hate the beige walls and popcorn ceilings in this house. It would be nice to have some cooler shades; blues and purples and burgundies, even some pinks. I guess I'm not much for warm tones. If anyone would like to volunteer to paint or scrape ceilings, I would be more than happy to pay you in sushi. Pretty please?
This is no longer my problem because as of Friday, July 1st I have a NEW JOB!!! It's a job that has me scared shitless but it's a job that promises to respect my personal time and allow me to have a life again. The exciting thing is that I didn't apply for it, I was referred to to it by someone who had been impressed by me in my old job. The manager invited me to interview. That has never happened to me before and I was extremely flattered. I had a job offer within 3 weeks of that first phone call but was not allowed to tell anyone where I was going until the end of May. Then, less than 2 weeks after I announced that I was leaving, the rest of my department was given notice that they would be laid off next spring. Wow. I am so glad not to be going through that again.
Now that I have some spare time, I've started on a project in my downstairs bathroom. The ceiling was water-damaged and sagging in places. There was also a hole cut out above the shower where a plumber fixed a leak from the tub in the upstairs bathroom. That was 4 years ago. Yeah. I'm a slob.
My brother Five was here last week attending training in the city. I live about an hour closer to the shop than he does and I was thrilled to have him stay with me. He's a lot of fun; we like a lot of the same things (sushi, scifi, seafood). He's also very handy and has been renovating his house mostly on his own. He helped me get started on the bathroom. Together we tore down the old ceiling and put up new drywall. He even helped me put on 2 coats of mud and sanded the first coat by himself.
This morning I put on the last coat of mud (I hope). Tomorrow I'm going to sand it. If everything looks flat then the next thing to do is paint. I chose a white paint for the ceiling and a light periwinkle blue for the walls. I might be able to finish the ceiling tomorrow and maybe get the walls done by next weekend. I'm so excited to have it finished! I think it will look really great with brown towels and rugs.
Now that I've popped my home improvement cherry, maybe I'll move on to other rooms. I really hate the beige walls and popcorn ceilings in this house. It would be nice to have some cooler shades; blues and purples and burgundies, even some pinks. I guess I'm not much for warm tones. If anyone would like to volunteer to paint or scrape ceilings, I would be more than happy to pay you in sushi. Pretty please?
Monday, November 15, 2010
Secrets, secrets, are no fun
Today is one of those days when I feel isolated - not just physically but mentally & emotionally. No one knows my secrets. Normally that would make me feel smug but today it makes me feel lonely. I get so tired of not speaking, keeping my thoughts to myself. I guess it's better than spewing venom but I wonder if I'm coming across as bland to people who don't spend a lot of time with me. By not voicing an opinion maybe I appear too stupid to have one. Interesting.
There are things about me that aren't pretty, beyond the occasional mood swings. And I feel like I don't have anyone in my life that can accept those ugly things. Even my siblings couldn't handle hearing about them. Religion, for example, has become more and more strange to me. I can't talk about it with anyone and sometimes I really want to. Instead I patiently endure co-workers gushing about their kids accepting Christ or the new Christian rock band that I just have to hear. I don't know how to respond to that.
Sometimes I have the oddest thoughts. I drove home tonight happily munching on a steak burrito from Chipotle when it suddenly struck me how casually we kill. To live is to make others die. Cows, chickens, fish... all must be sacrificed to feed the dominant humans. Will that thought turn me into a vegetarian? Probably not - and I feel guilty about my callousness. But guilt is good. It's both a virtue and a luxury. And now I feel pretentious.
I suppose I should try to expand my circle of friends and meet some people who have more in common with me. It's kind of a strange niche: formerly religious and still moderately conservative but with liberal leanings seeks same for deep conversations and zero possibility of intimacy. That's a winner. The problem of course is that I can't stay interested in deep conversations for very long before apathy kicks in. I like to discuss, I don't like to argue. Maybe that's the problem right there. I would rather keep quiet than risk starting an argument.
There are things about me that aren't pretty, beyond the occasional mood swings. And I feel like I don't have anyone in my life that can accept those ugly things. Even my siblings couldn't handle hearing about them. Religion, for example, has become more and more strange to me. I can't talk about it with anyone and sometimes I really want to. Instead I patiently endure co-workers gushing about their kids accepting Christ or the new Christian rock band that I just have to hear. I don't know how to respond to that.
Sometimes I have the oddest thoughts. I drove home tonight happily munching on a steak burrito from Chipotle when it suddenly struck me how casually we kill. To live is to make others die. Cows, chickens, fish... all must be sacrificed to feed the dominant humans. Will that thought turn me into a vegetarian? Probably not - and I feel guilty about my callousness. But guilt is good. It's both a virtue and a luxury. And now I feel pretentious.
I suppose I should try to expand my circle of friends and meet some people who have more in common with me. It's kind of a strange niche: formerly religious and still moderately conservative but with liberal leanings seeks same for deep conversations and zero possibility of intimacy. That's a winner. The problem of course is that I can't stay interested in deep conversations for very long before apathy kicks in. I like to discuss, I don't like to argue. Maybe that's the problem right there. I would rather keep quiet than risk starting an argument.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
It's pronounced "hallow", not "hollow"
Time really flies when you're not having fun. It seems like October just started and already it's Halloween. For the last month my days have followed the same dull pattern: the alarm clock at 7 a.m. is ignored until 7:45; I rush around preparing for work and dash out the door around 8:40; arrive at work by 9 to sit in front of a computer screen for the next 9-10 hours; leave the office between 6 and 7 p.m.; feed the cats, watch TV, go to bed around 11. Rinse and repeat.
