I'm grateful this position is only seasonal. I'm grateful for the work and the opportunities that it presents, but I have to say I'm not sure how I would survive in this office if it turned out to be a long term employment offer. The focus of this company is a new field for me, but the work is your typical administrative duties. However, the woman I work in the office with is challenging. She's a wonderful person but our work styles don't mesh.
This is where I'm going to sound like I have zero patience and even less tolerance.
When describing to a friend tonight the unique challenges of working in this particular office, she told me I have an ability to see the bigger picture and plan everything out without reaching the moment of desperation that so many do. I've never looked at it that way before. I told her that I have an impatience when it comes to working with people who complain about what needs to be done instead of doing it.
As I said, J is a wonderful lady. She's kind and helpful and eager to learn. However her eagerness to learn is usually directed to growing her garden and not to getting the work in front of her done. She has a tendency to talk to customers who have their own work to do about anything but what really needs to be talked about. Then she'll sit and talk to me about how much work she has to do and that she'll never get it done. She also procrastinates on things and then panics when it all seems insurmountable to her. For instance today I hand wrote an address on an envelope for her because she hasn't had time to do it. The envelope has been waiting a few weeks to be addressed. I did it in thirty seconds. She doesn't manage her time well.
Today was particularly challenging as it was end of month. For anyone who works in an office where invoices and S&R is done, you know this is an important deadline. She complained all day that she'd be there late tonight. Well, part of her issue is procrastination and poor clock management. If she coached an NFL team the fans would be pleading for her to be fired as the clock ticked down to :00 and she sat on three timeouts.
I sat at my desk doing the work that was assigned to me so that I could close out my portion of end of month. I answered phones and hefted part of her workload so that she'd gain ground on her "To Do" pile. I actually had to leave today though so she could get some work done. If I was sitting there she'd start talking to me about nothing work related. A lot of internally humming was going on in my head today.
Relay for Life
We are amping up for Relay for Life. It is just over a month away and there is a lot of work to do. On Saturday was Survivor Breakfast. Survivor Breakfast is one of those moments in which you sit back and really admire the human spirit. Every survivor in that room had a tale to tell of the hell they had been through from the shock of the first diagnosis to the exhaustion of the battle to the elation when they received the "all clear." I'm in awe of the beauty of human spirit and how resilient it can be when there is support and love.
It really hit me especially since I'd been up until 1:30 that morning finishing the Survivor Video. I'd been working on it late as I watched the events unfold in Watertown. Boston will be stronger than ever because its citizens have come together and held each other up. Each survivor is stronger because of the love and support they received and when they come together they hold each other up. It is beautiful.
I leave you now with the video we closed out Survivor Breakfast with.
Disclaimer: there are photos here from other photographers and music from Destiny's Child. No infringement meant.
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