Blog and reality

I have been plugging away at this blog on a semi regular basis since December 2005...at first on Yahoo 360, then later migrating to Multiply.

The lack of interaction, comments especially, has lead me to explore why. I think its because I am boring, maybe too opinionated, or what?

Anyway, I doubt I will post with increased regularity given the total absence of any meaning to it anymore. I mean when people write comments and tell me I am full of it, that's one thing, but I doubt I've more than a dozen people look at any of these writings, so I am mostly doing this for myself, and frankly a private journal is not what I had intended here.

So while I am not going to quit, I guess writing a few times a month is about has good as it will get.

I used ot enjoy the  debate here about different political topics, but since I now work for a uber-liberal lefty atheist, I have my hands full daily representing the libertarian and time to time conservative viewpoints, only because no one else will where I am, they are afraid to become engaged w the boss.

I would be afraid too except the people above him (my boss) like me, and the people under me all are secretly cheering me on, I supposed tired of years of mental abuse for not agreeing on everything. That absence of views is stifling, regardless of views.

Being overweight and age in slowing career

As a senior manager in a large firm, my being overweight has not so far overcome the abilities I have to move upward, and I dont think that it will. Currently closing in on 58 years of age is more likely to be the bigger liability, has many making the decisions are younger, and some are outwardly hostile to older workers. I have heard them discuss why people don't just retire countless times. So I have being a woman, being overweight and being over the hill all working when i go into a review. Luckily our CEO is a woman in her 60's, so maybe I can still go upward. I sure would like to.
Allthough being at the top (literally my office is near the top of the building) can be different.

Where's my clothes...really about people and honesty

I have found that writing in my blog about politics usually gathers response from readers, either pro or con. Writing about my life, usually not so many comments, if any.
I take that to mean I must be boring, at least my writing is boring, since I don't resort to sensationalism(much), to make my point, if there is one.
I suppose people are telling me something with their silence, like maybe I need to shut the hell up. I mean i can drone on and on with the best of them, and quite well on many topics. IMHO
I read other a lot of other blog here and elsewhere, some are very good, while others are quite conversational in format...I don't know what my style here is, but it sort of the way I talk. In snippets, like I have A.D.D.
My brother has that, and a woman I worked with said I must have it, the way I jump around from topic to topic...perhaps, although a professor once told me it showed what an unconventional thinker I am...which is probably how I got to be where I am career wise, since I tend to see things from a different viewpoint.
Back to other peoples blog though, I read them and then see all the comments , usually gushing with praise about what a wonderful post this is, or you are so talented at writing, or By golly I agree with you, and I wonder if all that congratulatory pat on the back stuff means is mean with sincerity, or is just , you know, BULL. So I guess since I don't find a lot of that on my blog, then my audience shy away from being nice for niceness sake (especially a couple of readers) and lets the silence of their short commentary stand to tell me what they think sincerely. That is probably a good thing, absolutely better than syrup.
Today's picture: Its kind of how I see politics, the naked lady standing there and nobody says a thing, until someone says "Hey lady, where's your clothes".

My work week...modern corporate life...YUCK

Like I have said here before, I started a new job in March as a manager with a large firm.

My boss is a senior manager, and he reports to our division chief, who reports to the CEO, who reports to the Board of Directors.

The division chief and CEO are both women, so you would think he is attuned to relating to women at work. So I was surprised when he went off on me recently, telling me in a not so hushed tone within hearing of my staff that I needed to learn my place because I had authorized something I felt important for a staff member.

After I confronted him in his office the next morning, and calmly explained my rationale and uncomfortably with how he handled that, he said he “may have acted inappropriate” and then was quick to add he realized it might be difficult for me coming into the firm and stepping into a position that had been vacant for so long.  My immediate thought was “what the f@ck”...

I went back to my office and thought about this, and wondered what jobs are out there, in case this didn’t work out. As we all know, the job market sucks, and my online search showed me that locally things are pretty bleak. So I am resolved to stick it out, although I am going to continue looking for opportunities to move up.

