Harvest Fest
Well it's Monday again and life, and work life goes on. Thursday wasn't as spectacular of a day as the first day with the board, but good nevertheless. Friday, however turned back to what it will be like from now on until they force me out of the job. BZ and Favorite Co-worker had thrown all sorts of things into the hallway. I was supposed to organize them, and two other roomfuls of materials into our new publication room by the Open House. We were waiting on some shelving, very heavy-duty, as these are books, for that room. The shelving was put up at 1:00 on Friday afternoon, the Open House is Monday (today). That was a big job that I was planning to spread out over a couple of days at least, no luck with that.
So I was lugging book boxes and was quite pale, sweaty and ill. A couple of co-workers were still around on Friday (most leave early on Friday, so as not to get above their 40 hours) they stepped in and helped me. Soon they were sweating too and saying, "This is a huge job for one person! And aren't you not supposed to be lifting things?" So then I just about cried with gratitude! We could have hired someone to do that--but it had to go through BZ and she wasn't in on Friday, plus I still would have had to organize it all. Yet if the mess was still in the hallway and the new room unorganized by Monday--I would catch hell and give BZ an easy fault/blame to show. It was a damned if I did and damned if I didn't sort of situation that I think will probably be happening quite a bit at work, now.
Today is the Open House and the new room and the entire office has been organized and cleaned up. Of course I had a horrible weekend of pain for doing it. The PT had just advanced me, at the appointment late Thursday afternoon, to doing exercises whereas before I had been doing postures and movements, not really exercises yet. This may have set that back. And we have to work late tonight because the Open House lasts until 6:00 PM and people linger and talk, plus I have to do the cleaning up after they leave. So it will be a long day, starting shortly after 7:00 AM until whenever, and I've barely been able to sleep except sitting up, in the daytime.
I've only started writing the rebuttal too, and they want it today. Due Tuesday is a strategic plan for myself (assigned at the meeting from hell), and of course I have to keep track of everything I do at work--and oh yes, I have to finish those TWO DAYS of meeting minutes! Plus all the normal stuff that comes up. I don't really feel very up to it today. But I did apply for a couple more jobs.
Saturday morning I went to the (free) Harvest Fest down at our waterfront. It was really fun, even though I should have brought my cane to walk on uneven ground. I ran into a good friend I hadn't seen for a long time. She had just been let go from a job that she loved. She was busy at a booth but we hugged and said, "Let's talk!" and planned to get together at my house soon. I bought some kohlrabis, like my Dad used to grow and peel for us kids to eat right in the field and a bouquet of flowers for my Mom. The flowers looked just like little strawberries and were called "Strawberry Fields"! My Mom loved them, of course. We went out to eat and talk, like usual on a Saturday afternoon. I told her some of what had happened, so when I'm let go she won't be caught by surprise. Like my son, Mom does not like surprises, either good or bad ones, but likes a heads-up on things. I'm the opposite of them in that--surprise me!
But of course I don't like those unpleasant surprises, like at the meeting from hell. If you saw BZ (Bosszilla) you would not think it possible of her to be jealous of ME! But I do think she's very insecure despite her bravada and poise. Friday morning I showed the evil memo she and the HR director gave me to a couple of friendly co-workers. Yes, they could backstab me too, but at this point, what do I have to lose? The fact that the board and our clients love me will hold no sway. They liked Former Temp too, who was young, cute and lively--and she also gave good customer service. The board doesn't get involved with staff matters, only things like the program, PR and our training content.
Our parent company (where the HR director works) has always been envious of our department and of our generous funding. The IT guy (when I told him on Friday) thinks that they (parent company) are trying to get some of their workers into our department to be able to bill us and get their hands on our money. The person who has my old job and office is from the parent company. So it may be a hostile takeover of sorts. Interesting, but I wish I wasn't involved in it!
