Tuesday, August 12, 2008

You Are My Joy

Working with that woman is bloody exhausting and wastes at least three hours a day of my time . . .'No' is not in her vernacular and if she can't get satisfaction with me, she runs to the next person or up the ladder and pisses off the partners. After the tornado that is The Most Annoying Paraplanner In the World, I have a barrage of emails complaining about her interruptions and begging me to 'sort it out'. Even Sgt Bilko who is hardly a brother in arms was ready to share my lunchtime nervous breakdown.

My 'role' it seems is to form a barrier between TMAPPITW and the Partners. She can piss off any of us in the Quadrangle or the other Advisers but not them . . .fail and it's my fault for letting her crash through the border like a Sherman tank, and crash she does.

I don't have a very exciting job. I do Marketing for a SME, act as Executive Assistant to one of the Partners who happens to be my best friend's husband, manage IT and problems with our industry database, manage an Administration team, two ParaPlanners and an Insurance Administrator, maintain HR and generally ensure the office runs efficiently so that those who are good at getting on with clients can focus on their craft. I'm also expected to be the bouncer when TMAPITW has an argument with other members of staff. It has now become my role to prevent tears from Jaime and to prevent the Argentinian from explaining why the post war Polish moved to Argentina in the first place via a complete demonstration of what really went down in Auschwitz and stripping her of her dignity. (Actually he'd never do that, his patience is amazing, I can just see his piercing blue eyes through the strips of frosted glass pleading with me to interject and bust him outta there!)

So despite being this rather busy multi-tasker, (and besides the fact that her shenanigans often stop me talking to my wunderkind via Skype in the morning) I am the wearer of three professional hats and the arbitrator of 'heated exchanges', I have a feeling I won't be remembered as an office peacekeeper, a capable worker, a communicator, team leader or good delegater and time manager . . .I'll be remembered as that terrific Practice Manager who ran across the road today to buy a coffee machine because apparently the workforce can't make a plunger or abide instant coffee . . about 7 people whinged that our coffee maker had called it quits, not ONE, had the gumption to go and buy another . . .

Or, I'll be that amazing person who ordered appropriate signage so that clients come to reception instead of into our offices upstairs, I'll be the wonder woman who washes the tea towels then forgets to bring them back until the following Thursday . . the idiot who sent an email 'about' someone 'to' them - twice. Yep, I'll be the moron who told a client he can withdraw $10,000 from his super even though he isn't 60 and other more qualified people told me it would be OK . . then I could be remembered for being the all-swearing beligerant biatch who whinges loudly when she does someone elses filing. Thank God we don't yet have a swear jar! I'll definitely be remembered for my decorating skills as painting office walls yellow with blue trim and putting frosting on the glass was at the time quite radical and had the entire office become interior decorators, although we seem to have become used to it by now.

I won't be remembered for the invisible stuff like updating the website, cleaning up the database, solving problems before they become so, initiating Performance Reviews or my stunning marketing plans because I am adept at letting others think it's their idea (Man's world and all that . . .give them the information and let them take the credit.) I certainly won't be remembered for preventing Thommo from lynching just about every IT consultant we've ever employed. Except perhaps by Thommo who knows that she has a short fuse when it comes to pale and interesting skinny guys talking in a language she doesn't understand.

I'll definitely be remembered for speaking my mind . . and frankly, if that woman harps on again about one more time-wasting, work-shafting, process-changing wonder idea because she's a Paraplanner you know . . .I'll bloody deck her!

So with violence in mind (and I'm not a violent person). I flew out the door at 5pm in a most uncharacteristic flurry, ready to kick my tyres, give every motorist the not so ring finger and get stuck into DrummerBoy about something insignificant just because I needed to vent . . .then I heard this on the radio and a lovely calm swooned over me as I thought about the people I really like, love and give me joy . . .I'm not naming names but you, along with the special ones, are my joy!


12 comments:

laughingwolf said...

we all like a bit of acknowledgment when 'we done good', but sometimes it's enuf to know it ourselves...

kudos to you, my friend!

Gledwood said...

thanks for the message; no you weren't patronizing! I'm glad you responded...

;->...

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

I love how music can take you back down memory lane or take your mind off something that is just pissing you off

Anonymous said...

Ooh, now you make me feel guilty for enjoying my job and not having 15 people all expecting me to do the things they can't be arsed to sort out! Why do so many people always wait for someone else to sort out a problem? (Well I suppose I do it too, but hopefully when it's actually the other person's responsibility and not mine).

GayƩ Terzioglu said...

This might sound a little, I don't know, blunt, but please bear with me; Who cares how you will be remembered by the people that don't mean anything to you other than having occupied some space in your life by not choice of your own. Plus how they choose to remember you is entirely their problem because you know who you are and those who know you will remember you exactly like that. :)

(Now if only I could take my own advice and make use of some of the make-believe infinite wisdom I have. teeheehee)

Gxoxo :D

Baino said...

LW That we do but I know who I am so that's kudos enough. I just wish that woman would leave me alone!

Ah Gledwood. No worries, I'm sure my frustrations aren't going to stop you doing what you do but . . wish I could!

Quickie: restored my faith in humankind for a brief moment!

Nick, it's not that I dont enjoy my job, I work with really great people except for her. She causes such discord and because I'm the 'go to' girl I get staff whingine left right and centre. Don't feel guilty for getting job satisfaction .. it's a rare pleasure.

Gaye! Blunt? You? Never! Actually I think that was my underlying point that all this daily grind and desire to be remembered for something constructive can be washed away with a simple song which lets me focus on those who are really important. Taking advice is much harder than giving it Chicka!

Megan said...

Hang in there, B. Or come hang over here, everything you do we need more of in this place!

Anonymous said...

LOVED that video :-)

"I have a feeling I won't be remembered as..."

Aww...don't leave us, Baino!

T'wouldn't be any fun without YOU :-(

Bimbimbie said...

Hi Baino ... this is my second visit today I keep getting interrupted and can't get past this latest post of yours.. going to have come back tomorrow and try again.

I truly hope those coffee drinkers at your office appreciate your going out for the new machine and actually make you a cuppa ... Baino settle down too much sniggering isn't good for your health ;)
I loved that little video clip*!*

Baino said...

*Tsup Tsup* Bimbimbie (just carrying the banner there while Anony does her mysterious disappearing act! And I actually do that to most animals!). Actually, we had a problem because Sanseo coffee pods are really hard to find but managed to save the day by finding a wholesaler of Italian coffee pods yum! . .see what I mean . . now I'll be remembered for rescuing the day by providing coffee pods! GAH!

Yeh cute little song, apparently an ensemble of characters from Snow Patrol, Belle and Sebastion and a host of others.

Where has our birdy friend gone?

Bimbimbie said...

Tsup*!* Tsup*!* I'm beginning to suspect you might be displaying masochistic tendencies ... seek help quick ;)

Do you suppose our birdy friend has gone to look at the snow ... she did say something about extreme skate ... gone to China perhaps Tsup *!*

Baino said...

Ah I didn't even think of the possibility that she's gone to Beijing . .perhaps? Just a very mysterious departure . . then she's a very mysterious gal! Actually I find it quite annoying, we live within 50ks of each other and I'll never get to know who she is . .ah . .such is life!