So Take Your Pace Easy for Home Soon Like Lightening We Soon Will be Riding, My Shiny Black Bess
I am driving in my car on my way to work. It is hard to see the mountains today. Sometimes as the sun rises, they look purple. Today they are obscured. I hate this daily commute, but I wonder if I will miss seeing the mountains if things ever changed.
I am listening to Wilco and Billy Bragg's co-operational effort Mermaid Avenue. I had never heard this one before, but it came with the whole Wilco discography when I came into possession of it a few months back. It is a Woody Guthrie tribute album. I had no idea beforehand, but I like it. I did a book report on Woody Guthrie when I was in 7th grade. I also like his son Arlo. This album isn't too bad. There are a couple of bright tracks, but I really like The Unwelcome Guest. I swear I've heard this song before by someone else, but I don't know where or by whom. Hmmm...
I am arriving to work and trying to get things situated. I put my lunch in the refrigerator and fill up my water mug. It is Monday and the endless spinning wheel begins another rotation. I log in. My phone doesn't immediately ring. Perhaps this won't be that bad of a day.
I am answering the phone at about 20 minutes after 7:00am. It is the Big Boss Lady requesting a copy of a spreadsheet that I am putting together. Can I have it done in an hour? "No problem" I reply. It will be a problem, but I don't admit to it.
I am trying to finish up a spreadsheet for the Big Boss Lady when the phone rings. I only have a few more things I have to get done before I can send it off. It is the Big Boss Lady on the line inquiring 5 minutes early if I will have it done on time. I would if I wouldn't have to stop working on it to answer the phone. I don't say that to her, of course, and assure her that it will be there in a few minutes.
I am sending it off a few minutes later. I would take a breather but I have more spreadsheets to do.
I am getting up to get a cup of coffee. It is a quarter to 10:00am. Around this time daily I have a little snack to carry me to lunch. I prefer to have fruit, like an apple, but we were all out of fruit at home. Today I took baby carrots instead. Not bad, but carrots and coffee are not really a good mix.
I am looking at the internal job postings. I tell everyone that I check them from time to time to make sure that I'm not the last to know when my job gets posted. In reality, I'm bored. You all already know that, though. I am warned to be wary of the job in which I expressed some curiosity. At this time I don't know whether it would be better to get a new job here or to get a new job elsewhere. Either way, I am indentured for a while longer, so I am stuck for the time being.
I am talking on the phone to my sales representative friend in California. She is upset, but not at me. I am trying to help her. However, one of her vendors won't sign one of our company's documents without reading our contract with our customer first. No problem, but apparently no one has a copy of said contract (not even the legal dept) despite there being a big headline on our company's website advertising that we just renewed it.
I am taking a lunch. I usually take a later lunch, today at 12:45pm. I sit in the break room where I attempt to get a chunk of my book read since I only have about 50 pages left and I am anxious to finish it. Instead (like the true nerd that I am) I get sucked into a conversation on the respective differences between the Lord of the Rings theatrical releases, the director's cuts, and the books. I eventually get a couple of pages read and then go sit in my car for about 10-15 minutes to rejuvenate before heading back in.
I am finishing up another spreadsheet. This one is not too bad. We are actually making good progress on this account. I send it to my friend in California and call her to discuss, but the good news is quickly muted by the (still) lack of a copy of our contract. Her vendor has been waiting two weeks for this and wants to get the project started. I express empathy for her frustrations since I am getting the runaround as well.
I am trying to get another vendor set up in our system so a CSR can place an emergency order. However the vendor will not grant us Net 30 terms because our trade references have not come back yet. I try to explain that since I work for a 5A2 rated Fortune 500 company with about $5 billion in annual sales that we are probably good for the $3k that we are ordering, but they want to stick to procedure. After a bunch of back and forth, it looks like we are going to have to buy this one on the credit card. Not a big deal, but I very highly doubt that we are going to get paid for our order by the time the next statement goes out, meaning that we are going to have to eat the interest expense. As my old boss used to say, "Listen people, we're a supplier, not a bank. Don't expect us to finance your purchases." Of course, in that division we could bill back service charges. We can't do that here, so our threats are pretty much idle. Lame.
I am typing a blog post. Change is needed. Change is coming. I don't know what, but it is on its way.
I am thinking about going home now.
I am saying goodbye.
I am listening to Wilco and Billy Bragg's co-operational effort Mermaid Avenue. I had never heard this one before, but it came with the whole Wilco discography when I came into possession of it a few months back. It is a Woody Guthrie tribute album. I had no idea beforehand, but I like it. I did a book report on Woody Guthrie when I was in 7th grade. I also like his son Arlo. This album isn't too bad. There are a couple of bright tracks, but I really like The Unwelcome Guest. I swear I've heard this song before by someone else, but I don't know where or by whom. Hmmm...
I am arriving to work and trying to get things situated. I put my lunch in the refrigerator and fill up my water mug. It is Monday and the endless spinning wheel begins another rotation. I log in. My phone doesn't immediately ring. Perhaps this won't be that bad of a day.
I am answering the phone at about 20 minutes after 7:00am. It is the Big Boss Lady requesting a copy of a spreadsheet that I am putting together. Can I have it done in an hour? "No problem" I reply. It will be a problem, but I don't admit to it.
