What Happens at Work
Well, it is true that interesting and funny things can happen at work.
Working in a large corporation of course there are the usual turf wars and power struggles. Fortunately I am not in management and so not involved in that, but my environment is highly competitive and we always need to stay on top of things. I was talking to my friend Thomas yesterday on the phone of course. I never see the people I work directly with, they are all in other cities. He is in Minneapolis. We were commiserating about some of the uncertainty of some directions. For instance, he now seemingly reports to two different people, so how do you do that? Anyway, he said, "they have a saying in my native country, Kenya. The saying goes, 'when the elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers." He said, "I am the grass." I laughed, it was so true because I totally agreed with him. "Yes! I am the grass, too," I said.
Now don't get me wrong, management may not figure things out right away, but we are so swamped with work that I am not concerned about a layoff, it is my overflowing plate and the way that I am not sure how things will fall out that I wonder about. But overall I really like all the people and know it will fall out one way or the other. Steady as she goes, so they say. Keep plugging away, head's down.
In another group that I work with, these are a group of guys. They're are older, and sometimes I wonder if wiser or just wise guys. We meet twice a week and have for some years now, the same group, and so we've gotten to know each other. "It's not the same when Margaret isn't here," said one manager. I am their foil. I laugh at their jokes, but that is only because I think they are funny. Sometimes I just say, "time to move on." If they are entering dangerous guy territory. I am the only woman in the conversation.
One time I came into the meeting, again by phone because we don't see each other, although I have met them all by this time. I said, "I am here." Brad said, "life is complete."
They were talking about New Year's resolutions the other day. Well Kyle is going to be a kinder, gentler Kyle. Ha!! And Brad is going to be more accepting of change. Ha! Again. But they maintain that you only have to keep a New Year's resolution for 3 months. It must be a new rule.
I told them that I found an old mixmaster when I was clearing out my Mom's house. Brad said, "Margaret, you really live on the wild side, don't you."
And so it continues.
I also work with engineers from India. They are very polite. They instant message me and say, "may I have a moment of you please?" Sometimes in meetings when I want to identify everyone I have trouble with all the Indian names. Of course all of this is on the phone and never in person.
It would be fun to actually meet these people that I work with all the time. Many I've worked with for several years and never met. I remember one woman. I thought to myself, "I bet she's a blonde." I don't know why I thought that, but sure enough, she is a blonde.
One time they did fly all of us to Arizona who do this same function that I do. Well we had a ball meeting each other because we are in these meetings together several times a week. They gave us toys that we could throw at each other during the meeting. And we did throw them too,especially at Kent, but we have to get on his case, he deserves it. And he dishes it out too.
Working in a large corporation of course there are the usual turf wars and power struggles. Fortunately I am not in management and so not involved in that, but my environment is highly competitive and we always need to stay on top of things. I was talking to my friend Thomas yesterday on the phone of course. I never see the people I work directly with, they are all in other cities. He is in Minneapolis. We were commiserating about some of the uncertainty of some directions. For instance, he now seemingly reports to two different people, so how do you do that? Anyway, he said, "they have a saying in my native country, Kenya. The saying goes, 'when the elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers." He said, "I am the grass." I laughed, it was so true because I totally agreed with him. "Yes! I am the grass, too," I said.
Now don't get me wrong, management may not figure things out right away, but we are so swamped with work that I am not concerned about a layoff, it is my overflowing plate and the way that I am not sure how things will fall out that I wonder about. But overall I really like all the people and know it will fall out one way or the other. Steady as she goes, so they say. Keep plugging away, head's down.
In another group that I work with, these are a group of guys. They're are older, and sometimes I wonder if wiser or just wise guys. We meet twice a week and have for some years now, the same group, and so we've gotten to know each other. "It's not the same when Margaret isn't here," said one manager. I am their foil. I laugh at their jokes, but that is only because I think they are funny. Sometimes I just say, "time to move on." If they are entering dangerous guy territory. I am the only woman in the conversation.
One time I came into the meeting, again by phone because we don't see each other, although I have met them all by this time. I said, "I am here." Brad said, "life is complete."
They were talking about New Year's resolutions the other day. Well Kyle is going to be a kinder, gentler Kyle. Ha!! And Brad is going to be more accepting of change. Ha! Again. But they maintain that you only have to keep a New Year's resolution for 3 months. It must be a new rule.
I told them that I found an old mixmaster when I was clearing out my Mom's house. Brad said, "Margaret, you really live on the wild side, don't you."
And so it continues.
I also work with engineers from India. They are very polite. They instant message me and say, "may I have a moment of you please?" Sometimes in meetings when I want to identify everyone I have trouble with all the Indian names. Of course all of this is on the phone and never in person.
It would be fun to actually meet these people that I work with all the time. Many I've worked with for several years and never met. I remember one woman. I thought to myself, "I bet she's a blonde." I don't know why I thought that, but sure enough, she is a blonde.
One time they did fly all of us to Arizona who do this same function that I do. Well we had a ball meeting each other because we are in these meetings together several times a week. They gave us toys that we could throw at each other during the meeting. And we did throw them too,especially at Kent, but we have to get on his case, he deserves it. And he dishes it out too.
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