OK, so now things start going weirder. I say that because my sense of value at work, and whether I have a reputation for being good at what I do or not is important to me. My resume says a lot that gets me in the door, but it’s my abilities that keep me employed. And if my boss doubts me already, how can this work out?

So now the weirder part

First, I get an industry award for something I did before coming to my current firm. My boss mentions it to his boss, and the next thing you know I am invited to the divisional staff meeting, to talk about the award, show off my plaque, etc.

Then last weekend, my boss wrenches his back badly, and so I am emailed Sunday that I will take over for a couple of days while he recuperates…OK, no biggy.  

Only by Tuesday, he is not better, he is worse, and is now on some pretty strong drugs, as evidence by the cryptic emails he is sending to me and staff. Eventually his boss calls him at home and recommends he let me run things for the rest of the week, and stop emailing everyone…and recuperate.

So by Wednesday he has considered this, and sends me and her email saying he is so very glad I am there to fill in, and will stay home. She replies (to him and a cc to me)

“I have every confidence in Canice, who has been doing an excellent job in your absence. I have heard nothing but good things about how she is handling things in your absence. See you when you are feeling better”

Mind you this last week my senior worker has been out on vacation, my most skilled writer and planner were in training classes until Wednesday, my technology expert was out Monday, so all week I have been handed a less than full staff to do our normal work, plus be his stand in.

All I know is by yesterday afternoon, I was ready for the weekend.

Besides all this, during this past week we got one of those corporate wide emails which I hate (HATE them, so impersonal) that is written like a memo and simply says its from the CEO (Office of the Chief Executive):

From:                              CEO <corpnotifications@****.com

Sent:                               Friday, August 26, 2011 4:25 PM

To:                                   All employees

Subject:                          Salaries and Bonuses

All of us are aware that the national economy has had its difficulties over the last several years, which have caused us all to tighten our belts. Just as you and your family have had to adjust to changes in the economy, **** Corporation has had to consider the changing economy, our needs and the needs of you, our valued employees.

To assist employees in planning their personal finances, the Board has reviewed the salaries and bonuses schedules, and revised them to include a one-time corporate wide salary adjustment of 3.8% effective November 1, 2011. The Board has also voted to include a supplemental increase to the top salary step of all salary ranges in the form of a cost of living increase not to exceed 3% in November 2013.

The Board has suspended all bonus and incentive programs indefinitely….

Most of my staff had already left for the day when this came out, but the one guy remaining read this and came storming to my office …apparently before the downturn, they were handing out bonus money which varied between 4-8%...so he thought this actually was a cut…he was sort of offended actually.

And I just love that something they voted on last week is being released to employees the last Friday of the month at almost quitting time…

OK, so I made it through the week…let’s see how next week goes J

Work week worries, or how am I doing??

Like I have said here before, I started a new job in March as a manager with a large firm.

My boss is a senior manager, and he reports to our division chief, who reports to the CEO, who reports to the Board of Directors.

The division chief and CEO are both women, so you would think he is attuned to relating to women at work. So I was surprised when he went off on me recently, telling me in a not so hushed tone within hearing of my staff that I needed to learn my place because I had authorized something I felt important for a staff member.

After I confronted him in his office the next morning, and calmly explained my rationale and uncomfortably with how he handled that, he said he “may have acted inappropriate” and then was quick to add he realized it might be difficult for me coming into the firm and stepping into a position that had been vacant for so long.  My immediate thought was “what the f@ck”...

I went back to my office and thought about this, and wondered what jobs are out there, in case this didn’t work out. As we all know, the job market sucks, and my online search showed me that locally things are pretty bleak. So I am resolved to stick it out, although I am going to continue looking for opportunities to move up.

OK, so now things start going weirder. I say that because my sense of value at work, and whether I have a reputation for being good at what I do or not is important to me. My resume says a lot that gets me in the door, but it’s my abilities that keep me employed. And if my boss doubts me already, how can this work out?

So now the weirder part

First, I get an industry award for something I did before coming to my current firm. My boss mentions it to his boss, and the next thing you know I am invited to the divisional staff meeting, to talk about the award, show off my plaque, etc.

