Driving Me to Drink

There are good days, then there are days when Admin Gal is driven around the bend, through the woods, and possibly to a beverage (reader's choice, Admin Gal prefers highly caffeinated or sugared).

Calling Admin Gal three times in 15 minutes will not make an assigned task go faster, a phone call be returned faster, or an email magically show up in the in box. Nor will pinging Admin Gal incessantly via instant messaging make any of the aforementioned things happened.

Admin Gal's tips for NOT aggravating her, thereby insuring your survival for another day, are as follows:

1. Trust her to do her job.
2. Lack of planning on your part will not mean Admin Gal will take the blame.
3. Holding back information will only make you look bad.
4. Admin Gal documents EVERYTHING, don't ever think otherwise.
5. P-Cards are audited, don't ask Admin Gal to go outside company guidelines.
6. Admin Gal is not a Butler, personal servant, nanny, nor a maid.

Hacking & Coughing

Admin Gal appreciates a firm work ethic.  In fact, she is a firm believer that very few things should prevent one from getting the job done.  

However...

Please do not come to the office hacking and coughing, spreading your germs under the guise of being a good little soldier.  Martyr doesn't look good on anyone.

Please do everyone a favor and follow these simple suggestions:

1. If you are feeling under the weather, stay home, sleep, give your body a fighting chance to get over whatever it is that has assaulted you.
2. Don't hack and wheeze your way around the office.  The office environment is worse than kindergarten when it comes to illnesses.  Give your co-workers a break. Don't bring it to the office.
3. Work from home if you aren't feeling well.  Technology is marvelous, use it.
4. Go to the Doctor if it doesn't go away.  

Help keep the work environment healthy.

Thank you!

Happy Holidays!

This has been a grand year.  Admin Gal would like to thank everyone who has inspired her and who has supported her in her mission to question the ridiculous fabulouscity of our working lives.

As 2010 closes, her only wish would be that everyone can go safely among the holiday revelry, remembering that gaffs and missteps never are forgotten at the holiday gathering.  So remember to check your lists, stick to your limits, and, for pete's sake, watch out for those reindeer!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Joie Noel, and any other celebration I may have missed.  And ring in the New Year Safely!

When Under the Weather

Dear Team,

When Admin Gal is under the weather, certain protocols should be observed.

1. Inquiries of her health and well being is always appreciated.
2. Flowers are always looked upon fondly.
3. Good wishes for return to health are also considered appropriate.

Admin Gal is aware that her presence and skills are missed when she is not at her post.  She can not control the vagrancies of the current viruses or bacteria that are floating around the world.

What is not appreciated are phone calls or emails demanding she carry her germ ridden self into the office to take care of projects that are only important in the mind of the person assigning priority.  Or who do not want the task themselves (which is often the case).

The projects were present the previous day and will survive until Admin Gal is back in the office healthy and whole.  OR she can spread her contagion about the impolite person's office.

Your choice.

Admin Gal

Admin Life is Tough on the Body and Mind

Admin Gal is amused.  Very amused.  Did you know that her desk job is making her unhealthy?  MSNBC has a full article about how desk jobs are adding to the obesity problem of America.  How the sedentary life style of the working schmuck is the ruination of the nation!

Really?

Here Admin Gal thought that her job was just plain making her crazy.  If she didn't have to answer phones for perfectly capable individuals, maybe she'd have more time to get away from her desk. Perhaps, if Admin Gal didn't have to manage and manipulate the schedules of adults, because they have a difficult time assessing their own time management needs she'd have less stress.

So, perhaps the obliviot who wrote the article might have a point.  Admin Gal's desk job is ruining not only her mind, but her body too.

Well-Being

Admin Gal's current employer is in the process of several large initiatives.  One of the larger being the move into a new building.  Admin Gal's division is not slated to move down into the new building until other initiatives have run their courses.

This being said, there is a miasma of concern and defeat that has settled over the division.  Facilities seems to have abandoned us for the luxuries of the new facilities.

While Admin Gal's Division has been assured that we have not been forgotten, IT related tasks ordered have taken much longer complete. Admin Gal has had to be resourceful in getting things completed.
Admin Gal was brought to task today by someone regarding a telephone wire running across a cubicle.  Admin Gal acknowledges the Health and Safety issues of the problem.  But her gripe is the following.  This has been a problem for 3 1/2 weeks.  The cube inhabitant has not followed up with Admin Gal to let her know that the problem is not fixed.

Instead, when cube inhabitant FINALLY lets Admin Gal know, Admin Gal is threatened with a cessation of work because the cube inhabitant will disconnect her phone and cease to use the tool until the wire is no longer a threat to her well-being.

Never mind that Admin Gal spent 20 minutes she didn't have to duct taping the telephone line to the floor.  A task that is not hers to do.  Admin Gal scoffs at such a notion.  Her philosophy is 'Find A Way!'. Makes life easier.

Never mind the cube inhabitant showed not one wit of gratitude.

Never mind in the entire time that the problem existed the cube inhabitant did NOTHING to find a solution for the problem herself.  It wasn't her job.

Never mind the cube inhabitant decided to feature Admin Gal as the villain an email to her supervisors about the company Health and Safety issues.

What the cube inhabitant doesn't realize that Admin Gal had already documented the entire incident with the cube inhabitant's boss's boss.  As in the email the cube inhabitant had spun her version of the truth to look good.

For Admin Gal's well-being, she will cease all interaction with this cube inhabitant.