Work Related

Someone on my floor at work needs to get a life


It reads, "If you're the person whose food splattered all over the interior of this microwave (you know who you are!) please spend a few minutes now cleaning it up - all of the people also using this kitchen would appreciate it!"

All in capital letters. If that doesn't get the point across, I don't know what does!

I'll bet it took longer to go back to their desk, type the note, print it, rip the paper in half, and tape it to the microwave than it would have to just clean the stupid microwave. (and no, I'm not the one that messed it up!)

Another example of the insanity can be found here.

Even though I only use the kitchen to make my tea and get water, I got sick of the signs, the smell, and the mess one day and wrangled a co-worker to join me in the frivolity.

Really people- stop with the notes already!

A couple of weeks ago a previous colleague, who is also a friend, emailed me about a job opportunity in her area. In this email, she wrote that her manager was describing a new position in their organization and wondered if she might know anyone that would be a good fit. She wrote that she immediately thought of me and told her manager that I'd be perfect for the job.

The old me would have replied, "tell me more!" without even thinking about it.

I was extremely flattered, but I wasn't even remotely interested. I absolutely love what I do, so why even tempt myself with the unknown? I wrote back to her, thanking her for thinking of me, and added that I wasn't even tempted because I love my job. We then set up lunch plans for today because it's been a while since we've been able to get together.

Today, during lunch, I asked her if she was surprised at my response. She said that she was, and added that she was even more surprised that I didn't even ask about the job. Then she shared with me what I'd of learned if I showed interest:

1. It would have involved a promotion and pay raise
2. It would have basically included what I do now PLUS I'd be able to some public speaking. I love public speaking so much that I'm hoping to do this for a living after I 'retire'.
3. I would have been able to continue telecommuting at least three days a week.
4. I still wouldn't have to manage a staff of employees (I gave that up two years ago and have never looked back.)

Did I make the right decision in not inquiring further? I still believe that I did.

My decision was based on the fact that I feel truly happy and fulfilled in my current job. If I am able to keep this job until I retire in 10 years, I'd be thrilled. I'm happy with my salary and I really like my manager. I also adore my clients. How many times do people hear "I really and truly love you" (heard today!) or "You are my favorite person in this company" from their clients? I get to hear that sort of thing regularly. And I feel the same way about them. That's why I take such good care of them.

The only thing that causes me any strife in my job is the snake. But, I can deal with that. He behaves himself, for the most part, after I smack him down a bit.

I'm reading a book right now, The Unmistakable Touch of Grace (Cheryl Richardson). I highly recommend it. This book speaks volumes about my beliefs and I think that reading it has really reinforced my belief that there is a reason for everything. I believe my gut instinct of "I'm just not interested" had a purpose. I'm not exactly sure of that purpose right now, but I know that eventually I'll understand.

The bottom line is that I'm really glad that I have faith in myself and faith in my decisions. I've been blessed in my life with the gift of discernment and I've never gone down the wrong path when I've listened.

The important part of that sentence? 'when I've listened'

I'm listening.

He's not a snake... he's a CLOWN. Yeah, a clown.

I had it wrong this whole time. Instead of the zoo, he belongs in a circus with those crazy antics of his. I'm still laughing. Seriously.

I got an email from him today, and in a nutshell, he stole one of my ideas. He didn't admit that it was my idea, but his description of his "plan" was verbatim what I told him three weeks ago. He was so blatant about it that I couldn't help but laugh. He told me that he'd met with the execs and they liked his idea and now he needed me to put it into action.

The thing is? We were supposed to meet TOGETHER with the division executive about it next week so I could explain what I'd put together. I replied with, "Oh, I guess we won't be meeting with the division executive then about this since you seem to have wrapped this up. Here's where we'll put the information." I then sent him the link to the site I had already made in preparation for this meeting.

He replied that it looks like we're thinking EXACTLY ALIKE! This is EXACTLY what he had in mind. KEWL!

I responded with, "That's not really a surprise since it was the idea I told you about almost a month ago". (Yeah. That felt good.)

His reply? "Great! Looks like I understood then!".

Yeaaaahhhhhh. Riggggghhhhhht.

All I could do is laugh. I kept bursting out in (hysterical) laughter with occasional muttering of swear words for the next hour or so. I'm surprised the men in the white coats didn't show up.

Just to cover my behind, I sent the email with an explanation of what had occurred to my manager. I told him that I'm done being pissy about this. And I am.

Don't ask me why, but I just don't care about this anymore. The snake/clown is a fool. He thinks we should meet with the division exec together so "we" can explain the mechanics of how it'll work. Ummmm, good luck dude. I think I'll just sit back and enjoy the show.

I'll also enjoy this margarita I have in my hand right now. !hic!

Cheers!

BJ is out on a business dinner, so I decided that tonight I was due for another installment of Inner Outings. Tonight I pulled a card called, "A gift for me".

I've mentioned a time or two that I have an extraordinary capacity for guilt. Shoot, I even have a category dedicated to guilt (look to the right- you'll see it right between family and health.) Hmmmm.

