The triffid has landed

Ok – more precisely, an Amaryllis. My desk has started to look like a miniature jungle again, with two amaryllis, a cactus and a peace lily.

The one amaryllis has refused to die down, so is still in full leaf on my desk. I doubt if it will flower this year, but at least the new one will. This one is a green flower (I’ll post a photo when it flowers) and at the moment, just looks like a giant onion bulb.

The cactus is something special. It’s Mammillaria compressa "Yokan" and according to my colleagues, it’s weird.

Me?  I think it's normal, and looks surprisingly good on my desk, where I jokingly refer to it as "Spikey" as it's covered in small vicious spines that are surprisingly hard to see and remove.

Ah well, guess I should do some work, but I'm suffering from TNFI, and it's only Tuesday!

Back later.

Karen

Now some things you hold on to - and some you just let go
Seems like the ones that you can't have
Are the ones that you want most

A quieter day...

Thank god for small mercies. After the trials and tribulations of yesterday, I’m having a better day.

Mind you, I was in a grotty mood anyway, as I’d managed to get the renewal premium for my car insurance, and it was not very good. Some much for we’ll beat any genuine quote. That’s just a lure to get new business, and doesn’t apply to existing customers. So, as I’ve managed to get a quote for my insurance (with the added bits, such as protected no claims bonus and legal assistance – very useful if some prat runs into you) for £189 less.

But I'm still suffering from the events of yesterday, as the miserable cow whose tyres I was trying to sort is blaming me for the thing going wrong in the first place. I wouldn't normally object, but what really pisses me off, is the fact that I sent the paperwork across to one of her colleagues with all the information on.

Thankfully, the person who usually looks after the miserable cow is now back in the office, so they can deal with her as I am now refusing to have anything to do with the account, as all I get is grief and my own work has been suffering.

Ah well, guess I should think about doing some more work, but I'm starting to get TNFI...

Back later if I get the chance.

Karen

I've been watching, I've been waiting
In the shadows for my time

Preparing to escape from work

It's a scary thought, but I've got just under two weeks to get everything sorted out before I go to Madeira. Most of my work can be done by other people here in the office, but the big stuff (i.e. the OTR tyres) need a little more care, as I've already had one screw up this morning - and it was by someone who really aught to know better.

What really brought home to me just how much I actually do, is writing the list, and even then, I get the impression that I've missed out quite a bit. But, until I go through it with someone to allocate my jobs I won't be happy as I just want to make sure that the people I deal with are not left feeling that they are just an inconvenience to whomever they are speaking to.

But, whilst I am on holiday, the playpen will be the last thing on my mind as I have every intention of kicking back and ignoring the world (especially as I'm not taking my 'phone with me!)

Guess I should call this quits - I'm supposed to be working...

Back later.

Karen

I've been watching, I've been waiting
In the shadows for my time

Am I losing the plot?

Today is one of those days when I'm beginning to wonder if I'm losing my marbles. The reason? I've had to arrange to get some tyres collected, as they were delivered in error. What's causing me to think I'm losing my marbles?

It's been suggested that it was me that told someone how to release an order off the system! But the worst part for me, is the fact that I cannot recall ever doing such a thing and people are now starting to blame me for the error.

That would be acceptable with me, if I was the guilty party, but I am certain that I haven't told anyone how do do such a thing, and it's really getting to me.

It doesn't help with certain people having a "holier than thou" attitude, almost as if they never make a mistake. And, if I have the nerve to mention it, then this person gets on their high horse and spouts even more crap!

Ah well, guess I should call this quits - I'm starting to get a migraine and I really don't need the hassle today.

Back later, if the migrane doesn't develop.

Karen

I've been watching, I've been waiting
In the shadows for my time

Mea culpea

OK, so I failed miserably to keep the blog going. Partly because things were getting hectic (both in my personal and professional life) and I suffered a severe case of TNFI (totally no ******g interest).

