work stuff

Yesterday my boss called me into the conference room for a "private meeting." Now don't get any evil ideas, it was nothing like that. That's gross. Besides, I think I a quick elbow to the face would put an end to that. Although I would have a nice lawsuit on my hands.... No. Anyway, we went in the conference room. It's a bit silly since there were only 2 of us, but he said he didn't want anyone else to hear.

Because I'm paranoid, I expected bad things. Getting in trouble for my internet use or something. Or, telling me my services were no longer needed. In this case, I would go back and collect my things, clear the internet cookies, and walk out. I wouldn't stick around to train my replacement. They would realize how much they missed me when the next person screwed everything up. I had this all planned out during the short walk down the hall.

Turns out, I needn't plan this way. It basically broke down to my getting more responsibilty. They are going to hire someone else to do half accounting and half reception. This person would take some of my more brainless but time consuming work, freeing me up to take the other accounting person's (R's) work while she concentrates on calling people to get money from them. He didn't say it in so many words, but she screws up a lot. Actually, he did say that. It takes her a long time to do things and she does them wrong, more often than not.

But she is good on the phones. Boss knows that I don't go near the phones because a) I hate talking to people, and b) my attempts to get money would most likely end in threats. Not the most effective way. Apparantly R has "other ways" of getting these people to pay their past due invoices. She is a talker, which is one reason she is annoying to me. But that "talking" thing works on the phone. So she concentrates on collecting, and I take over her data entry-type stuff.

I am also going to be taking over a lot more of Boss's duties and special projects. I do a lot already, but now I will do more. I have given myself the title of Assistant Controller for this reason. It sounds cool too. Plus, if I put that on my resume and someone calls to verify it, I don't think Boss will deny it. (He's the Controller, by the way.)

Boss asked me to be honest with him and let him know if I'm looking for another job. He doesn't want to give me all this if I'll be gone in a couple months. I said I wasn't actively looking, which is true because even though I complain about my boring job, I hate looking for jobs more. Plus there's the whole money thing. So I told him this. I also told him that in fall of 2007 I will be going back to school for my Masters and PhD. Full time. No more job for des. He knew this when I was hired, and is all for advanced degrees (his Masters is in Education) so is ok with it. Plus, it's more than a year away. And, he doesn't have a say in the matter.

I was about to form the question that was on my lips (When do I get more money?) when he mentioned something about budget cuts, precisely to dissuade this question. He didn't do it in a mean way - he just headed it off at the pass. I know, and he knows I know, and I know he knows I know, that employees receive evaluations every year, and if everything is hunky-dory then they get more money then. So I just have to wait til next February. But I feel fairly confident that more money will come. Oh yes, it will be mine. Of course, they might use the logic that I'm leaving anyway. In that case, I might just leave a little earlier and work at the Gap. If they hire me, the bastards.

Then we talked a little smack on R. I can't get in trouble because Boss initiated it. Ha ha. She had seen a mouse the other day. Actually it was in her recycling box. She had heard the papers rustling, and she thought they were just settling, so she kicked the box. The rustling stopped. I know that doesn't make any sense, but that's what she said. And she said it 50,000 times. Several times to each person that was within earshot. "And I heard the papers rustling, and so I kicked the box, and they stopped rustling." Oh? "Yeah, I heard the papers rustling, and so I kicked the box, and they stopped rustling." Really. "But I heard the papers rustling, and so I kicked the box, and they stopped rustling." That's nice. "I heard the papers rustling, and so I kicked the box, and they stopped rustling." I don't care. "So I heard the papers rustling, and so I kicked the box, and they stopped rustling." I heard! And so forth...
So you see why we made fun of her, and also why he didn't want anyone to hear our meeting.

So I'm still going to complain about work, but I really have less to complain about. Besides the Idiot Brigade, of course. They will always be around. And R is their leader. But hopefully I will be less bored. Which may mean less blogging! Uh oh.