So as I was leaving the office today, my manager said, "thank you." And I said, "for what, showing up?"

I hated my job today. I don't know if this is a permanent thing or not. I was just demoralized about it this weekend but I didn't quite hate it yet. I've had some preexisting problems officially dropped in my lap as of this morning, and if there's anything I hate more than having somebody foist their problems off on me, I don't know what it is. I don't mind digging myself out of problems of my own creation, but I do not deal well with being put in a position of cleanup after other people have done stuff wrong. Which is where I am now.

So we've got a couple clients we've done a good job of disappointing, and I've been placed in the damage control position. There are ways we can spin this so that I come out smelling like roses, but the whole thing just irritates me. I don't want to be an admin, which is a big part of the reason I left my last job anyway. And now, for the most part, I'm an admin. I'm an admin with the backing to kick some ass if need be, but I'm in this admin position. And I hate it.

So today was also not a good day to get those problems dropped in my lap, since due to some other technical issues there wasn't a whole lot I could do about them today. "Hi, this is the problem, this is what I could do to fix it, but I can't because this other thing is down for maintenance today." Grumble grumble grumble.

Anyway, the people from the company whose software I've been evaluating were by last week, and we told them to whip up a tasty contract. So in the way of spin (getting back to the original problem) I may be able to tease these customers along long enough to get the new software in without actually having to fix anything. Which would be good. But I don't think it'll work that way, since it never does. Grump grump grump.

My comment to my manager was that maybe they should make that an official corporate policy. "Thank you for bothering to show up today and not quit. We appreciate it." I wonder what the net cost would be if they bought everybody lunch every day or just gave them ten bucks or something. Five bucks at 10am, another five at 5pm. Must be present to win. Offer not valid in Georgia.

And to think I had such a nice time last night.

link (2000-05-22)