Sir? I'd like you to take the helm, please. I need this man to tear all my clothes off.

Zoe ,'Serenity'


Natter 72: We Were Unprepared for This  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


§ ita § - Sep 04, 2013 3:27:36 pm PDT #4337 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I quite pointedly don't talk pay with anyone at work, but DAMN. I was trying to express how impressed I was with how much responsibility this one guy had, and how much he got accomplished even though he drives me insane every time I need anything from him.

Just looking at one metric, the number of people that report to him has tripled, and he's not gotten a promotion, title change, or pay bump over cost of living. The scope of his job has expanded way more radically, including accepting new software applications into his fiefdom, picking up responsibilities from the guy he reported to who left, plus way more. I don't honestly think there's enough money to pay him to tolerate what he has to tolerate to get what he needs to done (we're an irritation to each other, and I think we accept that with decent respect, considering). BUT DAMN. Try and pay him off! I think I will submit him for a co-worker recognition for something like "keeping on".

Someone today told me I was paid in smiles, and I had to tell him he was clearly being paid in relief and gratitude (lights on is basically his job, especially when they go out) (new lights are also his job). All that and his first baby at home too--I guess that's no time to look for greener pastures? The place would collapse without him, but why put up with it?

I'm all flummoxed at my shit this week (which is three high priority unrelated things from three unrelated taskmasters who don't care about each other, and involved incompetent ex-co-worker explaining how she doesn't have time for this--BITCH, I AM NOT EVEN IN YOUR DEPARTMENT ANY MORE. WORK THROUGH FUCKING LUNCH, BECAUSE I WILL BE DOING YOUR JOB THIS SUNDAY MIDNIGHT AND GRATITUDE MIGHT LOOK NICE ON YOU, BUT I WOULD NOT KNOW. Ironically, she doesn't have time to share information she told me wasn't my business when we worked together (I'm not a developer, see, so I can't understand....) and it took a lot of escalation and not a little "how can we both come together so the directors are not unhappy???") but hopefully one task is done.

I do have one user I think I need to call back tomorrow, though. Experience has taught me how to solve her problem now, and the case still seems to be open.


Juliebird - Sep 04, 2013 3:39:55 pm PDT #4338 of 30000
I am the fly who dreams of the spider

I truly hate it when I see an organization take an employee for granted when they pay dearly in loyalty, and then also try to or do squeeze more out of them.

For our Tuesday staff meeting, I had a quite phenomenal tiramisu from a local bakery for my birthday cake. And the card they got me was . . . Okay, so the cards we get for our colleagues are usually funny and geared towards the recipient personalities in a shallow light-hearted way. But mine . . . jesus. Usually it's about someone's drinking/shopping/eating habits, in a funny bitchy way. Mine was about how I'm the light of their fucking lives, and I put smiles on everyone's faces, and I make work being a joy, and I just about bawled.


Jesse - Sep 04, 2013 3:43:36 pm PDT #4339 of 30000
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Someone today told me I was paid in smiles

I am definitely going to try that at the supermarket next time.

Aw, Juliebird, did we miss your birthday??


Juliebird - Sep 04, 2013 3:52:16 pm PDT #4340 of 30000
I am the fly who dreams of the spider

It was Sunday, Jesse. I spent it hungover and sleeping, it was glorious. In 1978, my mum went into labor on Labor Day.


Sheryl - Sep 04, 2013 4:02:11 pm PDT #4341 of 30000
Fandom means never having to say "But where would I wear that?"

Timelies all!

At work today I managed to scrape my right palm on a corner of something. Not a deep cut, but inconvenient and a bit ouchy. (And of course I keep putting pressure on that palm. sigh.)


Jesse - Sep 04, 2013 4:08:14 pm PDT #4342 of 30000
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

Well, HBBD anyway!


Juliebird - Sep 04, 2013 4:19:55 pm PDT #4343 of 30000
I am the fly who dreams of the spider

Thanks, Jesse! I told my new boss to put a bow on her head and count herself as my birthday present.

I set her to work playing with the bulb order. What's nice about her coming out of Longwood is that she understands the artistry behind putting on a good show, which I've been beaten out of doing because even though pansies and violas are technically perennials, it has been okay to toss those once summer comes, but tulips not so much. Even though they really aren't perennial bulbs. I have the baggage of four previous DoH's and a truly horrific ED to unload. But I think once I do I'll be in a wonderful place.

I've been amusing her with my TARDIS USB port and she's been amusing me with her phone alerts "You have a text message, text messages are cool".


le nubian - Sep 04, 2013 4:21:16 pm PDT #4344 of 30000
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."

Subject line of email (sent widely):

"ESCAPE FIRE Move Screening"

It took me some time to unpack that this was a "movie" and not a directive.


§ ita § - Sep 04, 2013 4:22:56 pm PDT #4345 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I set my new tablet Google Voice alert to the bionic flex noise, and my cubemate is very pleased. I don't know if he's noticed my general alert is the Bewitched nose twitch, but he has no idea how overstimulated it's about to get up in there.

My job can be bad for taking granted, but if you do try and set boundaries they are pretty good about letting you--it just shouldn't be your job to make your job not kill you.

And if the guy in question is not doing what he's supposed to, we'd know by now. We'd hear the noise. So either he was madly overpaid before, or...I don't understand the oversight. I've seen his quasi-parallels with less weight on their shoulders show some apparent movement. But, as noted, this is the first paycheque convo I've ever had here.


Jesse - Sep 04, 2013 4:23:39 pm PDT #4346 of 30000
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.

I was just reminded over the weekend that I used to have "Hold On, I'm Coming" for my ringer, and I miss it.