So I am supposed to call people to help them through their technological problems, and most of the time, I have to leave them a message. Not only do these people have problems answering their phone, they also have issues calling back. And then, when they do, they act surprised that I need to get into their machine to help them (goes with the territory of a locally installed application).
Such was the case with this person. I left a message this morning, and this lady called back pretty soon thereafter. I was impressed. Then I said I needed to get onto the machine, and well, she was like, it is working right now, so you can't actually see the problem. It's a big job, too, and will take awhile before it finishes. I tell her this is fine because I can look at some of the data I need without disturbing the job it's doing.
She notes that, well, she isn't next to that machine. It's a few desks over. Then silence. It should not have been a surprise that I would want to see the problem and want to look into it. I finally tell her that I am open to suggestions, and she says she'll call back when it is done.
Why did she bother to call if she was not in a place for me to actually do anything? Happens all the time.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Survey
So I got an "invite" to take the company survey this year (as I have every year, even on "pulse" years where not everyone takes it), and let me tell you, there's nothing like a good survey to really show you how stuck in a rut you are. Do you feel like the company uses your skills? Ha! No. Do you feel like you can reach your potential? Um, no. Does your supervisor nurture your skills? No. My skills don't really fit the company, and my goals have nothing to do with the company's.
It's like they expect their entire employee population to follow behind them like blind lemmings into the sea. My workplace does not define my identity, and what I do for money does not define my life and goals. Can I ever reach my potential in those walls? Absolutely not. I never will. Not in this company, and nothing they do can propel me to what I would consider any level of success.
I know this makes for a second bitter post about my workplace, but I suppose after several years of working here, I'm finally hitting the point where I'm just like "Now what?" I know where I'm (not) going here, and I know I'm just going to keep (not) doing that. All of that just serves to accentuate the fact that I'm utterly failing in the career I really want that I continue to strive for.
The saddest part of this is that this is still the best job I've ever had, and I sure don't want to go anywhere else. The company has me where they want me because I'm stuck. I have no future outside of this company unless I can write. And then, what break I did take for lunch was interrupted by a series of stupid questions.
It's going to be a long afternoon.
It's like they expect their entire employee population to follow behind them like blind lemmings into the sea. My workplace does not define my identity, and what I do for money does not define my life and goals. Can I ever reach my potential in those walls? Absolutely not. I never will. Not in this company, and nothing they do can propel me to what I would consider any level of success.
I know this makes for a second bitter post about my workplace, but I suppose after several years of working here, I'm finally hitting the point where I'm just like "Now what?" I know where I'm (not) going here, and I know I'm just going to keep (not) doing that. All of that just serves to accentuate the fact that I'm utterly failing in the career I really want that I continue to strive for.
The saddest part of this is that this is still the best job I've ever had, and I sure don't want to go anywhere else. The company has me where they want me because I'm stuck. I have no future outside of this company unless I can write. And then, what break I did take for lunch was interrupted by a series of stupid questions.
It's going to be a long afternoon.
Something I'm Bitter Over
This was months ago. Halloween, actually.
At work, we have a costume contest for those who wish to dress up. For fun, I have dressed up every year since I started. most years, I just put on whatever I happen to have on hand and call it something clever. Year before last, I went as the 11th Doctor but it was a bit of a rush job on the costume. As such, no love on the contest.
Last year, however, I went as the fourth doctor. I had spent the previous year getting all of the pieces together, including the super long scarf that the Queen knitted over the course of about 2 or 3 months. I kept checking Goodwill for the perfect pieces of the outfit, and found the pants, vest, and the weekend before Halloween, I found the perfect overcoat. I put it all together with the red ascot and costume fedora, and it was amazing.
Going as the iconic image of the fourth doctor, I just knew I would do well this year. People who don't know Doctor Who know about the guy with curly hair and long scarf thanks to the Simpsons.
How did I do?
Dead last. It is not a costume contest. It is a popularity contest.
The winner was 1 of the pretty girls who dress up as Sundrop girl. don't know who Sundrop girl is? We all did. We knew because she went around showing everyone who would watch this video of the Sun Drop commercial featuring this character.
Yup, she looked exactly like that, which no one would have known without her showing us the video. In addition, the voting pool was limited to those who came into the room to see us and most of them were on her team. I was not aware judging a costume required campaigning.
Fortunately, I did not make the costume solely for this contest at work. I did it for fun. Oh yes, who else did I lose out to? Second place was someone who threw theirs together that morning and had to explain what they were. Third was a geeky vampire who wore a long letter overcoats and sound activated tie. I was fourth out of four. Everyone who saw it and knows Doctor Who had no questions about who I was and said it was perfect, including the third place guy, who said I should have won. Too bad no one voting actually looked it up or do anything about Doctor Who.
Sad when you think about it, isn't it?
At work, we have a costume contest for those who wish to dress up. For fun, I have dressed up every year since I started. most years, I just put on whatever I happen to have on hand and call it something clever. Year before last, I went as the 11th Doctor but it was a bit of a rush job on the costume. As such, no love on the contest.
Last year, however, I went as the fourth doctor. I had spent the previous year getting all of the pieces together, including the super long scarf that the Queen knitted over the course of about 2 or 3 months. I kept checking Goodwill for the perfect pieces of the outfit, and found the pants, vest, and the weekend before Halloween, I found the perfect overcoat. I put it all together with the red ascot and costume fedora, and it was amazing.
Going as the iconic image of the fourth doctor, I just knew I would do well this year. People who don't know Doctor Who know about the guy with curly hair and long scarf thanks to the Simpsons.
How did I do?
Dead last. It is not a costume contest. It is a popularity contest.
The winner was 1 of the pretty girls who dress up as Sundrop girl. don't know who Sundrop girl is? We all did. We knew because she went around showing everyone who would watch this video of the Sun Drop commercial featuring this character.
Yup, she looked exactly like that, which no one would have known without her showing us the video. In addition, the voting pool was limited to those who came into the room to see us and most of them were on her team. I was not aware judging a costume required campaigning.
Fortunately, I did not make the costume solely for this contest at work. I did it for fun. Oh yes, who else did I lose out to? Second place was someone who threw theirs together that morning and had to explain what they were. Third was a geeky vampire who wore a long letter overcoats and sound activated tie. I was fourth out of four. Everyone who saw it and knows Doctor Who had no questions about who I was and said it was perfect, including the third place guy, who said I should have won. Too bad no one voting actually looked it up or do anything about Doctor Who.
Sad when you think about it, isn't it?
Monday, January 21, 2013
Days Off
The best part of having a good, permanent job is the days off. Not only do I get three weeks of days to myself, but we get the.major holidays as well. I believe I've worked maybe ten days of the last month, and I'm chilling at home yet again. Nevermind that I've got the sweet hours of Mon - Fri mornings and off by 3:30. Maybe that doesn't seem impressive to you, but when you've had as many night and weekend jobs as I have, a Mon - Fri is the sweet spot. At other jobs with what you might call a "flexible" schedule, the 8-5 M-F is the brass ring, and even on those jobs, we worked every holiday. So sitting at home on a holiday as minor as Martin Luther King day means I'm in pretty good shape and feel very blessed. Have a great day.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
