Tons of overtime
"I ran out of Jack in Tripoli
oh those freedom fighters they were good to me
they asked me all about Tennessee"
This week as been a shining example of both the both highs and lows in life.
It started with the telling of my adventures in speed dating to various coworkers. All was good, and many of them really enjoyed the breakdown of my "unique" experience. One guy even wished he had brought a tape to record my tale. There inlays one of the major highs. I'm not really sure if I am funny to others. A lot of times I get blank stares, or have to explain my jokes. That no longer makes it so funny. But when I have a small group of people eating out of my hands, it gives me a sort of high. I don't think it is their approval, but more being happy that I made them laugh. Work is not always the funniest of places. So anytime I can crack the guys up, it makes me happy. I like making people laugh. Simple as that.
Well, that was short lived.
Our imagesetter had been on the fritz for a little while now, and the tech guy scheduled to come in this past Monday. He comes from a different town, and has to plan when he can visit. Since he is so busy he mainly comes at night or on the weekends. When he shows up he stays until the problem is fixed. He lives too far away to just pop back in whenever we need him. He showed up around 6:00 pm, and I fully expected to stay late. I was not sure exactly how late. Other times I had stayed from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm on a weekend. All was good though, because it was usually easy overtime.
Not this time.
I worked from 8:30 am on Monday until 5:20 am on Tuesday. I only had two breaks, thirty minutes for lunch and forty minutes for supper. As if that was not enough, I was back at work at 8:00 am on Tuesday, having slumbered for a mere thirty minutes in the Lay-Z-Boy. I knew if I actually laid in bed, I would feel like hell when I awoke. I had to be back at work because a customer needed to approve a job early that morning. I was pretty much stuck.
So I arrived promptly at 8:00 am, feeling like I would vomit at any moment. That feeling did not leave me all day. I continued work, and actually churned out quite a bit. I did not eat anything. I couldn't hold it down if I did. The tech had yet to finish fixing the imagesetter, so I was obligated to stay with him again that night. I caught a quick, twenty minute nap before he arrived. He showed up around 5:30 pm, and told me that we would not stay long at all.
I guess "not long" meant "not as late as last night." We did not get out of there until past midnight. So I actually got a few hours sleep Tuesday night. I ended up sleeping through my alarm, and did not wake up until around 9:30 am. Like I stated earlier I knew I would feel worse if I slept at all. Well, I sure did Wednesday. Lack of food and sleep caught up with a vengeance. It was hell, pure and simple. My eyes felt like they would pop out of my sockets at any moment, and shoot across the floor. Now there's a pretty sight.
The tech came back in around noon on Wednesday, and we determined that the problem is beyond both of our grasp. To break it down, after all that time and effort the machine still isn't fixed. I've found a few "jimmy-rigs" that sometime work. But not always.
The rest of the week just fizzled out. A daze of thick, murky fog. I couldn't tell you in detail anything I worked on in the later part of the week. The only thing that really stands out is that I received a hefty bonus and a warm thanks from my boss. Plus I get quite a bit of overtime pay.
Work has been tumultuous to say the least. I'm butting heads with all of the up front, "white-collar" people. I'm in no way sexist, but they are all women. On more than one occasion I have been punished because they put words in my mouth or thoughts in my head as far as the big boss is concerned. I swear I am in no way a sexist, pig of a man. I am just stating the truth.
To quote Bill Cosby, I told you all that to tell you this. Not only work, but life in general has been a thick, murky fog for about the past year. I have been looking for another job not because of the work I am doing, the customers I am serving, but for the employees I share eight hour's worth of breath a day with. It's sad to say the least. It is a really good job, and has the potential to be a great job. If the higher-ups would listen to me more, rather than pal around with the others, we could actually make more money. This is not a guess, it is a fact. We lose customers quite a bit because of the lack of professionalism of the others up front. I treat all of our customers with complete respect, and honestly try to do the best job I can for them. What more can they ask for? My boss says that she let's the others up front do what they want because a few people have called to tell her what a good job they are doing. I say that the best compliment I can receive is for my boss to never have to deal with a customer. If I keep them happy, then she should never have to talk to them. If they like my work then they need only give me a Word file, and say "go to it." That is what the majority of them say. I love most of my customers for having that faith in me and my work. That is what I strive for. A happy customer is a returning customer.
