I know it’s been a while. Still not a helluva lot to update about. Renee and I joined the Snap 24/7 fitness center in our backyard. It’s not really in our backyard, but it is a short 3-4 minute jaunt from our front door, which is our only door, really. Last night, Wednesday, we maxed out. We’ll probably hit a light workout tonight, (then binge on fried chicken tomorrow) and take most of the weekend off. Mostly this has to do with an upcoming Full Operational Review (FOR) for Renee’s store on Monday and that I have to help Rob move. I managed to get the weekend off. Still have a buttload of homework to do, but I figure what good is one’s advanced skill of procrastination if you’re gonna do it half-assed. Renee will have to spend a good deal of time at the store this weekend on her off hours to clean for the FOR – I can do the homework then.
In other news, we’re still not terribly close to redecorating. Other bills and stuff have popped up. I still plan on starting and finishing by the end of the month. Renee goes on Vacation next weekend and I’m sure we’ll at least purchase the paint then. The tiling of the place might have to wait until we have some extra cash. With that idea in mind, I’ve started to look [somewhat] earnestly for a new job. I figure if I’m truthful with myself the only shot I have at being decently paid is to fall back to helpdesk garbage. Not terrible, but certainly not terribly helpful when it comes to a career change. ;p
I’d like to avoid sounding like I’m whining, but I don’t think that’s very likely. I’ve been struggling with the idea of looking for a new job. It would seem I’ve become complacent. A bit hypocritical considering it was only a few short months ago that I was counseling Rob on the virtues of not staying one place too long. It’s my first rule of job security, and I’ve smashed it to bits. Honestly, given the nature of employment in America, one needs to be constantly moving (or at least keeping one’s eyes open to the opportunities to move). It’s the absolute nature of the beast. Companies can’t afford to have reservations when they need to let people go, (fire, layoffs, etc) and neither should workers. It’s one of those words that has escaped my thoughts. In order to have job security, you’ve got to keeping looking for new jobs. Yet, I’ve been here at work for three years now. And, rather unhappily so for about a year and a half. So, I’ve cornered myself in a position that I’m not particularly happy with (although it does have its perks which will be hard to let go of), and all because of complacency. Sure, I do a lot for DMACC. I’m the only one anyone can count on to be here on holidays and on mid-term weekends like last weekend. No one ever remembers past Monday, though. Well, they remember the next time they need someone to stay late on Friday or over the weekend, but no other times. I give and sacrifice and have paid for it. All because I quit looking for a new job. Renee’s seen it and hates it.
Renee doesn’t have this problem at work. She’s happy with the way her career is progressing. She has identified what she wants and is pursuing it. She makes no excuses, shows up and does so unwaveringly so. She has earned what she has and is constantly earning more. She has the respect of her bosses and employees and whenever either of those groups screws up, she moves in and fixes the problems and moves on. She doesn’t gloat about it. She doesn’t go out of her way to draw attention to it; she just does it and doesn’t expect to be patted on the back. She’s rewarded in multiple ways for it. And she’s building equity with her bosses. They all know she’s good and they all wish there were more of her. They’ve told her as much. They’ve shown her as much. She’s got most of the responsibility for the FOR.
I read an article a few months ago about showing appreciation at your business. How do you let your employees know that they’re important? The article had a quote from an employee at some customer service center. She commented that she was asked to take a particularly difficult customer complaint. She said that afterwards she had received a pair of movies tickets and a nice letter from the center’s manager after resolving the customer’s complaint. What really struck me, though, was that she said that the tickets were a nice gesture, but the award for doing her job well was the phone call itself. She said she knew then that the company valued her. That’s what Renee gets. That’s also what she gives. I’m not allowed to go into detail for reasons of maintaining professional distance (a huge issue at her store over the last few months – hopefully I’m allowed to say that much ;p) from anyone from her store whom might read the sight. That’s also the reason, she rarely updates, in case you were wondering. Alas, I’ve digressed.
I sort of get that I suppose. I get to deal with the Health Services Building (bldg 9) – that’s more to do with the fact they hate everyone else and no one wants to take their calls. In this case it’s more of shoveling what they think is an unpleasant situation off on me. I personally don’t mind Bldg 9. I work with them enough that they trust me to do what I say I am going to do and fix whatever problems they have. I suppose that could be construed as an award from Bldg 9, but I’m not employed by Bldg 9, so its gratification wore off somewhat quickly. But enough complaining. I’ve taken steps to try to fix it (finally), so that’s about all I can do. Everything else is out of my sphere of influence.
I’ve looked and applied for jobs before, but I seem to be more focused this time.
And I grow weary of writing anymore at the moment.
