sofbalchickee

My JOB

Okay so I 'technically' work for a temp. agency - however,
I've been placed with a company for the last 4-5 months. I
like it there okay. I just want to tell you about my
coworkers.... they are all very quirky.

First off, this is a major corporation with over 1200
employees based where I work. My particular group is also
known as the IT Help Desk/Operators. There are only 7
people in our group.

Elaina - "the boss or CSM" she is very nice and kind, very
easy to get along with, easy-going, fun, enjoyable to be
around. not very talkative to our group... she has a
zillion meetings always. and did i mention, she's gay or
lesbian (however you'd like it to be put) -- this doesn't
bother me .. it just means she's easier to hang out with
and a lot more fun! Also, she's been working there about 9
years... age is about 30 or so. she is asian as well - but
different than Gwen - she has a medium build with not so
much on the top half. she wears glasses as well, they look
classy on her.

Michael - "operator" he is also gay and very perky (most of
the time) he always has his hair cut and dipped every 6
weeks.... weird, but nice. he wears glasses and nice bright
colors - usually. he had a cat but she got loose and ran
away on his birthday about a month ago. i think he is still
depressed about that. sometimes he smells like alcohol
though i never mention it. he takes a zillion breaks too...
all day long, this bothers me!! he's been with the company
for about 10 years.. he's close to 50. also, he hardly
works at work... like i said nearly an hour worth of breaks
in only 4 hrs at work! O there was a word I was
forgetting.... but I've remembered... flamboyant!!

Gwen - "help desk analyst" she is very sweet and kind-
hearted. she is basically my ally and my friend. she
started working there about a month after i did. and we
easily became friends. she is asian and is about 40 or so.
she is so nice to everyone. the other help desk people are
kind of mean or rude towards her. she feels like the black
sheep of the group... even though i'm thankful that she is
there!! she is very pretty, she also wears glasses but they
are very sophisticated. she is rather short though 5'2
maybe. she is in great shape and is easy to talk to.

Sharon - "help desk analyst" she has been there for like 7
years or so. it's not the kind of job that you want to stay
at for a long time - it can really cause stress and
tension. but somehow she does it - i would say because she
sounds like she is miserable all the time. she has so much
drama going on in her life all of the time. her adult son
who's like 30 lives with her now... he lost his job and his
apartment. and recently he got sent to jail for about 2
weeks. she is buddy-buddy with daniel (see below) - which
is annoying because she isolates herself from gwen...
totally unfair. anyways in a nut-shell Sharon is depressed,
tons of anxiety, probably on the verge of a stroke,
annoyed, aggravated, and it's always got to be her way or
no way. she is also friends with michael - since they've
been there since forever ago!

Daniel - "help desk analyst" he's worked for the company
for about 2 years but just recently started this particular
job. he is short, thin, 5 something... and about 23-25 yrs
old. he wears ugly black-rim glasses and has preppy but
dorky style to him. he drives me crazy. his job is very
important and normally you can look over and see him hardly
working on it... mostly on the internet surfing and on the
phone arranging this and that. he is buddy-buddy with
sharon and that is pretty much the only person he talks to.
he doesn't have a very strong work ethic at all--- he calls
out about 1 a week.

Evelyn - "unknown" her title is unknown because she was
just recently given this job after being promoted from
operator. she used to work with michael before i came
along. she works on telephones: hooking them up,
disconnecting them; bills, invoices; and she is an
assistant to Elaina. she has been with the company for a
long time - she is super sweet and i also relate to her as
well as Gwen. we are pretty close, i'd say... i guess
because she understands my frustrations with michael. she
is very happy and perky - all the times, and can easily
turn around my day when i've had a rude customer call in.
she is smart and funny and is always joking around. she
wears the cutest clothes and always cute heels!

Now that you've read all about my coworkers - you will
probably be able to understand some of the issues I am
about to discuss with you.

Well, it's getting to be Christmas time and Elaina talked
to us about putting together a luncheon. We sent out
questions via email as far as when and what we were going
to do. First, we had issues trying to pick a day... then we
had all decided to have something delivered for our group -
instead of a potluck. Then all of a sudden after everyone
had agreed - Sharon sends out this BS email saying
that 'Christmas is not about delivery... blah blah
blah... ' I mean I understand her point... but really we
had already discussed the reasons why we wanted delivery.
Basically Gwen is getting her kitchen redone so she doens't
have a stove right now. I can't cook very well, neither can
Daniel (self-admitted) and Evelyn said that she is just too
busy to work with it. That is why we all decided on
delivery... so after Sharon sends out that shitty email,
Michael decides that she's right. I then sent out an email
stating the reasons why we shouldn't & can't do a potluck.
Basically the emails went back and forth around the group
for hours, until I had to go to a meeting. The entire time
Daniel had not said one word about anything. As soon as I
left the room he sends an email to the 'ENTIRE group'
saying "Jennifer stop being difficult', EXCUSE the fuck out
of me... for having an opinion. Not only did that infuriate
me.... it pissed off Gwen and Evelyn BOTH. I sent him an
email saying that I didn't have any respect for him - and
that he need not send me anything else! I sent Gwen and
Evelyn an email stating that I was not responding to or
participating in the luncheon. I told them both - that if
they wanted we could go out to lunch that day instead. I
absolutely refuse to be bullied into a bullshit luncheon
that half the team didn't even agree on!! Sharon thinks
that since she's been there forever that she can run the
place... that just isn't the case.

I mean I might be the odd ball out... but honestly, I'd
rather stand up for what I think and let my opinion be
heard instead of being 'forced' to roll over and take it.
It's not right and I refuse to be apart of something as
ridiculous as this.

to be continued...