Most nights I am able to shed my anger at work. I used to watch movies, or mess around on the net. Now I work on my website, read, and write. I really like writing. I know I am not up to the caliber of most of my friend's writing abilities, but I am trying. That is the best I can do, work harder.
As I get older I feel the need to branch out more. My grandfather and uncles are/were all true renaissance men. One can do anything you can think of to a house. Electrical, plumbing, adding rooms, flat out anything. That's my ambition now. To be known not only for design, but to be known for writing, photography, designing & building furniture, among many other things. It's a long road, but I am getting there.
I have two goals this year: read fifty-two books; complete the upstairs of my house. For the most part I am going to do everything to my house myself. The only way I'll learn is by doing. I'm planning on designing shelves and tables, then building them. I am going to start pieceing together the equipment I will need, and then get to work.
I talked at great length about the female companionship side of being in my late-20's, but now I feel the need to focus more of myself. That will serve me to be a better person. Building both my mental and physical capabilities. I have learned that I cannot really control the relationship side. I have tried at great length with little or no result. I am not giving up, but I really do not give a shit about that aspect of life anymore. If I find someone, fine. If not, so the hell what. There are far worse things in life. I could be living on the streets, or be a crack addict. Or worse yet, both.
I thought up a line the other night, and am not sure how good it is. It sums up my thoughts right now, even though it is quite a bit morbid. It is: "Life is all about legacies and letdown." It is not a complete summary, just my view right now. As Sammy Hagar once said.
Until next time:
"Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Gandhi
oh those freedom fighters they were good to me
they asked me all about Tennessee"
This week as been a shining example of both the both highs and lows in life.
It started with the telling of my adventures in speed dating to various coworkers. All was good, and many of them really enjoyed the breakdown of my "unique" experience. One guy even wished he had brought a tape to record my tale. There inlays one of the major highs. I'm not really sure if I am funny to others. A lot of times I get blank stares, or have to explain my jokes. That no longer makes it so funny. But when I have a small group of people eating out of my hands, it gives me a sort of high. I don't think it is their approval, but more being happy that I made them laugh. Work is not always the funniest of places. So anytime I can crack the guys up, it makes me happy. I like making people laugh. Simple as that.
Well, that was short lived.
Our imagesetter had been on the fritz for a little while now, and the tech guy scheduled to come in this past Monday. He comes from a different town, and has to plan when he can visit. Since he is so busy he mainly comes at night or on the weekends. When he shows up he stays until the problem is fixed. He lives too far away to just pop back in whenever we need him. He showed up around 6:00 pm, and I fully expected to stay late. I was not sure exactly how late. Other times I had stayed from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm on a weekend. All was good though, because it was usually easy overtime.
Not this time.
I worked from 8:30 am on Monday until 5:20 am on Tuesday. I only had two breaks, thirty minutes for lunch and forty minutes for supper. As if that was not enough, I was back at work at 8:00 am on Tuesday, having slumbered for a mere thirty minutes in the Lay-Z-Boy. I knew if I actually laid in bed, I would feel like hell when I awoke. I had to be back at work because a customer needed to approve a job early that morning. I was pretty much stuck.
So I arrived promptly at 8:00 am, feeling like I would vomit at any moment. That feeling did not leave me all day. I continued work, and actually churned out quite a bit. I did not eat anything. I couldn't hold it down if I did. The tech had yet to finish fixing the imagesetter, so I was obligated to stay with him again that night. I caught a quick, twenty minute nap before he arrived. He showed up around 5:30 pm, and told me that we would not stay long at all.
