As I walk through the office this morning, the first thing I see as I enter the department is Dynae's birthday balloons brightly surrounding her cubicle. I've been looking at these balloons since last week Wednesday. I did the appropriate thing that day and wished her a happy birthday. Her response was, "Thank you but my birthday isn't until Sunday." Under my breath I am saying, "Not that I plan on speaking to you on this Sunday (or any Sunday for that matter), but I digress." It was implied that since it was Thanksgiving week last week the balloons on Wednesday were logical. Duh. And if it weren't already implied, I don't care what day her actual birthday was.
But here we are, more than a week after the birthday balloons went up and the decorations are becoming old. That's when the observation hit me. Since Dynae is a 20-something, the birthday balloons stay up for a week. If the birthday person was 30-something, the balloons would come down the next day. If the birthday person was 40-something, the balloons wouldn't make it till the end of the first day. If the birthday person was 50-something, they would tear balloons down the moment they went up. And if the birthday person was 60-something, they wish someone would care enough to realize that they are having another birthday and decorate with balloons. And we come full circle on the life of a cubicle birthday balloon.
So the boss hasn't been mentioned for a long time. I wonder if he is coming back. The guy who is filling in for him is great. Maybe that's a sign of better things to come. Or maybe not. Lately I don't have enough to do. I requested involvement in a big project that is coming our way only to be denied. It seems that even though I have lots of experience with implementation of new software systems, because I haven't worked with this specific vendor I'm just not qualified. So the plan is to hire 3 "experienced" people to do the work. Did I mention I have nothing to do? So what a great idea! Hire more people and I have nothing to do. I need to find a new job.
Work has been frustrating lately. The boss is out on sick leave. We don't get the privilege of knowing what exactly is wrong with him, just that he will be out for 6 to 8 weeks. Of course, it is his right to privacy but every once in a while we get a little hint of a suggestion of whatever it is that is bothering him. The rumors run from the big C-word to mental illness. Since he has shown up in the office for an hour or two looking just fine, verified by senior management that he has no symptoms, the rumors are exacerbated along the lines of mental illness.
My co-workers and I have caught him in a variety of inaccuracies so current thought is that the man has lost track of the tales he has weaved and can't keep track of who he says what to so he is suffering from a combination of guilt and shame. Which is in keeping with the mental illness rumor...
My personal experience has to do with something he told be about his calendar. To preface the story, the day before I asked about the calendar we had a departmental meeting where he explained that he is traveling often to gain some new clients in the area of quality assurance. We are a software hosting company in the long term health care industry and the software vendors that we do business with are a source for him. The concept of doing QA work for these vendors makes sense and would make our department more than just overhead, but a resource for revenue. Sounds like a good idea to me.
I am new to this QA department so this man is in the process of training me. He told me to book some time on his calendar to spend some time together going over a project. I told him I struggled to find time on his calendar because he was so heavliy booked. Half of his day was filled with school open houses in the Chicago area. I didn't quite understand this, I thought maybe he was a teacher as well as the director here. So I asked him, "Are you a teacher?" I thought it would be really cool if he said yes, I would like to hear more if he was. I have a high respect for teachers. He said, no knowing exactly where I was coming from (his calendar). He explained to me that those were his potential clients. He said, "Remember yesterday I mentioned that I am in the process of trying to gain new clients for the business?" I said, "Oh, OK" quite confused by this answer. Based on our senior management's philosophy called the Hedgehog concept which boils down to doing one thing well, this didn't quite fit. Plus he said he was traveling to Tennessee and Washington DC, what would that possibly have to do with Chicago area schools? Hmmm....
I started to do some research. Google is a great resource. I discovered that this man has a tutoring business on the side. That explains all the school open houses. He must be trying to sell his tutoring service to the schools as a resource for students. Both his home and company are located in Chicago, so it was all fitting together. I looked at his calendar again and noticed that he is here when some of these events occur. Strange. But he was usually in a conference call in his office at the exact same time listed on his calendar. Other times he just wasn't here. By the way, Google also revealed another business that the man is in selling real estate. His expertise: Senior Living.
