I’m in Pergatory
I work in government for an elected official. My former boss lost his election (it was the Obama Factor that killed us). That meant I needed a new job. After the results came in, I got a phone call from another office letting me know they wanted me and would take care of me. WHEW! So I bided my time as I was instructed. Everything was about to go through. At the 11th hour another office swooped in, claimed seniority, and snatched me up. I guess I should be happy on several counts. 1. I have a job. 2. People wanted me. 3 offices, in fact. My issue is that I feel like I drew the short straw. I am living in pergatory.
For starters, this office works holidays—not the major ones, but everything else. They are state holidays, but the elected official CAN choose to keep their offices open. WTF. And his district manager is an old biddy. That was my position. Top dog. I never lorded it over my staff. Trust me, read backwards—I had some doozies, but I was always fair and gave everyone equal opportunity.
Within 5 minutes of my starting in the new office yesterday she let me know that I was the bottom of the heap there. Within 30 minutes she commented that it really must hurt to have to watch someone do the job I used to do. Um, yeah. That’s really nice. Later on she chided me for not having a rolodex from my former office with me. I explained that I kept everything online. She glared at me and curtly said that no one else would have access when they needed it. The light came on for me—this woman really is a moron. I politely explained that it was kept on the shared drive so that everyone had access. She was not amused.
Today I was helping a woman file for replacement vehicle registration and sticker for her plate. I filled out the form online, printed it out and handed it to her to sign. Then I notarized it (I am a notary and can do this). After the constituent left, the old biddy reprimanded me. "For future reference, you are NOT to notarize anything unless I am out of the office. I notarize everything in this office." "Oh, I’m sorry…I was unaware there would be a problem with me notarizing my own casework" She really expects me to get up and give her my paperwork to notarize…yeah that will NOT be happening.
She is not up with technology or procedures. Everything she does is the way things were done 20 years ago before the offices were automated. When we handle any kind of constituent request/issue, we log it into a database. I can look up anything and see what was done. Simple. Paperless. Not good enough for her. We have to fill out all sorts of paperwork and file it here and there. A waste of time and paper.
She’s not changing. It’s her way or no way. EVERYONE hates her. But she’s been there forever and the elected official won’t do anything about it. She is supposed to retire in June and I am slated to take over. I don’t know if I will last that long. She has pretty much told me my role is to answer the phone and handle casework. That’s it. I feel like the smartest kid in school stuck in a remedial class (due to a scheduling glitch, that did happen to me in high school. Trust me, I rectified that before day’s end). I will be plotting the uprising.
I hate that every entry is my dissatisfaction with work and co-workers. Kinda makes me seem like a miserable person. I’m the fun one. I’m the one that makes people smile. I wander through life happy-go-lucky, which is why this current setting is making me miserable.
I’ll have to be Pollyanna and come up with a glad entry. There must be something….
what a bitch!
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((random)) I’ve had a purgatory-like work place before and it wasn’t fun. I empathize.
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Oh, my. It’s hard to believe that in today’s computer age, there are still those in any office situation who depend on rolodexes, etc. It must be hard to see your job take such a downturn and have your hands tied, so to speak. Good to see you posting!
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somehow this doesn’t surprise me at all – sympathies
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Enough about me ………… time for an entry from YOU!
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Having worked for a legislator – and having dealt with a LOT of district offices – I can totally relate. I don’t know if it makes you feel any better (or worse?), but there are a LOT of people just like her in that exact same position. And a LOT of people just like YOU…in YOUR exact same position.
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RYN: I’m terrified that it would hurt. Granted, I did give birth to two children but still…
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RYN: thank you for the information.
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ryn: No, but if the most qualified one who is willing to take the job happens to be a tax cheat, so what? I think writing off a $120,000 lapse to fix a trillion dollar problem is a good return on investment.
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RYN: I do watch South Park. I love it 🙂
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ryn: I’ll probably never make it into downtown Philly from there, just because it’s nowhere near the hospitals. But I’ve been promised a few good restaurants, so fingers crossed.
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RYN: actually, NO, he was being condescending, not me. i said i felt condescendededed. it was me, being silly, saying that i felt he was being condescending AGAINST me. i dont ever aim for proper grammar or wording in my diary because its an online diary. i save that for my almost perfect GPA and my honor scholar papers, thanks for the tip tho.
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ryn: afternoon delight 😀
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ryn: AMEN! You get the prize!!!