I guess "not long" meant "not as late as last night." We did not get out of there until past midnight. So I actually got a few hours sleep Tuesday night. I ended up sleeping through my alarm, and did not wake up until around 9:30 am. Like I stated earlier I knew I would feel worse if I slept at all. Well, I sure did Wednesday. Lack of food and sleep caught up with a vengeance. It was hell, pure and simple. My eyes felt like they would pop out of my sockets at any moment, and shoot across the floor. Now there's a pretty sight.
The tech came back in around noon on Wednesday, and we determined that the problem is beyond both of our grasp. To break it down, after all that time and effort the machine still isn't fixed. I've found a few "jimmy-rigs" that sometime work. But not always.
The rest of the week just fizzled out. A daze of thick, murky fog. I couldn't tell you in detail anything I worked on in the later part of the week. The only thing that really stands out is that I received a hefty bonus and a warm thanks from my boss. Plus I get quite a bit of overtime pay.
Work has been tumultuous to say the least. I'm butting heads with all of the up front, "white-collar" people. I'm in no way sexist, but they are all women. On more than one occasion I have been punished because they put words in my mouth or thoughts in my head as far as the big boss is concerned. I swear I am in no way a sexist, pig of a man. I am just stating the truth.
To quote Bill Cosby, I told you all that to tell you this. Not only work, but life in general has been a thick, murky fog for about the past year. I have been looking for another job not because of the work I am doing, the customers I am serving, but for the employees I share eight hour's worth of breath a day with. It's sad to say the least. It is a really good job, and has the potential to be a great job. If the higher-ups would listen to me more, rather than pal around with the others, we could actually make more money. This is not a guess, it is a fact. We lose customers quite a bit because of the lack of professionalism of the others up front. I treat all of our customers with complete respect, and honestly try to do the best job I can for them. What more can they ask for? My boss says that she let's the others up front do what they want because a few people have called to tell her what a good job they are doing. I say that the best compliment I can receive is for my boss to never have to deal with a customer. If I keep them happy, then she should never have to talk to them. If they like my work then they need only give me a Word file, and say "go to it." That is what the majority of them say. I love most of my customers for having that faith in me and my work. That is what I strive for. A happy customer is a returning customer.
Most nights I am able to shed my anger at work. I used to watch movies, or mess around on the net. Now I work on my website, read, and write. I really like writing. I know I am not up to the caliber of most of my friend's writing abilities, but I am trying. That is the best I can do, work harder.
As I get older I feel the need to branch out more. My grandfather and uncles are/were all true renaissance men. One can do anything you can think of to a house. Electrical, plumbing, adding rooms, flat out anything. That's my ambition now. To be known not only for design, but to be known for writing, photography, designing & building furniture, among many other things. It's a long road, but I am getting there.
I have two goals this year: read fifty-two books; complete the upstairs of my house. For the most part I am going to do everything to my house myself. The only way I'll learn is by doing. I'm planning on designing shelves and tables, then building them. I am going to start pieceing together the equipment I will need, and then get to work.
I talked at great length about the female companionship side of being in my late-20's, but now I feel the need to focus more of myself. That will serve me to be a better person. Building both my mental and physical capabilities. I have learned that I cannot really control the relationship side. I have tried at great length with little or no result. I am not giving up, but I really do not give a shit about that aspect of life anymore. If I find someone, fine. If not, so the hell what. There are far worse things in life. I could be living on the streets, or be a crack addict. Or worse yet, both.
I thought up a line the other night, and am not sure how good it is. It sums up my thoughts right now, even though it is quite a bit morbid. It is: "Life is all about legacies and letdown." It is not a complete summary, just my view right now. As Sammy Hagar once said.
Until next time:
"Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." - Gandhi
posted by The Big Man | 3/24/2006 11:58:00 PM
|
3 comments