So I was lugging book boxes and was quite pale, sweaty and ill. A couple of co-workers were still around on Friday (most leave early on Friday, so as not to get above their 40 hours) they stepped in and helped me. Soon they were sweating too and saying, "This is a huge job for one person! And aren't you not supposed to be lifting things?" So then I just about cried with gratitude! We could have hired someone to do that--but it had to go through BZ and she wasn't in on Friday, plus I still would have had to organize it all. Yet if the mess was still in the hallway and the new room unorganized by Monday--I would catch hell and give BZ an easy fault/blame to show. It was a damned if I did and damned if I didn't sort of situation that I think will probably be happening quite a bit at work, now.
Today is the Open House and the new room and the entire office has been organized and cleaned up. Of course I had a horrible weekend of pain for doing it. The PT had just advanced me, at the appointment late Thursday afternoon, to doing exercises whereas before I had been doing postures and movements, not really exercises yet. This may have set that back. And we have to work late tonight because the Open House lasts until 6:00 PM and people linger and talk, plus I have to do the cleaning up after they leave. So it will be a long day, starting shortly after 7:00 AM until whenever, and I've barely been able to sleep except sitting up, in the daytime.
I've only started writing the rebuttal too, and they want it today. Due Tuesday is a strategic plan for myself (assigned at the meeting from hell), and of course I have to keep track of everything I do at work--and oh yes, I have to finish those TWO DAYS of meeting minutes! Plus all the normal stuff that comes up. I don't really feel very up to it today. But I did apply for a couple more jobs.
Saturday morning I went to the (free) Harvest Fest down at our waterfront. It was really fun, even though I should have brought my cane to walk on uneven ground. I ran into a good friend I hadn't seen for a long time. She had just been let go from a job that she loved. She was busy at a booth but we hugged and said, "Let's talk!" and planned to get together at my house soon. I bought some kohlrabis, like my Dad used to grow and peel for us kids to eat right in the field and a bouquet of flowers for my Mom. The flowers looked just like little strawberries and were called "Strawberry Fields"! My Mom loved them, of course. We went out to eat and talk, like usual on a Saturday afternoon. I told her some of what had happened, so when I'm let go she won't be caught by surprise. Like my son, Mom does not like surprises, either good or bad ones, but likes a heads-up on things. I'm the opposite of them in that--surprise me!
But of course I don't like those unpleasant surprises, like at the meeting from hell. If you saw BZ (Bosszilla) you would not think it possible of her to be jealous of ME! But I do think she's very insecure despite her bravada and poise. Friday morning I showed the evil memo she and the HR director gave me to a couple of friendly co-workers. Yes, they could backstab me too, but at this point, what do I have to lose? The fact that the board and our clients love me will hold no sway. They liked Former Temp too, who was young, cute and lively--and she also gave good customer service. The board doesn't get involved with staff matters, only things like the program, PR and our training content.
Our parent company (where the HR director works) has always been envious of our department and of our generous funding. The IT guy (when I told him on Friday) thinks that they (parent company) are trying to get some of their workers into our department to be able to bill us and get their hands on our money. The person who has my old job and office is from the parent company. So it may be a hostile takeover of sorts. Interesting, but I wish I wasn't involved in it!
Labels: fun work pain
10 Comments:
I'm really sorry you have such a caustic work environment. It makes getting up and going that much harder doesn't it? I hope things start looking up...or...you get a new job with a huge raise with coworkers that actually value you doing a job that you love!
I hope you have a pleasant week -- somehow.
Does BZ know you have a bad back? I hope you write down what you had to do on Friday night.That is appalling. Please be careful and look aafter yourself. Your health comes first.
There is a very special place in hell for people like BZ.......
I'm sending strong good thoughts your way.
really... down with BZ's... hell is too good for people like them!
You're a tougher gal than me. I would cave under the stress and unfair work load. I might slip out quickly just to get out of the enviorment, but in this case I think I would rather go out clawing and scratching all the way down.
You're too good for them, Good Luck
My blood pressure goes up every time I just READ about BZ. I do hope you can get something else soon before you collapse in a heap. I'm with Fizzy, make sure you write down every single thing that you do. Take care hon, hope you can get some pain free sleep soon.
You know how I feel about it. So sorry for your pain...hang in there.
The company can't make you do heavy lifting when you have a bad back. At the very least that's a lawsuit in the making and HR should know that. You should put it in your rebuttal.
Have you told your therapist the kinds of things you are assigned to do at work?
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