So, a brief summary - I've been back to Madeira (and am escaping in September again) and have been lucky enough to find someone who means the whole world to me, and more to the point, has allowed me to relax enough and drop my guard. I've also bought myself a new car - a Peugeot 207 Sport 120... More on that in a later post...

Aside from that, Mum has had a partial hip replacement, and is now walking much better than she has been (i.e. seven and a half years ago since the accident). As for me, as I've said, I'm seeing someone who makes me blissfully happy, and helps me see that there is more to life than the playpen that I call an office...

Playpen. A good term for the office, and for certain members of staff. Including the one that sits next to me. She's so blinkered about life, it's not true. She's also of the misguided opinion that F1 is the be-all and end-all of motor sport and wont' even contemplate any criticism of Lewis Hamilton.

Don't get me wrong, he's a good driver, but he's been lucky. He's had a good car (i.e. reliable) and a good backup team. But what annoys me is that she just won't accept ANY negative comments and throws a real paddy when you try and say otherwise.

As you can tell, I'm not exactly a member of her fan club, and there have been suggestions that I bury the hatchet with her. I would do so, but I'm afraid that it would be in the back of her skull.

Ah well, guess I should think about doing some work, but I'm afraid I'm suffering from a severe case of TNFI....

Back later.

Karen

I've been watching, I've been waiting
In the shadows for my time

A Gwyneth Paltrow moment? No chance - I'm not wearing waterproof mascara!

I think the title sums this post up.. I've just got back from the company conference, where I won an award for customer service! I know this sounds really corny, but it was the last thing that I expected!

I was quietly minding my own business (trying not to get caught snoozing) when I heard my name being called, to go and collect this award. I was mortified, and you could have fried eggs on my cheeks.

The award itself was £50 in leisure vouchers, a certificate and a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne. I was trying not to cry when I was being given the award, and afterwards, my friends and colleagues were joking about me doing a "Gwyenth Paltrow" - i.e. crying all the time I was on the stage.

I also got told that I was too young to drink the champagne, and that I should had it over to "more responsible" persons. Needless to day, the more "responsible" persons got told to "Sod off" as I have every intention of sharing this bottle of champagne with my beloved.

Not that I admitted who I was going to drink it with - all I said was that I was going to drink it with someone who had helped me a great deal over the past year, and without this person's help, I would have gone flat on my face.

Time to call this quits - the adrenaline is starting to wear off, and I need to get some sleep...

Back when my feet can touch the ground and my fingers can touch the keyboard again...

Karen

I've got nowhere left to hide
It looks like love has finally found me

Back to the playpen (I mean office)

No, I was right the first time. Playpen.

You go away, and people say "oh yes, don't worry about your work, we'll look after it for you." What a pile of crap.

I got in, to discover that only the bare minimum had been done, and that there was an awful lot that I had to sort out, not to mention placating colleagues and customers who felt that they had been neglected whilst I was away.

So, I've spent most of the day chasing my tail, trying to get everything back under control, and ready for another hand over, as I'm only in the office for 10 working days due to the fact that my cousin is getting married down in Cornwall.

As I managed to avoid the last weeding (sorry - wedding!) I have to go to this one, especially as this will be the first time that I've seen the rest of my family since Dad's funeral. As he once said - the only time our family get together is for weddings and funerals - and at the moment, that seems to be horribly accurate!

Guess I should call this entry quits - I've got a home to go to.

Back tomorrow if i get the chance...

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Tired of being kicked

Why is it, that whenever I try to help someone out, I end up being kicked in the guts?

Simply because a colleague was away, I was doing the lion’s share of her work, and hadn’t been given the relevant information about some spreadsheet or other that was supposed to be filled in on a daily basis. Not that the spreadsheet in question was anything to do with me – someone else was ‘supposed’ to be responsible for that.