What I don't understand is why he would tell me a lie. It's obvious that we are NOT going into the business of doing QA work for schools. My co-workers were also feeling a little uneasy because of the events of late. After some discussion with them, it seems they also felt a sense of betrayal by some of the things this man has said. We did not get into too much detail, some things are better left unspoken. And now he is out on medical leave leaving us all wondering about many things, including our own welfare within the company. Anyway I don't care if he has other business ventures, except when I need him and he's not here. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter to me as long as I get a fair shake at work. Based on some of the things my co-workers are saying, they aren't getting a fair shake. It's too soon for me to tell.
My co-workers and I have caught him in a variety of inaccuracies so current thought is that the man has lost track of the tales he has weaved and can't keep track of who he says what to so he is suffering from a combination of guilt and shame. Which is in keeping with the mental illness rumor...
My personal experience has to do with something he told be about his calendar. To preface the story, the day before I asked about the calendar we had a departmental meeting where he explained that he is traveling often to gain some new clients in the area of quality assurance. We are a software hosting company in the long term health care industry and the software vendors that we do business with are a source for him. The concept of doing QA work for these vendors makes sense and would make our department more than just overhead, but a resource for revenue. Sounds like a good idea to me.
I am new to this QA department so this man is in the process of training me. He told me to book some time on his calendar to spend some time together going over a project. I told him I struggled to find time on his calendar because he was so heavliy booked. Half of his day was filled with school open houses in the Chicago area. I didn't quite understand this, I thought maybe he was a teacher as well as the director here. So I asked him, "Are you a teacher?" I thought it would be really cool if he said yes, I would like to hear more if he was. I have a high respect for teachers. He said, no knowing exactly where I was coming from (his calendar). He explained to me that those were his potential clients. He said, "Remember yesterday I mentioned that I am in the process of trying to gain new clients for the business?" I said, "Oh, OK" quite confused by this answer. Based on our senior management's philosophy called the Hedgehog concept which boils down to doing one thing well, this didn't quite fit. Plus he said he was traveling to Tennessee and Washington DC, what would that possibly have to do with Chicago area schools? Hmmm....
I started to do some research. Google is a great resource. I discovered that this man has a tutoring business on the side. That explains all the school open houses. He must be trying to sell his tutoring service to the schools as a resource for students. Both his home and company are located in Chicago, so it was all fitting together. I looked at his calendar again and noticed that he is here when some of these events occur. Strange. But he was usually in a conference call in his office at the exact same time listed on his calendar. Other times he just wasn't here. By the way, Google also revealed another business that the man is in selling real estate. His expertise: Senior Living.
What I don't understand is why he would tell me a lie. It's obvious that we are NOT going into the business of doing QA work for schools. My co-workers were also feeling a little uneasy because of the events of late. After some discussion with them, it seems they also felt a sense of betrayal by some of the things this man has said. We did not get into too much detail, some things are better left unspoken. And now he is out on medical leave leaving us all wondering about many things, including our own welfare within the company. Anyway I don't care if he has other business ventures, except when I need him and he's not here. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter to me as long as I get a fair shake at work. Based on some of the things my co-workers are saying, they aren't getting a fair shake. It's too soon for me to tell.
We went out for the first time with my new department. It was a bowling party. Luckily for me it was held at Olympic Lanes, close to home. I haven't been in the place for years and it was wonderfully updated, bright and cheery, very well ventilated. I am happy to report that I bowled a 189, 188, and a 183 game. At the end of bowling we were served pizzas. I have to find out where they are from. They were really good.
We headed to the bar as soon as our games were complete. By then half the bowlers had left leaving those of us with no ties to anything else on a Friday night. Although I was invited to another after-work party down at the Ale House. If the weather was better (it was raining and sleeting outside) I would consider going back downtown if this party didn't turn out to be interesting. But since the weather sucked, it's going to be here or home.
The bar was a great time. After a few Corona Lights (bonus! they have the light beer) I was relaxed and having a great time. I wasn't so sure some of these people even knew who I was but apparently I was wrong. Maybe it's just the nature of their work or their intenseness on the job that gave me the feeling that I was invisible to them. Anyway, I was wrong they knew who I was. Just knowing that will make me feel better, more comfortable at work.
We chatted with a few people, getting to know them better. The really cool thing is that I discovered that one of my co-workers also bowls on my HOG league. That is too funny. Here we're into the third month of bowling and I never knew that. Of course in the HOG league we don't get to bowl against all the teams so there's a chance I would have never known she was there if we didn't talk about it here.
