Do NOT use this answer in your next interview.
I Give Up
Three weeks ago I put in a new W-4 at work to maximize the amount of money I'd be getting out of my last two paychecks. I understand why it didn't show up on the check immediately following the change since it was put in mid-cycle, but it didn't show up this time, and I fully expect my final check in two weeks won't reflect the change either. I'm half tempted to start sending emails, but at this point say fuck it, because I really want nothing more to do with the utter incompetence that has been a hallmark of working for that company for the last seven years. Is it really that hard to do a payroll change? Apparently the answer is yes.
"Breathing is hard!"
UPDATE: I sent an email through my gmail account to the payroll director and she responded almost immediately saying that she would take care of it. On a lark, I tried logging into my old company webmail, and guess what? Still works. Am I surprised? Not in the least. [See above.]
It's actually good that my account was still accessible, because my former supervisor had sent an updated letter of recommendation for me there.
So Long, Farewell
This is the last view I have of the workroom/office I've occupied for the last two years. And in advance of our move to Denver, as of noon today, my employment with the healthcare company I've called home for the past seven years has come to an end.
The going-away lunch with my team was surprisingly bittersweet. I am leaving my facility in very capable hands however, and wish him all the luck patience in the world. He's going to need it.
Hard to Believe This Day Has Finally Come
SO Ready for This to Be Over
Saturdays Aren't Supposed To Suck
And yet today has pegged the suck-o-meter.
We went to Russ's memorial service this morning. What stood out the most was that while his partner of the last seven years was in attendance, his name (or relationship to Russ) was not even mentioned during the eulogy. Other things that were said made it obvious that Russ's family knew he was gay (and apparently had no issue with it), so I'm at a loss to explain why Ken was so conspicuously left out.
Initially I was the only person there from work and didn't recognize anyone other than Ken, but about fifteen minutes into the proceedings five other folks from the I.S. department showed up.
I'm kind of surprised that Russ's passing has affected me as profoundly as it has, especially considering how (a) we weren't really all that close and how (b) friends much closer to me were dropping left and right during the late 80s and early 90s and I didn't feel nearly the sense of loss I'm feeling with this passing. Maybe it's because it came on so suddenly. (I saw him about a month ago and while he was thinner than I've ever seen him in the five years we've known each other and he admitted to a lot of problems with his health, he was happy and upbeat, fully believing that he was going to persevere.)
I'm also on call this week. I fully expected the fucking pager go off at some point this morning; it didn't disappoint.
Thankfully it happened before we even left for the service, and I was able to convince the user that the issue could wait until Monday. While driving home after the service however, the pager went off again. I ignored it until I got home. Three more tickets had come in, although only one had been specifically assigned to me: one at a clinic I didn't even know was open on Saturday, and two out at the northwest hospital, the facility I am least familiar with.
The clinic call was one of those where a doctor was being inconvenienced by a wireless tablet not working, so of course it was a Priority One, Hair-On-Fire, End-Of-The-World issue. This particular clinic has had ongoing issues with their wireless tablets almost from the day they were first deployed, and there has been no definitive solution to the problems forthcoming. These tablets are one of several pieces of hardware that have been rolled out to the hospitals since I was transferred to our non-clinical business unit, so I have absolutely no experience with them. Again—fortunately—I was finally able to convince the user that the issue could wait until Monday morning, when the usual support-tech could address it.
The other two calls also involved new equipment. I have limited experience (a half day of training) with the rolling computer carts, but absolutely none with the hand-held barcode reader units. Neither ticket was directly assigned to me, so they're both getting ignored until they show up in my queue. At this point I don't care. If the shit hits the fan on Monday, so be it. It may be the trigger I need to get off my ass and actually find a different job.
Speaking to that, I got another lead from one of the recruiters I'm registered with. It's geographically less-than-desirable, turning my fifteen minute commute into about a forty-five minute one, but I wrote her back and told her I'd be interested in talking with them. At this point the extra commute time is worth it. I'm done with the place I'm at now.
So I doubt much of anything can be done to salvage this day. As soon as Ben wakes from his nap, I'm going to suggest going out for Mexican food—or Chicken and Waffles—tonight.
Things I'd Say If I Could
Dear Employee:
First of all, I have no idea how you got hired for the technology-intensive position you occupy. I can understand not being familiar with some of the specialized applications we use here, but with it being 2010 and not 1980, I would have thought that demonstrating at least a basic understanding of how Windows and Microsoft Office operate would be a requirement for employment at this organization. Obviously I was mistaken.
Secondly, many of your issues (at least the ones concerning your computer equipment) can be solved by simply rebooting. Oh wait, "rebooting" is one of those complicated "techie" words. Let me rephrase: "Turn your computer off and turn it back on." No, not the display; I'm talking about the tower that's on the floor.
Thirdly, your CD drive will not play a DVD, and whining about it won't change that fact. I don't care if it is work related and you have to see it NOW. Am I supposed to pull a DVD drive out of my ass? Your director needs to request a quote and if he approves the purchase it normally takes about a week to receive it.
Fourth, all requests for assistance MUST go through the Help Desk, regardless of how incompetent they really are over there. (Something I think we can both agree on.) This is drummed into you folks from your very first new hire orientation, yet you still think that by calling me directly, emailing, or stopping me in the hall your problem will get looked at quicker. It won't. And don't send me an email at 10pm because your mouse isn't working and then get all snarky the next morning because I didn't respond. I do not check email after I leave work. If you followed procedure and called the frigging Help Desk like you should have, your problem might have been solved then and there, as unlikely a scenario as that is. At the very least they would've had the on-call tech get in touch with you.
And lastly, the volume of whining you do has a direct inverse effect on the priority I place on your problem. Despite what you may believe, yours is not the most important job in this organization and business will not come to a grinding halt because you can't VPN from home. If what you need to do is that important, get off your ass and come into the office like the rest of us.
Thank you, and you have yourself a great day!