I am trying to finish up a spreadsheet for the Big Boss Lady when the phone rings. I only have a few more things I have to get done before I can send it off. It is the Big Boss Lady on the line inquiring 5 minutes early if I will have it done on time. I would if I wouldn't have to stop working on it to answer the phone. I don't say that to her, of course, and assure her that it will be there in a few minutes.
I am sending it off a few minutes later. I would take a breather but I have more spreadsheets to do.
I am getting up to get a cup of coffee. It is a quarter to 10:00am. Around this time daily I have a little snack to carry me to lunch. I prefer to have fruit, like an apple, but we were all out of fruit at home. Today I took baby carrots instead. Not bad, but carrots and coffee are not really a good mix.
I am looking at the internal job postings. I tell everyone that I check them from time to time to make sure that I'm not the last to know when my job gets posted. In reality, I'm bored. You all already know that, though. I am warned to be wary of the job in which I expressed some curiosity. At this time I don't know whether it would be better to get a new job here or to get a new job elsewhere. Either way, I am indentured for a while longer, so I am stuck for the time being.
I am talking on the phone to my sales representative friend in California. She is upset, but not at me. I am trying to help her. However, one of her vendors won't sign one of our company's documents without reading our contract with our customer first. No problem, but apparently no one has a copy of said contract (not even the legal dept) despite there being a big headline on our company's website advertising that we just renewed it.
I am taking a lunch. I usually take a later lunch, today at 12:45pm. I sit in the break room where I attempt to get a chunk of my book read since I only have about 50 pages left and I am anxious to finish it. Instead (like the true nerd that I am) I get sucked into a conversation on the respective differences between the Lord of the Rings theatrical releases, the director's cuts, and the books. I eventually get a couple of pages read and then go sit in my car for about 10-15 minutes to rejuvenate before heading back in.
I am finishing up another spreadsheet. This one is not too bad. We are actually making good progress on this account. I send it to my friend in California and call her to discuss, but the good news is quickly muted by the (still) lack of a copy of our contract. Her vendor has been waiting two weeks for this and wants to get the project started. I express empathy for her frustrations since I am getting the runaround as well.
I am trying to get another vendor set up in our system so a CSR can place an emergency order. However the vendor will not grant us Net 30 terms because our trade references have not come back yet. I try to explain that since I work for a 5A2 rated Fortune 500 company with about $5 billion in annual sales that we are probably good for the $3k that we are ordering, but they want to stick to procedure. After a bunch of back and forth, it looks like we are going to have to buy this one on the credit card. Not a big deal, but I very highly doubt that we are going to get paid for our order by the time the next statement goes out, meaning that we are going to have to eat the interest expense. As my old boss used to say, "Listen people, we're a supplier, not a bank. Don't expect us to finance your purchases." Of course, in that division we could bill back service charges. We can't do that here, so our threats are pretty much idle. Lame.
I am typing a blog post. Change is needed. Change is coming. I don't know what, but it is on its way.
I am thinking about going home now.
I am saying goodbye.
posted by john at 4:05 PM
4 Comments:
isn't it neat how vacations bring you back to yourself and not always in a way that you expect?
i often find my life a tight fit when i get home and usually something always ends up changing.
this time it might be big.
I think you are right. As corny or cliche as it may sound, I think that you sometimes have to remove yourself from your routine daily life in order to be able to evaluate it from a different perspective. Since a vacation is such a big break from the routine, it often inspires in us to make other breaks (smaller or bigger) in the routine once we get back. Perhaps it is to remind us of how good the change felt when we were on vacation. Who knows? I do know that change is in the air and it is coming. I need it.
I know what you mean about the car thing... I used to forfeit the lunchroom for my car as well... I would listen to the music I had in there and read something and just be alone. Sort of like you're own bedroom out in the parkinglot.
I wasn't too big on the Wilco/Bragg thing, but I liked the track you mentioned and California Stars especially. I would probably like it more now that my affinity for country music is above it's former non-existent state. I should pull it out again.
Some suggestions: if you like the sort of magical realm of writing, try Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell... it's a whopping size, but a great read in my opinion.
Also, I picked up Phoenix's new cd while in NY, and it is really great pop music. Apparently these guys can barely speak English (they're French) but these songs are in English and are really quite good. Check out the track "Long Distance Call" in particular. Also, "Too Young" from the Lost in Translation soundtrack is an earlier piece, but equally catchy and fun.
Hello SLG and welcome back-
I agree with you on the country music thing. When I first put in the album, I was a little dissettled, but the more I gave it a chance, the more I started to like it. This seemed more like folk than like the current pop-country scene. Give it another try and see what you think.
I don't go out to eat very often for lunch, so I bring a book to read in the break room. My reasoning is that even if I can't get away physically from work, I can at least escape within my own head in a book for a little while. Eventually I needed a little bit more of an escape, so I started sitting out in my car once I was done eating. I find it really helps me face the rest of my afternoon.
I love to read, and always have at least a couple of books that I am trying to conquer, but unfortunately I make slow progress since I pretty much only get to read on my work breaks. I don't get much quiet down time at home to pick up a book. Oh well, at least I get in a little bit daily. It beats complete ignorance, I guess.
Thanks for both recommendations, btw. I'll check them out for sure.
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