So Busy...

I have been so busy the past few weeks. I am doing my job and that of my boss who is out on maternity leave. I have also been out on jury duty. I haven't had time to read any of my favorite blogs and as you well know post anything on my own blog.

I have been trying to at least squeeze in some writing...as little as that has been.

I hope everyone is doing okay. Until next time...

Anika

Tropical Storm Fay

Broward County Libraries Division, my employer, has decided to close tomorrow (Monday, August 18, 2008) to the public because of the tropical storm threat. As an employee of the Library, I will be going to work for half the day to tie up loose ends and cover all the library equipment to protect against potential water intrusion, etc.

Earlier today, my brother and I went to Walmart to get some last minute things for our trip to Jamaica this coming Wednesday. The store was extremely packed because people were stocking up on supplies to weather the upcoming storm. It took over an hour just to check out about ten items.

I remember living in Jamaica during the threats of a storm and also experiencing the hurricane there. The interesting thing for me there was supermarket shelves being completely bare because people literally bought everything. If you were a late starter with hurricane preparedness, you wouldn't find a thing to purchase for consumption or light (candles). Luckily, there are a lot more choices and places to purchase supplies in South Florida, and the US, which eliminates that worry.

I also remember placing two strips of tape across a glass window in the shape of an X. At the time, I thought that was to protect the window and prevent any problems with the hurricane. I later realized it was to ensure that if the window gets knocked out and smashed into a million pieces they would be all together.

One more thing, I was in Jamaica during Hurricane Gilbert which was in 1988. It was terrible, our neighbours roofs blew off and some other's homes got flooded. Everyone was okay and everyone helped everyone else. But since I was a child at the time, the worst thing for me was the corned beef sandwiches we ate all the time. Since the electricity didn't work, we were unable to cook. Plus, we didn't have any perishables either. Even now I can't eat one of those sandwiches without having bad hurricane flashbacks.

Anyway, that's all for now. I'll keep you all updated.

The 100 Days Challenge . . .

One of my publishers is conducting a 500 words per day, 100 days challenge. The challenge began today and should end sometime in November. I'm going to do my best to stick to this challenge and not let writer's block or stress stop me. Especially since this is in line with the personal goal I have set for myself. You know write every day, so my goal per day is going to 500 words.

The interesting thing about this challenge is the competitive nature of the other authors. Some of them are already very proficient in writing epics, of which I'm not ready to attempt right now, probably never will be. Anyway, it will be interesting to track the progress of everyone.

So what's my point? I actually don't have one. I just find it exceedingly interesting to see people competing so viciously for some visible or invisible goal. Are you a very competitive person? Why?

Anyway, I'm going to try this thing, so wish me luck.

P.S. and one more thing: today is the implementation day for the hard work I put in for the library. Shorter hours, scared and pissed-off employees, angry customers, grandstanding commissioners, let the (not-so-fun) games begin.

Busy . . . Yeah Right . . .

I wish I could say that I have been too busy to post because of writing. But since I always try to be honest, let's try out the truth. My mind right now is such a jumble I can't even figure out what to write on my blog.

I have tons of works in progress and I'm excited about all of them, but I just can't seem to focus on any one long enough to get it done. I wouldn't say I have writers block per se I'm just anxious. I want to get so much done so quickly that I make myself nauseous.

Additionally, I had a mini-melt-down last week, I'm over it now. So I know that a lot of people do not read F/F so I have been trying to do research on the best places to market my work. I have noticed that even when the public forums/yahoogroups that I am a member of advertise GLBT days they really only mean the G and B. Thank goodness I write other genres or I would not even get a nibble for my work.

I'm also very tired from the day job. The workload has been increasing since the success of our last major project, add to that my boss will be going away on maternity leave soon. And I'm trying to catch up on a whole missed month of work.

Lately, I've been telling a friend of mine that I want a job where I don't have to think anymore, some kind of mindless work, something automatic. She doesn't think I would last long in one of those. But really if I earn the same amount as I do now, I would satisfied at least for now.

