As a token of our appreciation...

This is another work rant.  I don't want this blog to become a never-ending work rant.  So, to balance it out...  My son is now saying the word, "pea."  It's very cute because he repeats it over and over and it makes us all happy.  He also can "do the monster" which consists of going, "Rah!" and laughing.

Yesterday was the annual library awards ceremony.  This ceremony is organized by the library to “boost” morale, but in some ways I think it’s starting to do the opposite.

There were a lot of nominees in every category.  People are nominated by their co-workers through a directed essay that describes why the nominee should be the award recipient.  Every year, the same groups of people win.  Every year.  It used to be a joke, but now it’s really not funny anymore.  People really deserving of recognition are becoming jaded and feel unappreciated.  It’s sad.

For example, how can you take someone who is doing their job and say that they are going the extra mile when you have people who, on top of their regular duties, had to deal with the aftermath of a fire and all of the smoky, stinky books that were dislocated because of it?  I’m sorry. Isn’t the point of the “extra mile” meaning you did far more than what your regular job entails?  Well, dealing with a flood of new responsibilities in addition to maintaining your regular work flow, and doing it well merits my vote. The fire factor alone is enough to propel these people over the edge.  Those people who did deserve recognition. What better place than at the annual awards ceremony?

Okay, so someone left and the dispersed the duties to other people - that is a decision and I'm sure, since it is in your job description now, you will be compensated for it.  However, someone set fire to the library and people had to step up and deal with the aftermath.  That wasn't a decision, no one is getting compensated for that - the work needed to be done and people did it. That is going the extra mile.

 Of course, all of my whining and complaining isn’t enough to make anything change.  I just feel that the employees here would be better served if you just bought them lunch one day instead of putting on a pageant to say, “when you play the game, you get rewarded – just make sure it’s our game!”

I guess I shouldn’t complain because they are actually making an effort to improve morale.  And I did get to see cotton candy attempt to mate while being serenaded by “Secret Lovers” until the food service workers ripped them apart in their moment of passion.

Hee hee!

Bravo!! Bravo!!

This weekend was home improvement paradise at my house. I almost moved in at Lowe’s because I was there so much this past weekend. Anyway, my big accomplishment was that I installed two bathroom faucets – and no one was killed. A major accomplishment for me.

So, I am being very, very quiet at work. I only leave my desk when absolutely necessary. I do not talk excessively with any of my co-workers, and as far as I know, I am not keeping anyone from their work. Quite a turnaround, I guess, since I didn’t know I was doing all of these things in the first place. Oh, what a happy workplace! Actually, I am trying to stay as positive as I can. Partly because I don’t want to let the insanity that is work affect the rest of my life AND I can’t change anything but myself. So, by staying out of trouble (I feel like I am five), I am preventing others from getting dumped on.

Tonight is the finale of Blow Out on Bravo. Blow Out is one of the cheesiest shows out there and I love it! Who wouldn’t want to watch a really full of himself salon owner treat his employees like crap! Hey, art imitates reality – I just don’t work in a salon! It’s a really great way to spend a Tuesday evening and I highly recommend it. Then, stick around to watch Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. That is the funniest show – ever! Maybe I can work for Bravo in the PR dept.? Do they even have librarians at Bravo? They have to. Everyone has to have a librarian! Who else could keep track of all those Inside the Actor’s Studio episodes???

“If there is a heaven, what would you want to hear when you get there?”
All the Coke you can drink. All the bad TV you can watch. Have at it!

Pick me, James Lipton!

I listened to my gut. I really did!

I had a strange experience this past week. A job interview kind of fell into my lap. This job is in an area where I am pretty proficient, for more money, in one of the top 25 law schools in the country. It would be a complete step up in my career. And I came close, really, really close to going through with the first step in the interview process. I didn’t. After a long discussion with my husband and a lot of stomach pain, I withdrew from consideration. It was a choice between my career and my family. In other words, I would only get to see my son for an hour a day and on the weekends. My husband, for all intents and purposes, would have been a single parent. Something about it didn’t seem right. Something inside me wouldn’t be ignored and I finally listened.

So, why did I even consider it? Besides the career advancement and the money? Well, let me tell you. I wrote this the other day just to vent.

I went to school where I currently work. I was a student worker here, a staff person once I graduated, and now a faculty member. I have a certain fondness for this place. I have been here as an employee for ten years (total), not counting the student work. Every time I would get promoted, I would think to myself, “Hey! Now I will be treated like a professional.” It never happened. The funny thing is, other dept. heads treat me like a professional. The damn director of the library treats me like a professional. Outside of this library I am treated like a professional. Here, I am another drone who needs to keep her mouth shut and blindly do her work.

I went to school for this? I went to school while working full-time so I could be treated like this? I spend most of my waking time here. I don’t spend this time with my husband, or my son. I spend it here. Here – where I am chained to a desk (yes, I get up. I go to the restroom and sometimes - brace yourselves - I need to get out of this area, so I walk around outside, or I wander around the library looking at books that I might like to read), told to be quiet and not to socialize with co-workers because that could lead to complete anarchy within the department. So, is there any wonder why I consult a therapist twice a month? Do I really need to ask that question?

I do a good job. I work hard. I have evaluations that tell me so. I have award nominations for almost every year that I have worked here. I have great references and lots of contacts in and out of this place. I’m not afraid to ask questions and to face my mistakes. I’m not perfect but I try pretty hard to get things right. I’m not the only person here like that. Just like me, everyone else here is getting stepped on. I’m sick and tired of it falling on deaf ears.

Here is what I have to say about where I work. Open your eyes. Do you not see that anyone who has an ounce of initiative, creativity, or personality leaves here as soon as they can? Why? It’s not like you pay well enough for anyone to put up with this kind of treatment. This place crushes the ambitions of anyone employed here. It’s like a giant vacuum – sucking the drive and the confidence out of anyone who steps through the doors and signs a contract. I see it over and over again and I feel so helpless. I feel like the person waist deep in quicksand, trying to warn the others but she can’t find her voice.