'Cause I'm too proud, I'm too strong
Live by the quote that you gotta move on
Feeling sorry for yourselfAin’t got nobody nowhere

 However, the person in question failed to tell me what he needed, so muggings here is the one who gets the kicking. Because if I tell the truth (as in the other person is a bone-idle b’stard who lumbered me with nearly all the damned work) it will look like I’m trying to lump all the blame onto this other person.

Took so long to get me here
But I won't live in fear
You try to steal my shine
But first they wanna build you up
Then they tear you down
It's a struggle, you try to bubble

So, all I can do is swallow my pride and take the grumping that is coming my way, and all because someone failed to give me all the information that I required… But, from the sounds of things, at least I didn’t screw the spreadsheet up – that was someone else’s screw up – and not that I’m gloating. Much.

Ah well, suppose I should think about doing some work, but I’m suffering from TNFI…

Back when I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Taking on more than my fair share...?

Well, at this moment in time, I feel like I've been steam-rolled into looking after yet another national account - and all because the person responsible hasn't turned up for the past week or so.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind if I've been asked by the person but this seems to have been dropped onto my lap, as no-one else appears to be interested in doing anything at all.

Normally, that's not a problem for me, but at this moment in time, I've got more than enough to keep me out of mischief - on both a professional and personal front!

So, something somewhere is going to have to give way a little - and I'm going to make sure that other people start taking on some of my workload, as there is only so much I can do before my own work starts to suffer - and given that I've put in too many damned hours to get most of my roles sorted - it ain't going to be MY work!

Time to call this quits - I'm going to head for lunch - and make sure that no-one can get hold of me!

Back later if I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

A stressless existance? Not around here!

Not a good day today. I came close to losing it in the office because I was feeling like crap (I find that very little sleep tends to do that to me now) and I was wound up - well past my normal tolerance levels.

It didn't help me when my friend called me and was really sweet - all that did was push me even closer to the edge, and I will admit to being a little bit short / sharp on the 'phone when I spoke to him.

There's so many different worlds
So many different suns
And we have just one world
But we live in different ones

Add into that, I got piled up with paperwork and you begin to get the general idea. OK - I don't think that the issues in my private life are really helping, but it's very rare that I get so stressed out that it starts to affect me at work.

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me

My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating

Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me

'Till then I'll walk alone

I know one thing - the sooner that I get this over and done with, the happier I'm going to be as it will mean that I can get on with my life, without having to look over my shoulder the whole damned time, wondering what the hell is going to come and splatter my confidence all over the walls yet again.

Ah well, time to call this quits - I've go to get shifting as I've got stuff to do before I call it quits here tonight...

Back tomorrow.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Making a muppet of someone

There's nothing like being able to prove a colleague wrong - especially when the colleague in question takes great delight in taking the mikey out of me...

I recieved an e-mail asking me why a customer hadn't recieved some tyres, when they had allegedly been ordered... Simple. Because the tyres in question had been sent to another customer!

Ok - I know it's nasty to gloat at someone-else's expense, but just occasionally, it's nice to be able to pull the rug out from under this guy's feet, and bring him down to my level...

I mean, the standing joke amongst those people who know the pair of us, is that when we fight (verbally I hasten to add) we don't go toe to toe - we go eyeball to kneecap - and he backs down... No idea why... *Grin*

Ah well, enough gloating - I suppose I should get on with some w*rk...

Back later if I get chance...

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Into the dragon’s den…

Well, I’ve had my review and I’ve survived – quite well, considering I was expecting to get blasted for my comments the other day…

There are targets for me to work to, which I’m not unhappy about, and have been told that the work I do with the OTR tyres is well thought of within the company, as the processes that I have brought in appear to be working well.

Aside from that, I’ve been able to sow the seeds for a couple of escapes in the future – one to an agricultural show (on the grounds that it might be of use to me to meet the end users / dealers so that I can get a better idea of the sort of information that they need) as well as going to a quarry.