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I think some of the older Americans cannot fathom the idea of the computer world.
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ryn: Glad you enjoyed it! It’s such a simple, basic recipe, but the results are amazing.
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RYN: Wouldn’t work, she loves Supernanny.
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ryn: She was given multiple counseling sessions by her managers and HR, I’m told. They do try to salvage these people when they can.
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RYN: Yeah, still no thanks on the ma’am thing. If people do it I’m all, “Please, call me Amber.”
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RYN: My husband says she was.
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RYN: We go to some Mom and Pop places but there really aren’t a lot around us. I LOVE diners so if I see a Mom and Pop diner we always stop.
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RYN: Oh wow, ten stitches in a thumb is a LOT. Thank you for the warning! It didn’t cut through my tomato today and that was pretty depressing. It is a cheap one but…still. It did great on the zucchini, onion, and red potatoes (hard to use the safety grip on those)but nothing to the tomato. Maybe because it had already been cut and was in the fridge? Maybe it got a little soft. I’ll try again.
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ryn: Glad to hear you’re enjoying it! Certainly it’s one of my favorites.
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RYN: I did. I suck at other languages.
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TRUST ME WE have DONE EVERYTHING This is not something that is being taken lightly We got him as a forever cat So this is why i dont know. Ive taken him to the vet 4 times Weve searched online and tryed everything suggested Bought two more litter boxes Now have 4 for 2 cats Little crazy I change them twice a day Before bed and in the morning also crazy i think but i love them and understand i wouldnt use my bathroom that way they shouldnt have to use theirs that way. Ive super cleaned the hell out of that spot So it wouldnt be a spot he thinks he can go. We are doing everything we can for him. We love him and think of him as our family But i wont deal with him peeing on my floor everytime he has to go. Being outside is best for him He likes it out there and he doesnt pee on my floor Weve made him a nice little home out there a kitty house Has a blanket and food water. We love on him all the time. Him peeing on the floor is something thats been going on for almost two years now. And in this time i seriously feel ive done everything i can. So trust me its not something being taken lightly. As for the craigslist I know what you mean I read a thing about that I replied back to one
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saying i would need to visit her house Guess i scared her off But im not sending one of my babys to a bad home where he wont be cared for and loved for the way we care and love him. After that I didnt reply back to anyone else cause I figured he was better here with us Plus He has grown up with Kaitlyn ( he’s 3 months older than her.) It would be soooo hard for me to get rid of him. I dont want him outside I know cats should be indoors They are better indoors. But like i said I wont deal with him peeing on my floor and this is really the last thing weve done that has worked With us getting to have him and love him and him not peeing on my floor.
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ryn: And those Lean Cuisine type meals are usually loaded with sodium, and is heavily processed. Just because something is low-fat and low-calorie does not mean it is good for you.
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ryn: love trooper vet and they referred me to the specialist we’re seeing at metropolitan animal hospital. they have a great reputation and are close to me.
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RYN: I know what you mean. I’m DEFINATELY doing my research. I’d like to be able to see after it all.
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I think it is about time for you to update too, my friend! 🙂
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ryn: kitty would stay with charlies mom.
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ryn: I did notice a few fishnets, come to think of it.
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RYN: She told me on the phone there was a flat rate of 79 for coming. But then he waived that one and just did the cleaning fee. Eeks on the mouse. Thats crazy 31.95
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RYN: To me, a gimlet is a wrinkly, old person who resembles a prune.
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ryn: the bridge was in a location other than between Staten and Brooklyn. Must be a different one. It’s just past the SofL… a bit Southeast of Manhattan.
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ryn: Down by LHV mall, on… is it Cedar Hill road? Cedar something I think, it’s in front of the Home Depot there by the mall.
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Im so sorry to hear about your medical condition. I hope they got it all (that big I certainly hope it was all). Yes, it was my left leg, thank god
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RYN: I totally get it but as another noter pointed out, passengers signed a liability waiver saying they’d only get the $500 should anything happen. The situation would have sucked though but nothing to sue over.
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ryn: wasn’t trite. We were doing family yoga for a while. I could see how I could enjoy it if I were alone (or just with my daughter), but with my husband and son it became another stressor. I don’t have the time to find to do it myself while I still need to be doing the physical therapy, have a full time job, twins, blah, blah, blah…. But once I’ve got the full strength back in my body, Icould totally see how that would help make me more zen.
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