Huh? I’m sure you’re quite puzzled by the title of today’s blog entry. It’s something I’ve been meaning to write about for weeks, but I finally remembered today and wrote myself a note, so I’d remember when I got home (my note-writing is another story!).
The area where I sit is a big room with offices with windows all along one wall. On the other wall is the copy room, restrooms and the elevator bank. In the middle are cubicles – lots of cubicles. The walls of these cubicles are low – not like at PwC, where our cubicles were 5 feet tall and provided a lot of privacy. These are just 4 feet high, so you can see over them when you’re standing, and even a little when you’re sitting.
When I first started, I’d hear people sneeze and I’d always say, “God Bless You.” It just seemed like the thing to do. Sometimes, they’d thank me, sometimes it was like I hadn’t spoken.
Because I have allergies, I tend to sneeze, too. I noticed that when I sneezed, no one ever said anything! I thought it was rude and mean, but I realized that when other people sneezed I was the only one who responded! Everywhere I’ve ever worked, when someone sneezed you acknowledged it. Not here. Sneezes are ignored. The first time I “ignored the sneeze” I felt SO bad about it. It just didn’t seem right. It’s one of those habits that’s hard to break. It’s like a reflex with me. Someone sneezes, I ask God to bless them!
I stopped acknowledging the sneezes and now ignoring them is almost easy. I still have the urge to say something, but I resist. It seems to be “office policy.” So, I want to know, what do they do where YOU work?
My trainee was out sick yesterday, but she was back today and we got a LOT of work done. We were working on two PowerPoint presentations, and we both got SO confused. When the boss asked us to print them out, so he could see how they were coming, we realized we had put the wrong slides in both presentations. He was kind of annoyed, but I think he realized that we were both in over our heads here. We figured it all out and got it right (finally), but she’s working two jobs, and I’m pretty much letting her take the reins and just overseeing her work.
I had a feeling it wasn’t all right, but I figured I'd let her do it, and he’d tell us what was wrong and we’d fix it. When she left for the day, I explained to the boss that she had so much experience with the firm (10 years), but no experience with this team. I had 5 months with the team, but that was it. The two of us together make one competent employee and he has to realize that we’re both still acclimating. I think it’s going to take her at least six months to fully know the job, and I hope I’ll be around for a few months to help her out when she needs it.
The boss is actually expecting more from her ALREADY than he does from me, and it’s not fair. There were a lot of things that he would have other people do, instead of me, but he wants HER to do it ALL and she’s not even in the job full time yet! She’s only at this desk 3 hours a day, and I think he’s being unrealistic expecting her to pick up everything after being shown once or twice, and learning things I never even had to do.
Anyway, she’s doing a great job and I know she’ll be very good at this job – eventually!
Eric went to the library today and got me two more DICK FRANCIS books. No, I’m not sick of them yet! I love them more than ever! I can’t wait to start a new one tomorrow!
When I got home, Eric and I made dinner together – steamed broccoli with shredded cheese on top, and a new brand of veggie patties that we got at COSTCO. They were less like a burger and more like a latke. They were DELICIOUS! I can’t wait to have another!
Eric worked out and then we watched HELL’S KITCHEN. That show never disappoints!
I have heard there’s a terrible heat wave in NY. We had some of that weather last month, but now it’s been very cool – 60s/70s. If you go east it gets a lot hotter, but where we are it’s really been very pleasant. It’s actually chilly enough in the morning for me to put the heater on in the bathroom while I’m showering.
A lot of mornings it’s overcast and the sun doesn’t come out until the afternoon. It’s June Gloom, but I don’t mind it at all. I really have no preference for sun, and as long as it’s not less than 50 degrees, I’m pretty happy! The weather in San Diego really is everything I ever hoped it would be. I feel very lucky for every day I get to spend here!
On the negative side, I just heard that San Diego’s gas prices are amongst the highest in the entire country! Gas is just above $4.00 in a lot of places, but it’s almost $4.50 here in San Diego, and we’ve seen it up to almost $5.00 a gallon. A lot of people are driving over the border into Mexico just to fill up! I’m not ready to do THAT yet, but we ARE driving as little as possible. Eric rides his bicycle everywhere he can, and I am lucky to get a ride to and from work every day.
We’re lucky, because we can walk to a lot of stores. The bank, library, dry cleaners, shoe repair, supermarket, drug store, and a lot of other stores are right up the block. I think everyone is walking more, and driving as little as possible. You have to make that tank of gas last!