Time to call this quits – don’t really want to blot my copy book so soon after my review!

Back later…

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Dead man walking?

That’s how my best mate has described himself today. He’s got a big meeting this afternoon (when I’m on my lunch break) and has said that he’s really worried about this meeting, and gets the feeling that his manager is trying his best to force him to walk out.

Like a soldier ant, I will wait for the signal to act
To take a walk right through the door
If you don't want me here any more

He said that he realised just how little support he got, when he was off recovering from his car accident, as the people that contacted him were people that don’t work with him - i.e. myself and another lass.

Someone to count on, in a world ever changin'.
Here I am stop where you're standin'.

But, it’s funny – we seem to spend so much time on the phone to each other, that I get to know how he’s feeling – and vice versa – there’s no way that I can pull the wool over his eyes on some things!

There's nowhere left to hide
In no one to confide
The truth runs deep inside
And will never die

Aside from that, I’m worried about how things will turn out for me here, as not a damned thing has been said about me blowing a fuse, and I get the feeling that something will be mentioned in my review (which I should have had by now, as I’ve been with the company 2 years (God – where has that time gone?))

But, at the end of the day, all I can do for my best friend is be there for him, and give him all the love and support that I possibly can do, and just help him cope with whatever life throws at him – ‘cause he’s done that and more for me just recently!

Guess I should think about doing some work, but to be honest, I’d rather be about 75 miles south of here!

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Rumblings in the distance…

And it ain’t the delicate sound of thunder either. It’s the sound of a manager starting to take his irritation out on someone who has decided to call time on her role here.

No – it’s not me – it’s one of the others, and because she’s had the decency to let him know what she was doing, he’s been like a bear with a sore ass. If she makes the slightest goof up, then he nails her, and yet me? I make a goof, and it’s a case of ‘oh well, these things happen’.

Seems like my time has come
And now I'm moving on
I'll be stronger

Aside from that (and I freely admit to trying my best to stay out of the line of fire for the time being), things seem to be improving for my best mate. I won’t say that he’s overjoyed with things at his company, but he seems happier than he’s been for a while – I just hope that this continues!

However, he’s still in pain with the injuries he sustained in the car accident back in March, and is still seeing the chiropractor, whom he refers to as a sadist.

Why he ends up in so much pain after he’s been is a mystery to me, as I seem to get off lightly compared to him – although just recently, I will admit to feeling like I’ve been run over by a steam roller!

But, I have been told that I should give up horse riding until this problem with my shoulder is sorted out. That went down like a ton of bricks with me, and I will admit that I said ‘sod it’ last night, and went riding… Oh my god – did I pay for it!

I dismounted after a fairly gentle ride (10 miles – I usually rack up 25 when I’m out in an evening) and my legs felt like jelly, and my back and shoulder felt like there was a demon hoard taking carving lessons on my bones!

It's my life
It's now or never
But I ain't gonna live forever
I just wanna live while I'm alive (It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said, "I did it my way"
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life

I didn’t get my sympathy from my best mate (and to be honest, I didn’t really expect to get any) as I’d gone riding against instructions, but he seemed more concerned that I hadn’t injured myself any further.

Ah well, suppose I should think about doing some work, but I’m suffering from a severe case of TNFI…

Back later, if I get the chance.

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

Biting the bullet

I’m more than a little fed up at the moment, simply because I’m irritated by the lack of support that I seem to be getting from certain members of my department. However, as I decided to make my feelings known I get the feeling that I’m going to be hauled over hot coals for my comments yesterday.

To be honest, I just don’t care, as I’ve got enough on my plate as it is – I’ve got to go back to the doctor next Friday for blood tests, as the nurse wasn’t happy with my blood pressure, and the fact that if one of the cats sneeze, I bruise.

Add into that mixture that I’m really worried about my mate, and you get a stressed out tigger. The poor bugger is fast approaching breaking point, and has said that the sooner he gets out of the company he’s working for, the happier he’s going to be. I know that I shouldn’t worry about him, but hearing him so down really upsets me.