Fortunately, I'm planning another vacation in a few weeks. I'm going to stay with my sister Two over Thanksgiving. This will give me an opportunity to see my best friend's new house, which she purchased in July. I will probably leave with a severe case of design-envy, as the only thing I've really done to change the appearance of my house is tearing out the lilacs this summer. I'm excited to see my nephews and my sisters again. Nine will be there too and she has big plans for a Cheesecake Factory coupon. Yea!
In case you were wondering, I needn't have worried: Dizzy bombed her interview. When asked why she applied for the job she responded, "My boss told me you had 3 openings and I should apply." Um... the correct answer would have been something along the lines of "I enjoy working with numbers" or "I'm looking for a new experience to grow my skill set". We are getting a new hire tomorrow. I hope I get along with her. I hope she doesn't outshine me!
Fortunately, I'm planning another vacation in a few weeks. I'm going to stay with my sister Two over Thanksgiving. This will give me an opportunity to see my best friend's new house, which she purchased in July. I will probably leave with a severe case of design-envy, as the only thing I've really done to change the appearance of my house is tearing out the lilacs this summer. I'm excited to see my nephews and my sisters again. Nine will be there too and she has big plans for a Cheesecake Factory coupon. Yea!
In case you were wondering, I needn't have worried: Dizzy bombed her interview. When asked why she applied for the job she responded, "My boss told me you had 3 openings and I should apply." Um... the correct answer would have been something along the lines of "I enjoy working with numbers" or "I'm looking for a new experience to grow my skill set". We are getting a new hire tomorrow. I hope I get along with her. I hope she doesn't outshine me!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Dizzy
I've worked for the same company since early 2004, although technically I was a temp for the first 13 months so on paper I've only worked there 5 years. In that time the company has changed names twice and I have changed job titles 6 times. When I was hired into a permanent position I interviewed replacement temps with my supervisor. I didn't like the girl she selected. Not at all. She was a bubble-headed redneck who giggled in the interview. A lot. But the guy I wanted to hire turned us down so we took a chance on "Dizzy".
Fast-forward 5 1/2 years and Dizzy still works as a temp in that department. I worked beside her for 18 months before changing departments. She wasn't terrible but she had limited software skills and no inclination to improve them. It frustrated me because I am the type who likes to learn shortcuts and find ways to improve processes. Dizzy did things the hard way. She was slow to pick up new systems and was often scrambling to fix her mistakes.
I lost whatever respect I had for Dizzy when I had to start dealing with her as an end-user. The girl asked the same questions over and over. She couldn't retain anything we told her. The final nail in the coffin was when she accidentally tagged a record to be deleted and, not knowing how to correct her error, she told an outside vendor they had to recreate the file and asked my department to delete our version of it. I explained to her why this was a bad idea and told her how to re-import the file from our system. A week later Dizzy emailed asking us to delete a "duplication" that occurred when the vendor recreated their file. I was spitting mad. I still am, a little bit.
My old supervisor loves her. I can't explain why. She wasn't allowed to back fill when I left the position. I think she feels guilty about not hiring Dizzy permanently because every time there's a job opening in my department I hear from her. The funny thing (to me) is that I never hear about how qualified Dizzy is, just that she deserves to be hired because she works so hard. Yeah. If she were a little smarter she wouldn't have to work so hard.
Fortunately, in my last department the supervisor knew the kind of dingbat we were dealing with and swore she would never hire Dizzy. But now there's an opening in my new department. I saw Dizzy's resume in the pile of candidates to be interviewed next week and I nearly choked. This group has never worked with her but some of them know her from taking smoke breaks together. They may even like her. I told our Lead a little about her and why I didn't think she would be a good fit. I don't know if that was an ethical thing to do or not. I really don't want to work with her again. I might go crazy.
Fast-forward 5 1/2 years and Dizzy still works as a temp in that department. I worked beside her for 18 months before changing departments. She wasn't terrible but she had limited software skills and no inclination to improve them. It frustrated me because I am the type who likes to learn shortcuts and find ways to improve processes. Dizzy did things the hard way. She was slow to pick up new systems and was often scrambling to fix her mistakes.
I lost whatever respect I had for Dizzy when I had to start dealing with her as an end-user. The girl asked the same questions over and over. She couldn't retain anything we told her. The final nail in the coffin was when she accidentally tagged a record to be deleted and, not knowing how to correct her error, she told an outside vendor they had to recreate the file and asked my department to delete our version of it. I explained to her why this was a bad idea and told her how to re-import the file from our system. A week later Dizzy emailed asking us to delete a "duplication" that occurred when the vendor recreated their file. I was spitting mad. I still am, a little bit.
My old supervisor loves her. I can't explain why. She wasn't allowed to back fill when I left the position. I think she feels guilty about not hiring Dizzy permanently because every time there's a job opening in my department I hear from her. The funny thing (to me) is that I never hear about how qualified Dizzy is, just that she deserves to be hired because she works so hard. Yeah. If she were a little smarter she wouldn't have to work so hard.
Fortunately, in my last department the supervisor knew the kind of dingbat we were dealing with and swore she would never hire Dizzy. But now there's an opening in my new department. I saw Dizzy's resume in the pile of candidates to be interviewed next week and I nearly choked. This group has never worked with her but some of them know her from taking smoke breaks together. They may even like her. I told our Lead a little about her and why I didn't think she would be a good fit. I don't know if that was an ethical thing to do or not. I really don't want to work with her again. I might go crazy.
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