Amarinda Jones did a blog post about being a pleb, click her name to check it out. I think I need to go lower on the totem pole, because even though I'm not a manager, too many people depend on me for too many things. Oh and since I don't consider writing work or a hardship I would love to dedicate more time to that than the day job.

Anyway, that's enough whining for one day. Until I think of something else to say . . .

Accolades at Work

This past Tuesday, the project my boss and I had been working on for about a month was presented to the nine member commission. They were so impressed, commenting on the thoroughness of the information provided, the organization, the clearness and specificity. According to them, they have never received anything with this level of detail from any other section of the County.

We've had people from other departments, divisions and offices call to congratulate us on our work. The Director of our division was also very happy and is still telling us good job, even three days later. We were very pleased with ourselves, and still are. To see what we did click here, the document is 44 pages and requires Adobe.

The problem with the project is that it will be used as tool to determine who will (the library positions) that will be eliminated. How does one feel good about that? At the end of the day, we will give up over hundred vacancies, and about fifty warm bodies. The worst part about that is the lowest earning staff are the ones who will be most affected.

Ain't life grand. So have you destroyed any lives this week?

Strange Happenings at Work

So today started out good and ended bad. But since the good parts made me laugh really hard, I will tell you about that.

This morning South Florida was very rainy and dreary and miserable. So my friend and I decided to go get some tea, so that we could get warmed up. We were passing the welcome desk when we noticed the person sitting there had a strange look on her face. A male customer had walked away from the desk prior to us stopping. So we thought maybe he said something offensive to her.

Little did we know.

Apparently, on the second floor of the library in the male restroom, a man stood buck naked, taking a bath in the sink. He was also using the hand dryer thingy to dry his clothes. Security was called, so we waited around to hear the outcome. I had to restrain my friend from entering the restroom, she wanted to see this so badly. After a few minutes, the security guard exited the restroom escorting a male customer.

Now the area in which the library is located has a huge homeless population, but I was sure it couldn't be one of them. Turns out it was a man in his office attire, needing to get dry. The situation was comical and kind of weird. But I laughed really hard regardless.

The library always has a lot of strange occurrences. Some funny, some gross, some downright disturbing. At least we were spared from the man stripping down inside the stands of the library (trust me it has happened before).

So that was my morning, how was yours?

Work and griping . . .

It’s been a while hasn’t it. I have been meaning to post. I have wanted to post. But my stupid job has been running me ragged.

I’ve been so busy recently I’ve even been taking work home with me and working way into the wee hours of the morning. Not a pleasant situation, since my home is my sanctuary (corny I know but it’s the truth). I unwind without anyone breathing down my neck, I watch the programs I want, or read a book, or write uninterrupted.

Anyway back to the gripe about work. There is a big project that I have been working on that directly relates to the budget reduction situation in Broward County. I think I mentioned it in a previous blog post.

So I needed some information and my boss insisted that I contact someone specific who was supposed to have already compiled the information. I know you can see the problem developing. I have to rely on another’s work. I didn’t really want to ask anyone. But my boss wouldn’t let up. Any who, so I go in search of this information guru to acquire the data that I need to complete my project.

Lo and behold, I contacted two separate people who supposedly had the information. Unbelievably, as both persons are handing me the document they each voice a disclaimer. Use this document at your own risk because the information is not entirely accurate. How the hell can someone give me information they are in charge producing with a disclaimer?

So by this time I’m tired as shit and I start to freak out. I have been operating on not a lot of sleep. Dammit, what the hell is wrong with these people? Why couldn’t they just produce the document correctly the first time? Or barring that, the document is three years old. In all that time the document couldn’t have been updated and corrected.

The result: I had to reinvent the damn wheel . . . again.

Home Troubles . . .