Ah well, suppose I should get on with some work, but my heart’s not really in it at all…

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don’t have wings

In the office, and in pain...

My shoulder's killing me, and I'm beginning to wish that I hadn't decided to drive today. Thankfully, Mum's insured on the car, so if my shoulder is as painful when I finish at 17:00, I'll drive down to see Mum, and then ask her to drive home.

What doesn't help me, is when I get smart ass comments about me going horse riding. I wouldn't object in the slightest if I had been riding,but the closest I've been to a horse was going to see Flame this morning, and giving her a treat - a couple of apples that I'd picked up at Sainsbury's on Sunday.

But, the thing that's worrying me is Saturday. I'm supposed to be going to Cosford with my daft hog riding friend. Ok - I know that doesn't sound too bad, but it's about an 80 mile drive - most of it motorway.

But, I guess the way to deal with it is dose myself up with painkillers before I go and meet my friend, and try my best to hide the fact that my shoulder is killing me.

Failing that, I'm just going to have to grin and bear it, and admit that my shoulder is giving me a great deal of trouble, and take the consequences head on.

Guess I should call this entry quits - I need to get some bits and pieces sorted out.

Back when I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Something smells fishy. Very fishy indeed. Positively tuna casserole.

And I think I know where the smell is coming from. I'm getting landed with dealing with the account that I have to run weekly reports for. Ok - not normally a problem, but I get the impression that it could be another poison chalice for me, and I have enough on my plate dealing with the OTR stuff.

But, at least I've been asked if I want to have more to do with this account... I suppose I could have refused, but the way things are looking at the moment, refusal would not have been very healthy for my career. Don't get me wrong, I'm not worried about my job - it's just that recently, I've had a few wobbles, and I don't really want to blot my copy book any further.

To add insult to injury, I've also got to speak to my line manager tomorrow about one report for this damned account, as they want to know what stock will be available for them every week.

Err, excuse me, I'll just use my crystal ball to see what all the other customers are going to order. There is no way that it can be done with the present system, as I know damned well that the data will be obsolete even before it's left my in-box.

Guess I should call this entry quits - it's nearly time for me to escape on my lunch.

Back later if I get the chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

Playing the fragile female...

And I can do it so well when I need to! Needless to day, I have managed to make the two people who made me so angry / upset yesterday feel really guilty, as I went into work with a migraine.

The OTR manager called me first thing this morning, all sweetness and light, almost as if he'd forgotten that he'd had a real blast at me yesterday afternoon...

I, however, decided that it was time to start playing nasty, and when he asked how I was, as I sounded subdued, compared with my normal self, dropped the first of the bombs...

"That's because I'm waiting for the migraleve to kick in, and try and ease my migraine."

"Oh, I'm sorry - I didn't realise that you weren't feeling too well."

The sucker punch came when I told him that I'd woken up with it. Which wasn't a lie - I had, and I was feeling bloody awful.

Needless to say, that sucked the wind right out of his sails, and he said that he would keep the calls to a minimum for me, as he wanted me to get better quickly. I got the feeling that he was worried I would go home sick - something that I have to admit, I was awful tempted to do!

But, there were a couple of bright spots for me - one was the fact that my daft bunny kept e-mailing me, and making me smile (not something that I'm supposed to do when I'm supposedly suffering from a migraine!)

The other was finding out that I had unexpected allies in the OTR department - all of whom had ganged up on the two people who'd put me in such an evil mood yesterday, and one even went to the trouble of pointing out that I was doing a job that none of them wanted to do!

Guess I should call this entry quits - I'm going to Ashwood nurseries tomorrow with Mum, and I have to be up early to go and make a fuss of Flame as well... Bang goes my weekend lie in!

Back tomorrow, if I can face sitting at a computer!

