Fix your job

[Schmeelkie]

My mom, who works as a library aide at the high school I went to, has had to take on extra work this year to stay employed. She's now also part-time secretary for the history and english departments. It's taking her a while to adjust and figure out her priorities. I sympathize as I'm working on about 4 grants now and am constantly reassessing my priorities...at least on a weekly, if not daily basis. Anyway, not fun for 66-yr old mom who just wants to get 4 more years of work in before retiring. Wanted to have some give time between my dad retiring and her - adjust to changes in money coming in... they seem to be doing OK now...

[barfle]

Go git 'em piq!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

The Secretary sent out a memo:

Hello everyone,

Our "cleaning lady" asked me to please pass the word that they are currently in between contracts. She said that the "old" company said they will not provide anymore supplies for us and the "new" one said that they will not provide supplies until they fully take over the contract. She apologizes for the inconvenience.

The boss added:

DON'T SHAKE HANDS WITH ANYBODY

These are actual cut-and-paste quotes from my email today. For real. How could I make this up? I have no imagination, everyone knows this!

I foresee some free enterprise Costco toilet paper rolls offered for sale in the office. Apparently, the gummint can bail out banks and suchlike but is not competent to contract for bathroom supplies.

[Schmeelkie]

The Secretary sent out a memo:

Hello everyone,

Our "cleaning lady" asked me to please pass the word that they are currently in between contracts. She said that the "old" company said they will not provide anymore supplies for us and the "new" one said that they will not provide supplies until they fully take over the contract. She apologizes for the inconvenience.

The boss added:

DON'T SHAKE HANDS WITH ANYBODY

These are actual cut-and-paste quotes from my email today. For real. How could I make this up? I have no imagination, everyone knows this!

I foresee some free enterprise Costco toilet paper rolls offered for sale in the office. Apparently, the gummint can bail out banks and suchlike but is not competent to contract for bathroom supplies.

HOLY CRAP! I mean that literally! Don't know how many people you have at work there, but public bathrooms can get really messy really fast. Heck, I'm always careful what I put in the office trash after our 'cleaning lady' comes by on Thursday early pm as she doesn't seem to get to us on Fridays and things can stink over the weekend! Can't imagine being 'between' cleaning services for more than a couple of days would be a pretty sight!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

The ladies' stays pretty good, we don't seem to mess things up as badly as the men. And there are fewer of us. My locker, and several others, now contain Costco toilet paper rolls: we'll bring our own before we go without, we will, we will! One lady even brought in some Northern with the pretty quilted pattern

The men are on their own. I'm not touching anything. Antibacterial hand soap and lots of sanitizer...

[Nicole Marie]

Yikes! Hope you guys have a cleaning crew now? After reading your boss's memo I will never take our cleaning service for granted here at the station!

[Schmeelkie]

Haven't been posting much as my computer finally died... For a couple of weeks it wouldn't turn on on the first try (luckily I would leave it on, just logoff during the week, only turned off over weekend). After the time it took 4 times to get started, and then only in 'safe mode', called IT - they recommended a new computer as the system board was dying. They told me not to turn it off. Well, before TG it started going to a black screen in the middle of working. Monday it did that 5 times between 9:30-11:40 and I gave up. Luckily we have enough part-time people and people working off-site that I've been able to work on others computers, but it's not the same. Also - these computers are all in the basement and my office is on the 4th floor. so if I forgot a file, or need to look up something I have on paper - gotta go up.... Yes, a new computer was ordered as of 11/18. Scheduled to arrive on 12/12 - and that's before IT gets it and has to do the setup and hopefully will be able to retrieve the stuff on my hard drive (I saved most stuff, the most important stuff on CD and jump drives before it died, but it would be nice to have EVERYTHING). Just find it highly annoying to wait really 5 weeks between request and receipt of a piece of machinery I cannot do without!!! Also - how scary is it that a computer just over 4 year old is OLD and cheaper to just replace!

Anyway, by next week I should be able to borrow a laptop that will allow me to do all my work except statistical analyses at my desk. Maybe tomorrow if I'm lucky!

I miss my window too....

[BigJon@Work]

That's pretty ridiculous that they don't have a spare sitting around. You wasted time is probably worth more than a new computer.

[Trumpetmaster]

Well it's Official!

This has been in the works for sometime...
BUT
Today it is Official...

I have received an early Christmas Present..

I am being promoted to Mediation Manager (I'll be responsible for the telephone call records, vendor management, carrier compensation.. all telecom stuff) effective January 5, 2009.

One very happy trumpetmaster!

[Schmeelkie]

Congrats TM! How many people are getting promotions with the economy the way it is? We've been told by the dept head and university that while they won't have a hiring freeze, any requested new hire will be scrutinized more than usual and promotions to the next level/merit increases will likely slow down. I'm just hoping Obama doesn't decide to go crazy cutting the federal budget and do something nasty to NIH - funding has been pretty stagnant for the last few years and I'd really like that to not continue or worse, get cuts.