There were so many nice people but I already knew that. Bowling just was verification of what I already knew.
We headed to the bar as soon as our games were complete. By then half the bowlers had left leaving those of us with no ties to anything else on a Friday night. Although I was invited to another after-work party down at the Ale House. If the weather was better (it was raining and sleeting outside) I would consider going back downtown if this party didn't turn out to be interesting. But since the weather sucked, it's going to be here or home.
The bar was a great time. After a few Corona Lights (bonus! they have the light beer) I was relaxed and having a great time. I wasn't so sure some of these people even knew who I was but apparently I was wrong. Maybe it's just the nature of their work or their intenseness on the job that gave me the feeling that I was invisible to them. Anyway, I was wrong they knew who I was. Just knowing that will make me feel better, more comfortable at work.
We chatted with a few people, getting to know them better. The really cool thing is that I discovered that one of my co-workers also bowls on my HOG league. That is too funny. Here we're into the third month of bowling and I never knew that. Of course in the HOG league we don't get to bowl against all the teams so there's a chance I would have never known she was there if we didn't talk about it here.
There were so many nice people but I already knew that. Bowling just was verification of what I already knew.
I went to set my lineup for my fantasy football team and what do you know! I'm in first place. The funny thing about that is I don't know anything about football and I joined the league under the condition that no one else in the league tells me what to do. My son-in-law can get pretty bossy. I understand that everyone has an opinion but I really want to do this on my own. I reasearched the players, got some instruction on how to read the stats, and did it all all by myself. We shall see how long this first place standing lasts.
My kids were discussing the voting referenda for this election. There are three referendum. The marriage amendment, the death penalty advisory, and the Oak Creek Middle School referendum. There is some confusion regarding the marriage amendment and some people seem to think they are voting for or against gay marriages. That is not true, gay marriage is already not legal in this state. The vote is to amend the state's constitution.
A yes vote on the marriage referendum means voting to change Wisconsin's constitution. The existing law restricting marriage to be between a man and woman will then become part of the state's constitution and would not recognize any legal validity of a marriage between anyone but a man and a woman.
A no vote on the marriage referendum means voting to leave things alone. It will not amend the state's constitution, nor will it change the existing law in Wisconsin.
After taking a business law class and developing a deep appreciation for the constitution as it is written I firmly believe that changing anything in either the US or state's constitution is a really big deal and a really bad idea.
The death penalty referendum is pretty straight-forward but it's advisory so it's just a suggestion not something we're voting into law.
Again, bad idea. Research will bear out that the death penalty does not stop crime and it doesn't save any tax-payer dollars. In fact, it's quite the opposite, once a person is sentenced to death, they now have legal access to many appeals paid for with tax dollars. So they are on our dole for a long, expensive ride before any sentence ends up being carried out. Not to mention, that the whole thought disgusts me, it's barbaric. Wisconsin was the first state to abolish the dealth penalty which makes us progressive. We need to move ahead, not back.
The middle school referendum would set aside money to build a new middle school. Progressively, that would make room to expand the East middle school into a high school since the new middle school could handle the additional students.
A yes vote on the marriage referendum means voting to change Wisconsin's constitution. The existing law restricting marriage to be between a man and woman will then become part of the state's constitution and would not recognize any legal validity of a marriage between anyone but a man and a woman.
A no vote on the marriage referendum means voting to leave things alone. It will not amend the state's constitution, nor will it change the existing law in Wisconsin.
After taking a business law class and developing a deep appreciation for the constitution as it is written I firmly believe that changing anything in either the US or state's constitution is a really big deal and a really bad idea.
The death penalty referendum is pretty straight-forward but it's advisory so it's just a suggestion not something we're voting into law.
Again, bad idea. Research will bear out that the death penalty does not stop crime and it doesn't save any tax-payer dollars. In fact, it's quite the opposite, once a person is sentenced to death, they now have legal access to many appeals paid for with tax dollars. So they are on our dole for a long, expensive ride before any sentence ends up being carried out. Not to mention, that the whole thought disgusts me, it's barbaric. Wisconsin was the first state to abolish the dealth penalty which makes us progressive. We need to move ahead, not back.
The middle school referendum would set aside money to build a new middle school. Progressively, that would make room to expand the East middle school into a high school since the new middle school could handle the additional students.
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