The funny thing is that I feel guilty about things that are completely out of my control. Good fortune comes my way? I feel guilty because it didn't come the way of someone who needed it more than I did.

I once had a therapist congratulate me because I went 45 minutes into a session before the word "guilty" passed my lips.

Huh.

Probably the most absurd and long-standing guilt I've experienced has been regarding my job. More specifically, my income. For many years, I couldn't come to grips with the fact that I could make the money I make without back breaking work. I was constantly questioning why *I* was so lucky to have my job, and that there are people who have to work in sweatshops or stand on their feet all day just to make a percentage of what I earn. I just couldn't rationalize it in my head because it didn't seem fair. I've even gone so far as to tell an employer that the raise they offered me was too much.

Do I hear crickets chirping? Yeah, I've already admitted that this was an absurd one.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about purpose and intention, and the things I've studied are starting to really sink in. I'm starting to let go of that guilt because I realize that I was never handed anything. Nobody plucked me off the street and said, "Hey RisibleGirl, you seem like a nice person so we're going to give you this job". That never happened. What happened was I worked for it. I set goals and I achieved them.

If someone looked at my educational background and training and compared it to other people in my position, I'm sure they'd be surprised. I don't have a stitch of formal training to do what I'm currently doing. I've been a waitress and have worked in a sewing factory (that didn't go so well and required several trips to the ER for stitches, but that's another story for another day).

The path to my current position started as a Realtor. I'll bet my mom has no idea that she was the catalyst for my current career. She paid for me to get my real estate license and we worked as a team for a while. That is, until I set my sights on real estate lending. We had a lender that we worked with and I became fascinated by the inner workings of lending, so I decided that this was what I wanted to do.

I told him that when he had a receptionist position open up I'd like him to consider me and I was hired shortly after that. I then asked the processors if I could help them with their files because there wasn't enough for me to do. I learned their job and was promoted to processor within a month. I learned all I could and then talked to the underwriting manager about my desire to become an underwriter. Within six months of that, I was asked to move to another state to work in the underwriting department. Because I hadn't been in lending a year, I had to have another underwriter sign off on my files after I did the work. But I made sure that my work was perfect. There was never a question about any of my decisions. Beyond wanting a job and learning about it, I make sure I do the best job I possibly can once I have it. It's because I have a lot of gratitude for the opportunity I am given.

My current job has nothing to do with lending, but it is at the top of the layers of building blocks starting from that receptionist job. Each job went down a different path until I landed where I am today.

I won't bore you with my entire work history, but that's basically my M.O. I see something I want to do, I find opportunities to learn about it, then I apply for the job. I've never been turned down for any job in which I had an interview. Lucky? Maybe. I'm more apt to think that it's about intent. My intent shows in the passion I feel about the job when I talk about it to prospective employers.

I think that the wiring that most people have that tells them not to jump off a bridge is missing in my head. I've never been intimidated to go after what I want. It's never scared me even a little bit.

And that is what I thought of when I pulled the "A gift for me" card from my Inner Outings Diarist deck. This topic is something that's been renting a lot of real estate in my head for the past couple of weeks. I think I've always known deep down that none of this was about luck, but I had a hard time explaining the principle behind it. Because I couldn't really explain it, I couldn't justify it in my own mind.

But now I understand. This is truly a gift that I give myself. The gift in knowing what I want, then seizing the opportunity as it comes.

The gift of believing in myself.

Yesterday I was given the gift of seeing my hard work with the snake pay off.

(Now knocking wood, throwing salt over my shoulder, and keeping clear of black cats.....)

I had read an all hands email from our division executive saying that he was going to implement an electronically distributed newsletter so there would be better communication in our division. That, to me, read "word document attached to e-mail".

Not while on my watch mister! Come on! I'm the queen of the Intranet and I work for YOU.

While I worked on other things, I formulated some ideas in my head of how to present the communication, what platform to use, even thought about some good graphics.

When the snake passed my desk yesterday, I stopped him and asked him what he knew about this newsletter, because technically this should be his responsibility. Remember, he's the words guy, I'm the online gal. Together we make the communications team. He said, "Nobody told me anything about this newsletter and I hope they don't because I don't *do* newsletters".

I told him that I'd already quizzed the exec's assistant and was told that the snake *would* be doing the newsletter. So, I said, what if I do it and you just edit it? I said that I have issues with grammar and punctuation (as you, my dear readers, must know by now!) but I do like that sort of thing. I also told him my idea of how to present it as less of a newsletter and more of an online news source. I told him all of the ideas I'd come up with over the course of the day.

He just looked at me, almost surprised that such a thing could come out of my pea brain. He then said, "that is a GREAT idea" and kept on with the compliments. He said that the two of us should present it to our division executive. I told him that I didn't need to be present because, really, that's his job. He then said, (drum roll) "but I want you there so you get the credit for the idea". And then, (another drum roll) " there's no way I could explain this to [division executive] because I haven't the foggiest how to do it".

Well slap my fanny and call me Sally. I think the man finally understands why I'm in this role.

Then he had to get all stupid and ruin the mood by using another one of his juvenile terms as he walked away.... "Peace Out".

What a dork.