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

In fury and pain

I swear, one of these days I am going to swing for certain members of the OTR department. Before I escaped for physio, I had a call from the OTR manager, asking me about two tyres, that I'd let one of the guys have... It turned out that one of the other guys wanted these same tyres and it was like a group of children squabbling!

It turned out that there were two codes for these damned tyres, and that both my understudy and myself had been using the "wrong" code for the orders, and neither of us were the wiser, as no-one had thought to let either of us know!

Even though I offered to call this fella and explain, the manager refused, and said that he would deal with it, as he said that it would sound better comming from him, and finished the call.

Needless to say, that put me in an evil mood, and I warned my understudy of what had happened, as the poor sod gets my direct line forwarded to his extention number when I'm either on lunch, or away from the office.

I then went to physio - which was good, if not painful and I will admit, to being in a stinking mood as I type this entry up.

I'm awful tempted to make life extremely difficult for the two people concerned, but that would mean letting them know that they have been able to wind me up - and I'm better than that.

But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to get my own back - and I think that it may be time to play the "fragile female" bit....

Time to call this quits - I need to try and get some sleep tonight....

Back when I get chance.

Karen

Learning to fly, but I don't have wings

In, but freezing...

The office is freezing cold this morning, and nothing that we do to the thermostat will warm the place up!

Needless to say that I'm not very happy, as I'm cold and still in an awful lot of pain from my ribs. The arnica is helping, and my ribs are starting to show a crazy paving style bruising pattern, and are going quite a delicate shade of black / purple from the impact that I took on Saturday.

So, when I go and see the consultant in A&E tomorrow, I'll have quite a pretty pattern across my ribs, and it will make things interesting when I go and see the sawbones afterwards, as no doubt I'll get asked about the bruising, and then will get a lecture about my horse riding!

Aside from that, things seem to be improving for me on the work front, as I've pointed out that there is only some much that I can do with the data that I am given, and that there need to be a change in the processes that the reports go through.

On a personal note (ok - family note) one of my cousins is getting married in October, so that's another outfit that I've got to buy - and I hate shopping!!!

But, I guess there is light at the end of the tunnel, and in comes in joke form:

Ma was in the kitchen fiddling around when she hollers out.... "Pa, you need to go out and fix the outhouse!"

Pa replies, "There ain't nuthin wrong with the outhouse."

Ma yells back, "Yes there is, now git out there and fix it."

So.......Pa mosies out to the outhouse, looks around and yells back, "Ma, there ain't nuthin wrong with the outhouse!"

Ma replies, "Stick yur head in the hole!"

Pa yells back, "I ain't stickin my head in that hole!"

Ma says, "Ya have to stick yur head in the hole to see what to fix."

So with that, Pa sticks his head in the hole, looks around and yells back, "Ma,there ain't nuthin' wrong with this outhouse!"

Ma hollers back, "Now take your head out of the hole!"

Pa proceeds to pull his head out of the hole then starts yelling "Ma! Help! My beard is stuck in the cracks in the toilet seat!"

To which Ma replies, "Hurt's, don't it?!"

This was the next joke that made me giggle:

In a recent Channel 4 news broadcast, it was announced that Lorena Bobbitt's sister Louella was arrested for an alleged attempt to perform the same act on her husband as her famous sister had done several years ago. Sources reveal the sister was not as accurate as Lorena.

She allegedly missed the target and stabbed her husband in the upper thigh causing severe muscle and tendon damage. The husband is reported to be in serious, but stable condition, and Louella has been charged with:











A Misdewiener!

The other joke that made me grin was this one:

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a Naval conference that included admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies.

At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a group of half dozen or so officers that included personnel from most of the countries.

Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?"

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied: "Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."

Suddenly the group became very quiet.

Guess I should think about doing some w*rk, but I'm suffering from TNFI...


Back later, if I get the chance.

Karen
Learning to fly, but I don't have wings