• Charged.

    There is a coworker who finished their last day with us yesterday. This person was moving on to another job, an opportunity closer to home, for more money. No one can blame this person for taking advantage of the opportunity, but we can lament their leaving. I have had several conversations with this person about influence. This person talked about dissatisfaction with our department, specifically because of the lack of influence they had. We talked about a pervasive lack of access to the decision makers in our office. During this person’s last days, we also talked about low expectations for the new job. Sure, it was closer to home, but there was writing on the wall that the job might not be an overly pleasant place to work: too much work, not enough organization, and too little personality.

    The reason I will miss this person is the same reason I think everything will be just fine at her new job. Despite this person’s protests, she had a tremendous influence on our little corner of the department. The policies, practices and procedures were not where her influence was felt; even if it was how she measured her influence. No, her influence is best measured by the enthusiasm that each and every one of us felt coming into the office every morning. Work was a fun place to be. This person was part of the heart, soul, and conscience of our office. This person was one of those people that brought other people together. This person will do the same thing at her new job.

    Their gain is most certainly our loss.

    Once again I am faced with a coworker leaving my team. Once again I feel like a member of the family is leaving home.

    And life goes on.

  • A funny kind of angry.

    We have a weekday evening routine. Beth comes home from school. One of us (me or Cheryl) gets out Beth’s allergy prescription and her vitamin and gives it to her. Beth holds her nose, closes her eyes, swallows her Zyrtec (for allergies), convulses once or twice, opens her eyes, grabs her vitamin, and runs into the other room to watch TV.

    On Tuesday Cheryl and I took advantage of the state holiday and made a trip to Target. Yes, a trip to Target is just that special. We picked out some new sheets for the bed in our family room. What, you don’t have a bed in your family room? We returned home and washed the new sheets. Later that day, when Beth was home, I made up the bed with the new sheets. As I was pulling the mattress of the bed to position the new skirt, I noticed several uneaten vitamins between the mattress and box spring. Here’s the first thing that comes to my mind: Beth was either raised by squirrels, or she doesn’t like her vitamins.

    We have since modified the after school ritual.

  • Short time.

    New car delivery, state holiday, lab work, and a meeting; it is Wednesday and very little work has gotten done. The 7 to 8 a.m. hour on a Monday morning has (at times) been more productive than this entire week (so far). Have you ever had a string like that? In a matter of minutes I’ll be whisked away by my supervisor – off to another meeting. Most meetings aren’t too bad. It’s interesting to be in the room with the decision makers. I may not have much sway, but it’s cool just being there. I get to pretend that I’m more important than I really am.

    “Where are you off to John?”
    “I’ve got that meeting on the LSP transition this afternoon.”

    Now all I need is a non-sensical title and I’ll be on the fast track to institutional insignificance.

    My name is John. I am a Revenue Specialist III.