Surprise!
Well, it’s been a long time. I’m quite sure many have forgotten about me, and perhaps that’s just as well as I haven’t been around. Look at the date of my last post, for heaven’s sake.
My life is a certain degree different from the last time I posted, and it is that difference that drives me largely from internet activity and writing (unfortunately). What happened?
In my last post I spoke about how my boss was canned and the vice president from Kansas would be spending time here each month exerting his influence and trying to get this company/business unit on track. After months of examination from every angle possible, the PTB upstairs decided to keep our company open and try to turn it around. This was good for me, for it kept me employed. I don’t know how long they are giving us, but they will give us a fair shot. We are realigning our business model and shutting down all but our biggest and best line in an effort to streamline what we do and make us more profitable. This is good in the long term, but it also means we’ll be laying a few more people off in a month or two. Luckily this does not involve me, though I do feel for them.
I’m not sure how they could possibly do without me now. Not only am I still THE accounting department here, but the veep gave me the entire production scheduling function (I AM the department). That takes up probably half of my week. Then a few weeks ago even that changed.
They canned the HR guy, a singularly inept man in most senses of the word. I don’t think anyone was sad to see him go, from the newest employee we have on the floor to the higher ups at corporate. We’re just surprised it took so damn long. Yet, there are no plans to replace him. So, guess who got all of his HR duties.
I’ll give you a minute. Let me sip the chai from my Jeffersonian mug….
If you guessed ME then you would be right. So now, I’m also THE HR department! Aargh!!
This is good in a way. It makes me even more indispensible and I am learning all sorts of new things. But it makes me busier. I work more hours, but I am also working MORE during the time I’m here at work. Frankly, I used to write and surf a LOT during my work time when I had lulls or was just avoiding. I can’t do that anymore.
In addition, my oldest daughter (who turns 11 on Sunday) is growing up fast. She wants to go to community center dances, is joining a local volleyball team, is bored in school and reads voraciously. She’s also in the hooked-on-dad phase. She’s a handful. My youngest is the Tasmanian devil in a pink dress, with a developing personality and sense of humor that just has us rolling in our chairs.
My home life is thus more involved than it has ever been too. So, where does that leave me? Not with too much free time. I’m not complaining too much, but I do miss writing. I want so much to write and have all sorts of ideas, but I just can’t find the time and if I do, the inclination isn’t there. I keep waiting for things to “settle down” and then I can find some time, but if things keep happening like they have been the past six months, who knows when that will actually be!
To add to all of that, I have been pursuing the idea of starting on my MBA. However, my company’s tuition reimbursement program has a $3K a year cap, or roughly the cost of one class. The head HR lady (a NICE, helpful, supportive person) tried to get me an exception but my Veep boss said no. So, that appears stalled. I’m also waiting for my review (from last June), and I should get a promotion or at least a more reflective title change, and a raise, but so far none of that has happened. I’m watching them closely on all of these things, and the tuition issue is definitely a strike against them. If January comes and goes and I’m still the senior accountant and am not even making the money the HR guy made, then I will get far more proactive in my job search. It’s one thing to heap things on me and expect me to do a good job, it’s another to not recognize that effort.
So, “The End of the World”, “Again”, the Dean Project, the “Under the Shadow” sequel, and any other SW stories are sitting in the back of my brain, waiting for some equal time. I hope I can oblige them soon.
To top all of this off though, and this is the really good part, is that I am taking my family to Disneyworld on Sunday!!! We’ve been planning this for 3 years, and have been sitting on the reservations since April. It all comes down to 2 more days. We’ll celebrate both Krista’s and Kori’s birthdays down there. It really can’t get much better. I’m not taking my work Nextel, I’m not checking work email or messages. I’m going to be ON VACATION!!!
I’ll post some pictures after I get back. The girls are going to LOVE it.
So everyone, I’m alive. Hi! Thanks to Emmy for the cool icon!!!
Take care, all.