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Showing posts from February, 2005

A Small Stand Against Sexism

Yesterday morning, I took an ethical stand which I'm quite proud of. I was on the way to work, sitting towards the back of the bus. The bus was pretty crowded, and on the backseat were a bunch of 15/16 year old schoolgirls. They were chatting away, but not being loud or obnoxious by any means. Anyway, this ugly, fat middle aged guy got on. It was by then standing room only, but he forced his way down the back of the bus, shoved his hefty form onto the backseat and said to the girls in a loud voice, "I'm going to sit with you and make you all uncomfortable". Well of course, they all went silent in shock, but I gave him a filthy look. Teenagers being teens, they started chatting again, but everytime they did, Mr Awful would growl at them to shut up. Eventually, the girls reached their school, and as they stood to get off, he snarled "watch what you're doing with those bags you little bitches". Well, I'd had enough. Someone had to say something, and one

The Certainties of Work

May I point a few of these out, as certainties of a typical working day: When the alarm first sounds, you will be momentarily paralysed, unable to remember what day it is or whether you have a job at all The shirt you planned to wear during your big presentation will turn out to have a large tear/stain when removed from the wardrobe The bus/train will be proportionally late to the recent increase in fares You get caught checking personal email before you have fully logged in The network will crash at a crucial moment Weasels will take credit for you work The biggest loser in the office will be promoted soon The cafe will mess up your lunch order Status reports will be requested for all overdue projects The department will be reorganised in the next few months, for no apparent reason The sooner you have to be back at work, the longer the queue at the bank The person before you will have taken the last of the coffee The new employee who showed so much promise will turn out t

Dating Despair

I'm unhappy as only a single woman on Valentines can be. I didn't get so much as an e-card this year (unless there's something waiting for me at home, but I doubt it). Normally on Valentines Geoff from work gives me flowers, but he wasn't in the office today. Well, when the man in your life has paws, I guess that's what you expect. Yesterday, with much anticipation, I went into town to meet the, well, "new guy". I had high hopes, but that's the trouble when you've only met people when you and they are drunk. Yesterday, sober, it was a bitter disappointment. He was rude about the bands I like, the fact that I get bored watching movies, my hair, and lots else. AND he talked to me like I'm a child, which I hate (so he's, ooh, a couple of years older than me. Who cares?) And he said he doesn't ever want to travel, nowhere interests him and he can't see the point, and...well you get the idea. Major personality clash. Oh well, back to the

What Was I Thinking?

...trying to work full time?!? There is no way that I am well enough right now. Stupid chronic fatigue. Getting out of bed is not too bad. The mornings are fine. But by 2pm, forget it. I'm too tired to work; so ill, in fact, I can barely pick up a pen. Going home, I forget where my house is. I can't get anything done. My fear is that, if I keep on doing full-time hours, by next week I'll be unable to work at all. So, I asked my boss whether I might be able to work half-days instead. The response? No, not possible, but he suggested I "try to get to sleep earlier at night." Thank you Madhatter! Oh, I know I shouldn't complain. Sure, my job may be largely mindless, petty work of the most soul-destroying kind. But...actually, that's pretty much it. Let me put it this way: I have a low-walled desk in a high traffic area; between the copiers and the printers. AND I'm under an air conditioning duct, so I need a cardigan in the office everyday. My main task co