Traffic and Committees

Outside of traffic, there is nothing that has held this country back as much as committees. ~ Will Rogers

Yesterday was Wednesday. I dislike Wednesdays.

Wednesdays mean meetings. I'm on a bunch of different committees at work and Wednesday seems to be the day for meetings. One of these committees meets at 3pm and the meeting lasts for an hour.

This of course means I don't leave the office until 4:15 or later. Which is a difference of two hours from my normal commute. Can I tell you how much of a difference two hours makes?

Add on any sort of weather and the commute takes approximately a lifetime. I so hate leaving work that late.

But there is light at the end of this tunnel...at least for a little bit with me working from home soon.

Until later...

Commute

Each year it seems to take less time to fly across the ocean and longer to drive to work. ~ Author Unknown

We've been talking about this possibility for weeks at work. The possibility of a pilot program in which someone from our team would work the night shift to see if the content center in Manila is creating enough work for us to implement a full time night shift.

The possible individuals for working this shift are myself and one other. I've made it clear that I wouldn't mind working the shift and so has he. The two of us have the longest commutes and both of us would enjoy not having to come into work.

Today the possibility became a reality. Our team will have one individual working 7pm to 4am, Sunday through Thursday, supporting the group in Manila.

The person working this shift? Me. After thinking about it, the other individual realized that for the short term, this wouldn't work out with his family situation, so that left the job up to me.

I'm looking forward to it. Not necessaily the working at night, but the no commute and the working from home in my jammies. The money I'll save in gas alone makes it wonderful and there will apparently be a shift differential also.

So, as of the 25th, I won't have to go into the office for four weeks. I say bring it on!

Until later...

Judgment

Judgment is forced upon us by experience. ~ Samuel Johnson

It's that time of year again...time to stand in judgment of my peers. There's nothing I dislike more about January than the fact that I have to write out peer reviews.

Peer reviews if done correctly can be a great source of growth and development for others. If done incorrectly, they can be a great source of dissention and ill-will.

This is the first year that I'll actually be writing peer reviews for this team. I'm not looking forward to it. Okay, that's not entirely true. I don't mind writing the reviews and I have a good idea of what I'm going to say.

The part I'm not looking forward to, is reading my reviews from my peers. This is the biggest backstabbing group of individuals that I have ever worked with before, and I have a feeling the reviews are not going to be what I am told face to face.

I don't get the culture of backstabbing. Never have. If it's one thing you know, you know how I feel about you. I find the energy that some people use up by being sweet to your face and pulling out the chef's knife behind you to be wasted energy. What's the point?

And passive aggressiveness...what's with that?

Ah well, I have to remember that differences make the world go round...right?

Until later...

Rumors without Legs

A rumor without a leg to stand on will get around some other way. ~ John Tudor

The economy has been downright brutal in the past 24 months. People are losing their jobs left and right. I always thought that my company was recession/depression-proof, as people always need lawyers. And because they do, lawyers will always need the information my company provides to do their jobs.

Unfortunately, for the first time in its history, my company let 120 people go from my department just after Thanksgiving. Thankfully, I'm not part of that layoff, but I know the possibility is there.

The thing that gets me is the rumors that still abound throughout the department. I'm seriously tired of hearing about it. I can't do anything if the company decides to lay off more people. I can't do anything if I end up being part of those lay offs. What I can do, is my job. To the best of my ability and let tomorrow come as it may.

Life is just too damn short to worry constantly about what might happen. There are enough problems in day to day life to deal with as they happen.

But the pathology of human nature is such that misery loves company, and right now? Well, that misery means that people are talking about what happens when they get laid off.

For me? I'll just keep on keeping on. Everything will work out in the end.

Until later...

Reward

The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.
~ Jonas Salk

I had not been at work today for more than an hour, when I received a call from someone asking me if I'd be interested in joining a different team within the company. My first thought (and the next fifty to be honest), was "Hell NO!".

I immediately went and talked to my boss. I trust him and value his counsel. To my surprise he already knew about the possibility, and at that point, he felt that it was going to be a "only one possible decision" sort of an issue. There was a meeting scheduled later this morning, and he'd let me know what he found out.

What he found out, is that my choice as the addition causes serious repercussions to many teams and wasn't made lightly. It was also made known by my current director, that he wanted me to have an out, if things went south. This team has gobbled up new members and spit them out so many times, that he felt the out was necessary. Should I not be able to push back and integrate myself into the team the way they expect (the main reason for picking me...I guess having a pair can be a good thing.), he wanted me to know I could come back to my current team without it being a detriment to my personell folder.

My boss feels that it is the best move for me and part of me agrees. There is more of a chance of career and knowledge base development with this move. The part that doesn't agree, likes her comfortable, well worn job, where she knows exactly how to do everything and where to go for answers.

I'll certainly miss my current boss. I know going in that my new boss will NOT be easy to work for, as I currently work with her on a few projects. And that's where the out my current director required made all the difference in my decision to take the job.

So starting November 10th, I'll be reporting to a different boss, a different director and have an entirely new job.

I hope I made the right decision.

Until later...