When I got home from work today, I thought I had an intruder. There was a jingle and a jangle going on. My damn AC was making a major racket, it was going absolutely crazy. The long and short of the situation is that the damn thing was basically dying.

I had to call the AC doctor, who promptly came to the rescue, five hours later. By this time, I'm tired and want to sleep . . . it is late at night.

Anyway, he then proceeded to prod, poke, and put-put around (all legitimate and technical terms) with the AC unit. He oohed and aahed and oh-noed. And an hour and a half later, the AC is working again, and I am poorer for it.

That job I hate sure is looking prettier tonight. So how was your night?

Budget Cuts . . .

Today, Broward County BOCC had budget hearings which included the Libraries Division. Everyone is in a panic since jobs are on the line, programs will be cut, and service hours will be reduced. The extent of the cuts has not been determined as yet but everyone knows its just a matter of time. And as melodramatic as this might sound: No job is safe.

I, however, have mixed feelings about the possible loss of employment. On one hand, I think it would do me some good since I hate my job. On the other hand, I would lose my primary source of income. The classic rock and hard place theory.

But regardless of what I feel or don't feel personally, my heart goes out to the thousands of employees who are constantly worrying about their jobs. At my office, some people's lives are defined by their jobs and as sad as that might be it is all they have.

Personally, I would be devastated if I was unable to write for the rest of my life. Half of the employees would feel devastated if they lost the job they loved. The other half would be devastated by the lose of their primary source of income.

So how do people sit on their high horse and make the decision to fire one person or another? The conversation probably goes something like this:

Yes, of course, Billy. You have done a fantastic job for the County. But I had to decide between keeping you and authorizing my next bonus. It was a tough decision. But it all worked out for the best. You'll get unemployment, you'll be fine. And I'll be able to buy that new doodad that I wanted.

Woe is Me . . .

So I've been going through my woe is me stage lately. A highly annoying time in my life that occurs when I'm feeling particularly stressed. Boo Hoo. Nothing is going my way. Life is so hard. I hate my job. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Today, the whining got so loud and so horrendous, I just wanted to slap myself upside the head.

Instead, I visited a friend of mine and unloaded . . . everything. Or at least what I thought was everything. When I was done and I finally went back to my office, it occurred to me. The closer it gets to the release date for my book, the more anxious I get.

I have been so nervous and unable to focus lately that I haven't been able to write anything or enjoy any of my normal hobbies. It, also, doesn't help that I'm going through some serious family issues at the moment. The stress is weighing heavily on me, making me feel sad.

I never really know how I will respond to pressure at any given moment. Sometimes, I thrive whenever I am pressed, but other times I feel the strain. However, today it dawned on me, if I I figure out what my pressure is I am able to get passed it and and start thriving again.

So even though I'm not sure I'm ready to write again, I'm more clearheaded and less stressed now than I have been the passed few days. Whew!

I hope to be myself again in no time. And I promise no more whining for a very long time.

People being rude . . .

Why do people who are supposedly in authority feel the need to talk down to people, to shout at them, to be verbally abusive?

I have worked in the Libraries Division for a little over four years now, and my coworkers constantly feel the need to be rude and condescending to me. They shout at me, call me names and I am quite frankly tired of it.

I don't get involved in the office gossip or politics. I am close to a total of three people in the whole damn division which has over 800 employees at any given time. I'm polite and don't ask anything of anyone but to do their damn jobs.

So why does everyone act like shouting at Anika is a part of their job description?

So what if I'm younger than you? I still have a brain. And even if I haven't worked there as long as you have, I can still use common sense and my reasoning ability to figure things out.

What most of these people don't understand is that their job can be taken over by any of a number of other people tomorrow and it would still get done and get done right. This work does not require genius. There is no great skill in these functions. But for them this job is their life, their very identity.

These people will never develop the cure for cancer, or compose a beautiful song, or write an engaging story.

This job, as a friend of mine loves to tell me, is only necessary to put corn flakes on the table. So get over yourselves.