Monday, November 17, 2008

Just call me Gumby

Well, yesterday was certainly interesting. I do like flexibility and unpredictability. The trouble is that last one can interfere with the rest of one's life. I was making chicken soup, watching the time and listening for the phone or the cell. I'd talked to both bosses but that was no guarantee that things wouldn't get all switched up. At 1:20 there was a call on the cell phone. It was direct boss calling to ask if I could come to a 1:30 visitation at the Center. As the other boss had said earlier, my regular visitation at 2:00 had been given to somebody else. Yikes!

I was (sort of, just in case) planning for the scheduled 2:00 at the client's house. While just a half-hour difference might not sound so bad or such a scramble, it was because I'd planned the soup to be done at 1:30, then pack up and leave. I said I was right in the middle of soup-making and wouldn't be able to leave home until 1:30, so would be late to the visitation. The boss said she'd switch the 2:00 person to the 1:30. I asked if I was still scheduled for the 2:00 then? She said she'd get back to me.

Ten minutes later I was done with the soup and sort of packed up. I really didn't want to waste the gas (and time) to go flying over there if someone else had been assigned to my 2:00 visitation. Finally I called the boss back and left a message. She called me back wondering why I'd called (?) because she just saw my number and hadn't listened to the message. I asked if the 2:00 was on or off for me. Apparently in the commotion she'd forgotten that it had been still up in the air and that she'd said she would call me back. It was on. So I rushed over the High Bridge to the neighboring state and to the client's house.

Whew! Now wasn't that interesting? I'm still waiting for a schedule for this week, have no idea what the scheduled times are, let alone the certain changes. Boss said she needed my E-mail, so sent it so her last night. This morning I'm on the computer checking for the schedule and got a "test" E-mail from her. Sent it back and am still waiting to see if or when I'm working today!

During the commotion of yesterday the land-line phone rang while I was on the cell talking to the boss. It was the Real Estate Agent with a showing for today! So I've been cleaning and sprucing up too. Away with the discount Halloween goblets and candles I'd bought for a quarter apiece and a set for a quarter. Also put away all the jars that were sitting on the kitchen counter. I'm going to clean and fill them with homemade "Cafe Vienna" "Mocha" "Spiced Tea" "Chai Tea" for (inexpensive) Christmas gifts.

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5 Comments:

Blogger molly said...

Oh boy! It's one thing to be flexible, quite another to be on call 24/7! I hope they're paying you a "lack of consideration" bonus!
Good luck with showing the house....I remember those days....rushing around with a suddenly merciless eye, and sweeping away stuff that had become invisible to your everyday eye!

11:07 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I think that type of schedule would drive me nuts. I'm glad you've been able to work with it so far. I hope it improves.

3:47 PM  
Blogger Walker said...

Hi Gumby

Waiting for a call to run to work is crazy.
You're like a fireman ready for the alarm to go off so you could rush off and it doesn't leave you room for a life.
I think the boss should have called you back and its a good thing you did or it would have messed up the visit

12:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It doesn't seem like they are offering you much consideration in this job. I can appreciate to a certain extent it's the nature of the beast but you are virtually "on call" and there should be monetary compensations made for that.

Good luck with the house showing :0

WORD VERIFICATION: ankst (sounds a lot like angst doesn't it)

6:27 AM  
Blogger Dotm said...

Waiting and wondering when would drive me crazy. Last minute appointments are hard. You have to be ready to leave whenever, makes life like walking on a tight rope half breathing and some days for nothing. People should be more considerate if they intend on hiring good workers.
Good luck.

7:31 PM  

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