Book of Jamez

55 y/o malcontent, something of a writer

Category: work

  • Company Milestone

    At this point in time:

    1. All personal investments (for the start up costs of the company) have been paid back
    2. All bills have been paid (even the cost of server/computers that we did with financing)
    3. All consultants have been paid for work they’ve done for us
    4. A raise has been implemented for both Jim and I
    5. And we have a money left over in the account to gain interest

    I’d say that’s pretty good given the state of the economy. The horizon continues to look very bright with The Department of Justice issuing notice to adopt new standards under the ADA its possible that our work load will increase significantly.

    It is a nice feeling to be a part of something so new, good, and fun. I can honestly say that I don’t miss mind-numbing meetings about harebrained ideas at all. I prefer working at a company with it’s feet planted firmly on the ground, financial goals within reach, comfortable atmosphere and profit.

  • The Day From Hell

    Actually, I think it started last night with a serious headache that had me in bed asleep at 9:30… it only got worse from there.

    I went to the office like normal, and grabbed the mail to take directly to the Post Office, on my way I realized I needed cash from the Bank of America ATM which is on the OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET…. so I could go to my favorite barber in Takoma Park. I do hate backtracking.

    After the Post Office I arrive at the ATM, slip my card in and enter my PIN. I then select Withdraw from the options and “Other Amount” as I want enough cash for my trip, but also a $10 just in case I need smaller. I enter $130.00 and it tells me that I don’t have sufficient funds for that withdrawal amount… *double take*. It allows me to check my balance, which indeed shows me overdrawn by $3,425… $3,425… WHAT?!!!???

    But, I actually, stop and think about this… I know what this is, this is the Check that I used that was sent to me by Bank of America to use anyway I saw fit, the check that I discussed with two financial people before even thinking about using it to pay off a credit card debt. I even waited two days for the check to clear my financial institution before paying off the credit card (a CHASE card). Everything was fine, that was last week… Friday everything was fine.

    I enter the bank, talk to a Bank of America rep, who says he can’t help me and that I’ll need to call the Credit Card department. I go back to my office, call the credit card department and they say, indeed this kind of thing happens a lot. A LOT…. OMFG. I suggest to him that perhaps they could make the letter a little clearer. See what happened was, the promotional letter with the checks was based on my existing credit card balance with BOA.. and that had some money taken out of it already, so the check bounced… bounced I say. He and I apply successfully for a credit increase and he assure me that they will transfer the money over to my checking account in 4 – 5 business days… OMFG. He tells me the Checking Account people know what happened, as this kind of thing happens a lot…. A LOT … and they will void all my overdraft fees and such once they receive the money in the transfer. On the phone with her, she doesn’t know what I’m talking about, has no clue but says “Once the money has been transfered you’ll have to call us back, as we can’t do this automatically”…. OMFG

    I check my email and my bosses email once last time (at 2 ish) and see there is nothing pressing and leave. I take the Subway to Dupont Circle (ok… side bar: very cute guy on the escalator, nice fine hair on his arms and his legs, gray hair, blue eyes… just gorgeous… and he smiled at me… but considering that I didn’t get my hair cut I know he’s only being nice.) and go to my 2nd Favorite barber, as my first barber doesn’t take credit cards and I don’t have any cash cause I’m $3,425 overdrawn on my account and don’t HAVE MF CASH…. My barber cuts my hair and as he’s finishing up my phone starts vibrating… it’s not an email as it vibrates multiple times… it’s my boss calling.

    I call my voice mail to get the message and he needs me to send something to a Client right away, something we sent a different client that will also help this client.

    What you need to know about my boss that you may not understand unless you’ve worked for this type of guy (kind hearted, dedicated, willing to bend over backwards for a client – for special clients anyway). He has this thing he can do with his voice, a kind of desperation that motivates you to want to help this client as soon as possible, to do whatever you might be able to do to make sure this Clients needs are met. I can’t resist when he does that thing with his voice, and I am compelled to do whatever I can to help. If I can’t for some reason do as he asks for this client, I feel a sense of disappointment, not from him… but within myself. Oh, I know he somehow mystically put it there, but there it is.

    I search in my Blackberry for sent items, I remember this thing, but I can’t find it. My Blackberry’s sent items folder is set at 30 days, so I can’t get it… I start heading for the Metro to go back to the office…. it’s about 3:30.

    As I’m walking down the block, the rain starts, just a drop here or there. The wind starts to pick up and you can feel a strong gust here or there as the clouds begin to darken. I did bring my umbrella today, on the off chance it might rain…. but I know with the way the sky looks it wont help much. By the time I reach the Metro, I am soaked from head to toe, even my wallet is damp, thank God there’s no money in there as I’m $3,425 overdrawn.. OMFG.

    The Metro takes me ever so slowly to my destination, Takoma, and I walk off umbrella in hand to my office. The storm has been kind enough to knock the power out at the office and its running on the generator… I still manage to find what the Client needs, sent it off to her and then leave.

