Wednesday, June 29, 2005

why this job is better than the last one - part 1

At my last job, I worked late almost every night. Sometimes I only stayed 15 minutes or so, and sometimes I stayed several hours. (Sometimes I got paid for my time, sometimes I got nothin.) I usually ran from 3-8 minutes late. I caught hell almost every day for tardiness - even when I put in 60+ hours to get the work done when we were shorthanded.

At my new job, I'm pretty much on time - maybe a couple of minutes late. No one seems to notice or care. Except for today - today I had an awful sinus headache, had to stop at the drug store, and had to grab some some food (so the medicine wouldn't make me hurl). I called my boss and left a message telling her my plan. I've been working hard and making an effort to get on top of things, so I actually have several hours comp time already. That said, I was still 30 minutes late.

I was a little worried when she arrived at my office (on the opposite end of the building from hers). First, she asked me if I was feeling better. Second, she thanked me for leaving her a message to let her know I was running late. Third, she opened a bag she was holding and pulled out a book.

I know that it is past time to get to the meat of this tale, but we're going to take another short break so that I can describe my new boss. She seems really cool, but if I had to guess, I would say that she is in her late sixties; she has a gray bob, dresses very conservatively, and kind of reminds me of someone's grandma.

Anyway, she opens a bag, reaches in, pulls out a book, and hands it to me: Male Desire : The Homoerotic in American Art. She says to me, "why don't you look over this. It should get you going." I about fell off of my freakin' chair. She actually realized that I was having a shitty day and did something to try to make it better (and that something was awesomely cool). I spent the next hour or so perusing a gorgeous, glossy book full of gorgeous, male nudes. Now I know that I wasn't the target audience for this book, but I didn't let that stop me. What a way to turn around a day. (In case you were wondering, I did end up working my ass off today and getting tons done - with a smile.)

Yet another aside, she had bought the book because a friend of hers from the 60s is an artist whose work is in it (and on the cover). This afternoon, he called her, and the call came into my office, so I was able to speak to a lovely man whose work I greatly admire (and how)! My new job officially rocks!

Oh, Dave Matthews, come to me, my love! Hot, cool, AND talented. Yikes! Also, he wrote the lyrics to "Crash" which is, perhaps, the sexist song ever recorded. (I've got to stop watching VH1 MegaHits every time I post.) Still, "Mr. Brightside" is a very clever video, and "The Killers" should be named "The Cuties."

posted by Anonymous @ 6/29/2005 08:01:00 PM

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