Let’s not call it time off. Let’s call it staying at home (mostly) and being constantly annoyed, harassed, and generally pissed of at people who can’t think for themselves for FOUR FREAKING DAYS.
Earlier, I said that I have not whined about work for a while. I intend to change that...
It is official. I did not have one day of my “vacation” where I was not contacted by work for reasons from the ridiculous to the more ridiculous. When, on Wednesday, I issued an edict that I would no longer be looking at or responding to emails, but rather acting like I was on vacation, I thought I was pretty clear. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there.
Monday was a Holiday, so nobody was at work… thank God for Holidays. Tuesday was countless emails about getting what I needed to do a payroll from home (my fault for choosing a payroll week) and several “while I have you” emails. Wednesday was doing payroll at an ungodly hour because the cable guy was coming to repair our wireless signal – we already talked about that, but let me reiterate that the cable guy was an IDIOT! When the emails starting coming to my personal account, I had to issue aforementioned edict. Thursday was the panic about getting ready for a hurricane that IF it was actually heading in this direction would not be an issue for at least five days. Did that deter them from panicking? No. Did my edict hold? No. Did not responding to emails work? No. That’s when the phone calls started.
Let me say at this point that I am not a genius, a psychic, or in possession of any superhuman abilities… in other words, these are things that anybody can handle if only they would allow their brains to engage before working their mouths.
I snuck into work very early Friday morning to get out the plans for the hurricane shutters (even if it was too early to put them up) and directions for changing the system voicemail message (which didn’t need to be done). I made a copy of each to leave as a present for my boss and almost got out the door… almost. I could hear someone downstairs as I was leaving and I knew it was my boss *sigh* She is a very, very nice woman and she looked like she was about to burst into tears. It seems that in three sort days, the crazies had gotten to her to the point where she felt like she was losing her mind. Uh, yeah…I understand. You see, she and I share an office; we’re roomies and we get along very well. We bounce ideas off of each other, laugh a lot, and make the best of a… let’s say, difficult work environment. We’re a team. Uncouple the team, and apparently there is trouble.
I listened to her for an hour (did I mention that this is my vacation?) and when she said that she was starting to feel better, I recognized my cue to leave and possibly have one day of a vacation-like illusion. No such luck… While finally doing something with a friend that resembled having a life, the phone rang – Incoming text message “r u there?” I turned to my friend and said “Why do I do this to myself” as I, the world’s slowest texter (not a real word), responded. We were out, and about to head home, so I allowed myself those five short minutes before I called. Hurricane panic again. I was brief, I was curt, I was in no way going to be party to a plan that was a knee-jerk reaction to an undetermined problem that would involve going into work over the weekend which, by the way is STILL PART OF MY VACATION.
So that is how I spent my week off. My goodness, am I SO primed for Monday…
Earlier, I said that I have not whined about work for a while. I intend to change that...
It is official. I did not have one day of my “vacation” where I was not contacted by work for reasons from the ridiculous to the more ridiculous. When, on Wednesday, I issued an edict that I would no longer be looking at or responding to emails, but rather acting like I was on vacation, I thought I was pretty clear. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there.
Monday was a Holiday, so nobody was at work… thank God for Holidays. Tuesday was countless emails about getting what I needed to do a payroll from home (my fault for choosing a payroll week) and several “while I have you” emails. Wednesday was doing payroll at an ungodly hour because the cable guy was coming to repair our wireless signal – we already talked about that, but let me reiterate that the cable guy was an IDIOT! When the emails starting coming to my personal account, I had to issue aforementioned edict. Thursday was the panic about getting ready for a hurricane that IF it was actually heading in this direction would not be an issue for at least five days. Did that deter them from panicking? No. Did my edict hold? No. Did not responding to emails work? No. That’s when the phone calls started.
Let me say at this point that I am not a genius, a psychic, or in possession of any superhuman abilities… in other words, these are things that anybody can handle if only they would allow their brains to engage before working their mouths.
I snuck into work very early Friday morning to get out the plans for the hurricane shutters (even if it was too early to put them up) and directions for changing the system voicemail message (which didn’t need to be done). I made a copy of each to leave as a present for my boss and almost got out the door… almost. I could hear someone downstairs as I was leaving and I knew it was my boss *sigh* She is a very, very nice woman and she looked like she was about to burst into tears. It seems that in three sort days, the crazies had gotten to her to the point where she felt like she was losing her mind. Uh, yeah…I understand. You see, she and I share an office; we’re roomies and we get along very well. We bounce ideas off of each other, laugh a lot, and make the best of a… let’s say, difficult work environment. We’re a team. Uncouple the team, and apparently there is trouble.
I listened to her for an hour (did I mention that this is my vacation?) and when she said that she was starting to feel better, I recognized my cue to leave and possibly have one day of a vacation-like illusion. No such luck… While finally doing something with a friend that resembled having a life, the phone rang – Incoming text message “r u there?” I turned to my friend and said “Why do I do this to myself” as I, the world’s slowest texter (not a real word), responded. We were out, and about to head home, so I allowed myself those five short minutes before I called. Hurricane panic again. I was brief, I was curt, I was in no way going to be party to a plan that was a knee-jerk reaction to an undetermined problem that would involve going into work over the weekend which, by the way is STILL PART OF MY VACATION.
So that is how I spent my week off. My goodness, am I SO primed for Monday…
7 comments:
I have the perfect broom for when your boss finally decides to rid the place of the lunatics who believe they run the asylum in one clean sweep.
Between the broom and the lunatics I think we have a plot for a very snazzy sitcom. Do you know anyone who might be available to write the music soundtrack?
Oh,sorry,I couldn't pay attention on account of the cute guy with the big mouth in the picture :-)
The one good thing about being needed so badly,though you're on vacation,is knowing that you cannot be replaced.I know...it's no consolation.
I hear you, Thom. Back in January, while I was in the surgical waiting area, waiting for Marcus to come out of surgery, I had two calls from work. I just let them go to voice mail and returned them the next day, making sure to tell them that I didn't call them back the day before because my son was in SURGERY. Not sure if they got the point or not. But maybe they did, because in the 4 weeks I've been off on disability, they haven't bugged me...thank God! Next time, just let every call go to voice mail and check them when you get back from vacation...maybe they'll take the hint.
Here in the Northeast we got Hannah which wasn't that destructive but made the air extremely humid, just like Florida, hehe!
Suavemente
Ugh.
I'm so glad I'm unimportant.
It just kills us doesn't it? Someone asked why wasn't I answering e-mails on my vacation and my reply was "What e-mails?"..."I sent you one"....my reply..."on my work account?" "Of course," she said, "Don't you take your computer on vacation? Everyone else does." I laughed and said "Uh, no I do NOT take anything related to this place on vacation....all I know is sand, sun, bikes, drinks and the Hat Sisters....not necessarily in that order! :-) Go for a nice wekeend jaunt somewhere....you two need it! :-)
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