    The rain has stopped, the wind as well, and here I sit at home typing this note. I certainly hope that this isn’t the start of how my entire vacation will go… I don’t think I could deal.

  • Why We CC Your Boss

    For two reasons actually, the first reason is because he always talked about how incredibly lazy you had become and we want to point out to him that this is indeed still true and the second reason is we want you to do the work and know if we don’t cc your boss, chances are you’ll be too busy sighing and surfing the net to do the work.

  • 4 Months of Success – and many returns

    This marks month four of exceeding the financial goals for the new company. This means that we are doing better than we had planned in our budget – billing out approximately 10% more a month that we had anticipated.

    The best part? We’re just getting started! Clients keep calling us for work, and despite the other company’s hilarious attempts to roadblock old clients files, we’re stacking up projects right and left.

    In May we launch our Website and will be sending out a Marketing letter (we didn’t have to hire anyone at $50,000 plus 3% of advertising income to accomplish these things either) that will drum up even more business and hopefully lead to more growth in the company.

    Honesty, determination, and a belief in a power greater than ourselves is what is helping us to continue our success. Thanks go to God, and everyone who believed we could do it.

  • Rockets Red Glare

    The 4th thing is off, for those of you that didn’t know, I had volunteered to sing with the Washington Choral Arts Society for A Capitol Fourth. A televised show in front of the Capital.

    Then something came up at work, and I think I will not be able to devote to the practice or the performance the amount of energy that should be devoted to the project, so I bowed out. It is a big thing at work, so I think it was the right decision.

  • My Office Toilet has a Remote Control

    So, a few months back a company sent us a sample of their toilet seat, free of charge, to “test out”. They even paid for the electrician to install it. So, first let me explain…

    This thing has a seat warmer, front and back gentle warm water cleansing (you, not the toilet), and pulsating or oscillating choices if you so desire… best of all though; it has a dryer. That’s right a dryer, no more rain-forests dying, we’ll now use air to dry our tush.

    I thought at first, that this would be an odd thing, water shooting up my butt… I mean there are things that should go up there, but water was not one of the things that was desirable to me. Pulsating? Oscillating? what am I going to do in this bathroom that I need these choices readily available to me? Is it that evident that I haven’t been dating? I digress.

    I was very cautious to use this contraption, I’m usually opposed to using facilities outside my own home… yes even opposed to those ones at work, but sometimes you just don’t get a choice.

    So my first time. The soft cushioned seat was a nice touch. I did my business, no reading or anything, but I was curiously reviewing the controls mounted on the wall (it does detach, just in case half of your body really has to be somewhere else you can rinse and dry from afar). I pushed the button for “Rear Cleanse” and heard odd noises down below then suddenly a warm stream hit my back side, in the exact right spot… Maybe they have stolen targeting software from the Pentagon. It was nice, odd, but nice. I did try out some of the other button, oscillating may be my favorite, but I wouldn’t want to date it. It is important to note here that there is a stop button, a colleague of mine made sure to let us know after he “wondered” how long it was going to keep going… well, you have to push stop. Then I pushed Dry, and low and behold a nice blast of air hit “just the right spot” making me all nice and dry after it had been through the car wash.

    This contraption is just another part of daily life at the office now, I think nothing of it… until today… when the company sent us yet another toilet seat, with no explanation this time… perhaps they just think we are full of shit!

  • So

    If you’ve ever worked with me in the past, you know how I get when I get pissed off or malcontented…

    I hush up, quiet down, frown…. nothing gets me out of that but me.

    So, this is not a “healthy” way to do this, and I should find another way to take care of these feelings.

  • Power Games

    I don’t play games at a job, I have no interest in advancing my career. Usually I am very content in whatever job I may have.

    However, if you want my advice Tuesday then you have to expect it on Wednesday when I offer it.
    I also don’t play word games. When I say “me” or “I” it doesn’t mean I’m making threatening gestures, nor does it mean I’ve made universal decisions.

    I cannot be a lackey, that’s not my role ever. My opinion, experience, and expertise are mine… and I share them regularly… that is apparently not what is wanted here.

    Therefore, at the moment, this is not a good fit.

  • Worker Among Workers

    The 12 step community spouts off slogans all the time: Live and Let Live, 90 in 90, Be a worker among workers…

    So, the new job they all wear shorts… should I stop wearing slacks and dress shirts to fit in? 😉

    Blogger is upgrading its webblogs, I can’t upgrade mine it seems… not sure what this means for mrjamezq.blogspot.com

    jamez

  • New Job

    So this week I started at my new job with Ann’s husband John in Takoma Park. So far things are going well, there is lots to do there. Right in front of myself, and Leslie (the office manager) is a huge reorganization… things are everywhere. It’s not the worst I’ve ever seen… but it’s bound to be a challenge. My commute is about 30 – 45 minutes which isn’t bad at all, I’ve been writing in my little Mole Skin on the way out there, kind of leave me with lots of time to do that.

    So today, I get a call from Washington Hospital Center with a job offer, I’m almost certain, I haven’t been able to get her on the phone, but I doubt I’d take it.

    Yes, the rumors are true!