I'm writing this on my new computer! Installed yesterday just before I left, so I didn't have time to check it out until today. Got me a new keyboard (bye-bye sticky 8!) and mouse (no more ball to get clogged up!), but keeping the old monitor. 'Course they couldn't transfer over my statistical programs, those still need to be reinstalled, so I'm back to the basement for a bit this afternoon. I'm hoping our IT guy has time to install later today or tomorrow (nice to be off on Fridays) so I can be back to normal on Monday.

Problem with finding back up computer was lack of said statistical programs...we had an extra, but had purchased it without the Universities normal qualifications - had to be big to store videos - so IT does not support. So, were loathe to set up for me as a temp. Was able to get work done nomadically drifting to other computers as people had days off, were off-site, or could do other work. Just annoying as all files, snacks and supplies in my office on 4th floor - extra computers in basement. Each day, at least once, I'd make it downstairs only to realize I forgot something I needed. Got some good exercise on the stairs.....

[Trumpetmaster]

Schmeelkie,
Thanks....
I am grateful in this economy that this has occured.

The problem I've had is my responsiblities have been as a Project Manager...
but they use me as the Telecom SME... supporting the rest of our department.
I have had to tell Architects how things work or how they should be "re-designed"

While performing this support role, my PM responsibilities sit idle...
Hence.. managements push.. get it all done..

I am on cloud 9!

Thanks!
TM

[Shapley]

T/M Congratulations!

First you were promoted to Patron here on the B.com BB! (The very first, if I recall), and now this. The sky's the limit!

V/R
Shapley

[Trumpetmaster]

T/M Congratulations!

First you were promoted to Patron here on the B.com BB! (The very first, if I recall), and now this. The sky's the limit!

V/R
Shapley

Shapley,
Thanks... The position I'm in right now is the reason my posting has gone down...
I'm basically working 2 jobs. This new position is in line with my knowledge base, experience,
etc... and it gets me out of working overnight software deployments....

Hope to catch up to you in the new year...


TM

[dai bread]

"I have had to tell Architects how things work or how they should be "re-designed""

Architects think they know everything about buildings, but they slip up now & then. The classic, as far as my experience with them goes, was at TVNZ's swanky building. The electrical conduits ran from floor to floor inside the entrances to the women's toilets. The electricians who serviced the cables and switchgear etc. were men.

I can't recall ever meeting a female electrician.

[jamiebk]

"I have had to tell Architects how things work or how they should be "re-designed""

Architects think they know everything about buildings, but they slip up now & then. The classic, as far as my experience with them goes, was at TVNZ's swanky building. The electrical conduits ran from floor to floor inside the entrances to the women's toilets. The electricians who serviced the cables and switchgear etc. were men.

I can't recall ever meeting a female electrician.

Actually, there have been 2 of them (female electricians) working on the remodel at our office. I am not going to try to tell you that they were attractive...that would be a mis-truth. Couple of tough ladies....

[Shapley]

Actually, there have been 2 of them (female electricians) working on the remodel at our office. I am not going to try to tell you that they were attractive...that would be a mis-truth. Couple of tough ladies....

I knew some female Electrician's Mates (and I don't mean wives of electricians ) when I was in the Navy, but I have no idea what field they entered when they left the service.

[Trumpetmaster]

"I have had to tell Architects how things work or how they should be "re-designed""

Architects think they know everything about buildings, but they slip up now & then. The classic, as far as my experience with them goes, was at TVNZ's swanky building. The electrical conduits ran from floor to floor inside the entrances to the women's toilets. The electricians who serviced the cables and switchgear etc. were men.

I can't recall ever meeting a female electrician.

Actually, there have been 2 of them (female electricians) working on the remodel at our office. I am not going to try to tell you that they were attractive...that would be a mis-truth. Couple of tough ladies....

[Serenity]

Actually, there have been 2 of them (female electricians) working on the remodel at our office. I am not going to try to tell you that they were attractive...that would be a mis-truth. Couple of tough ladies....

I knew some female Electrician's Mates (and I don't mean wives of electricians ) when I was in the Navy, but I have no idea what field they entered when they left the service.

Babes with Tool Belts! (Typical Homer Simpson salivation-sound!)

[piqaboo]

Congrats, TM!

[Trumpetmaster]

Job Update!

I am still in a transition state winding down my old job responsibilities.
BUT I cannot tell you how GREAT it is to be over here.

My VP (who I report directly to) is terrific.
My colleagues are AWESOME.

I was actually joking around with them this afternoon....
This was not going on when I was in the other group. Morale was low if any at all....

What a differnence!
I am treated with respect and have been given decision making authority
where in my old position management would not let you do anything unless
they knew about it and approved it.
Something called trust over here....

Anyway, I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders...

Trying like heck to get my old projects that overlapped to 2009 completed
so I can get some traction on my new responsibilities.