Then last weekend, my boss wrenches his back badly, and so I am emailed Sunday that I will take over for a couple of days while he recuperates…OK, no biggy.  

Only by Tuesday, he is not better, he is worse, and is now on some pretty strong drugs, as evidence by the cryptic emails he is sending to me and staff. Eventually his boss calls him at home and recommends he let me run things for the rest of the week, and stop emailing everyone…and recuperate.

So by Wednesday he has considered this, and sends me and her email saying he is so very glad I am there to fill in, and will stay home. She replies (to him and a cc to me)

“I have every confidence in Canice, who has been doing an excellent job in your absence. I have heard nothing but good things about how she is handling things in your absence. See you when you are feeling better”

Mind you this last week my senior worker has been out on vacation, my most skilled writer and planner were in training classes until Wednesday, my technology expert was out Monday, so all week I have been handed a less than full staff to do our normal work, plus be his stand in.

All I know is by yesterday afternoon, I was ready for the weekend.

Besides all this, during this past week we got one of those corporate wide emails which I hate (HATE them, so impersonal) that is written like a memo and simply says its from the CEO (Office of the Chief Executive):

From:                              CEO <corpnotifications@****.com

Sent:                               Friday, August 26, 2011 4:25 PM

To:                                   All employees

Subject:                          Salaries and Bonuses

All of us are aware that the national economy has had its difficulties over the last several years, which have caused us all to tighten our belts. Just as you and your family have had to adjust to changes in the economy, **** Corporation has had to consider the changing economy, our needs and the needs of you, our valued employees.

To assist employees in planning their personal finances, the Board has reviewed the salaries and bonuses schedules, and revised them to include a one-time corporate wide salary adjustment of 3.8% effective November 1, 2011. The Board has also voted to include a supplemental increase to the top salary step of all salary ranges in the form of a cost of living increase not to exceed 3% in November 2013.

The Board has suspended all bonus and incentive programs indefinitely….

Most of my staff had already left for the day when this came out, but the one guy remaining read this and came storming to my office …apparently before the downturn, they were handing out bonus money which varied between 4-8%...so he thought this actually was a cut…he was sort of offended actually.

And I just love that something they voted on last week is being released to employees the last Friday of the month at almost quitting time…

OK, so I made it through the week…let’s see how next week goes J

Whatever, I mean that

   I have found that writing in my blog about politics usually gathers response from readers, either pro or con. Writing about my life, usually not so many comments, if any.

I take that to mean I must be boring, at least my writing is boring, since I don't resort to sensationalism(much), to make my point, if there is one.

I suppose people are telling me something with their silence, like maybe I need to shut the hell up. I mean i can drone on and on with the best of them, and quite well on many topics. IMHO

I read other a lot of other blog here and elsewhere, some are very good, while others are quite conversational in format...I don't know what my style here is, but it sort of the way I talk. In snippets, like I have A.D.D.

My brother has that, and a woman I worked with said I must have it, the way I jump around from topic to topic...perhaps, although a professor once told me it showed what an unconventional thinker I am...which is probably how I got to be where I am career wise, since I tend to see things from a different viewpoint.

Back to other peoples blog though, I read them and then see all the comments , usually gushing with praise about what a wonderful post this is, or you are so talented at writing, or By golly I agree with you, and I wonder if all that congratulatory pat on the back stuff means is mean with sincerity, or is just , you know, BULL. So I guess since I don't find a lot of that on my blog, then my audience shy away from being nice for niceness sake (especially a couple of readers) and lets the silence of their short commentary stand to tell me what they think sincerely. That is probably a good thing, absolutely better than syrup.

Today's picture: Its kind of how I see politics, the naked lady standing there and nobody says a thing, until someone says "Hey lady, where's your clothes".

Capitalism reality

Realizing that any socioeconomic system can be corrupted, I long ago decided that capitalism probably was the best, because with enough effort, you can at least earn a decent living...yet I still am forced to work with people who insist our system is the Worst...must be nice to pull in a fat salary and then complain about the system...

Watch this and maybe learn a thing or two...