I'll be able to move on. It's been bugging me since Friday off and
on, what someone recently said to me. I don't know why; I guess it's
because I was not only offended by the sheer stupidity of the
statement coming from an intelligent person, but also because I like
this person even if I'm not overly fond of some of her approaches to
work.
Anywho, after working weekends, nights, and MANY holidays for as long
as I can remember, I was finally promoted to my current post. I
remained on second shift - no weekends! - for a while even though I
wanted to work days, but I like second shift, so it wasn't that bad.
I just bit my tongue and ignored the promises that had been made,
figuring eventually they might come true.
They did. I was put on days. But, it was on the condition that I
work weekends again. Gah! But that's all right; I figured out a
nice schedule for myself and presented it. It didn't go over well
with my coworkers until I pointed out this 3.5-day weekend every
other week. Suddenly they were also interested, as I was, in working
12 hours every other sunday (or saturday).
It has been working out very well I think; I've heard no complaints
about it at least. I'm certainly very happy with it. And that 12-
hour sunday I work every other week allows me my quiet time to catch
up on things (when I don't get surprises, that is). I've managed to
look past people's faults after momentary annoyances, which is what
my boss wants. But. When someone comes to me and tells me I OWE
them because they've lost two of their weekends covering for someone
else when /I/ should have covered all four weekends myself, I get
rather... irate.
I have four points to mention here in my defence, not that I need
one, but just to set my own mind at ease; to reassure myself that I'm
not reacting hotly to something I'm actually responsible for:
1. The agreement was that all three of us cover for each other
because all three of us were going to take a month off.
2. When Newbie was told she wouldn't get a month's vacation, she said
she'd take a six-month leave of absence instead.
3. Newbie updates the schedule and checked with me when she created
the current coverage pattern. Never said I needed to cover
additional fridays because she couldn't get a month off.
4. Despite her wording, Newbie is doing two fridays out of four.
That means she's not lost ALL her weekends, just two. Like, duh.
And she's a math major?
If she really thinks I owe her, then I suppose I owe her two fridays
and our peer owes her two. After all, that's all she's covered for
us. Unlike her, I tend to think long-term. I got screwed with that
approach so I can understand her stance. But to tell me and others
that I'm not stepping up to the plate is not only unprofessional but
also untrue and a mockery of all I stand for. A better approach
would be to simply keep track, and then politely ask me to cover for
her, which up until now I would have glady done in a heartbeat. Now
every time I'm asked to cover her sorry arse, I'll probably resent it
for a while, at least until she's redeemed herself in my eyes.
I'm guessing she was just having a bad day that day and wasn't
thinking clearly when she said these things to me, but it's been
bothering me. After putting in my time there, I think I have some
moral obligation to at least feel slightly miffed at these remarks.
To have some newbie come in here making all sorts of demands when I'm
not only seven years her senior but have more computer knowledge in
my little finger than her physics (or whatever) degree does, dammit,
I'm miffed.
Now I leave for work... *steam*
~w
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