February 21, 1990
Dear Everyone:
Things are a bit grim around here these days.
Company USA announced yesterday that the “Exploitation, Lard &
Privateering” Department is being “revamped” i.e., reorganized to the
tune of 800-1000 jobs eliminated nation-wide.
“Privateering” is being “decentralized” while “Exploitation” is
being “centralized”. This
means that if you’re still working in “Privateering” (after the
blood-bath), you’ll probably wind up in “Casper” or “Grapevine”; while if
you’re in “Exploitation” (if at all), you’ll be going to “Hobby”.
The fact is:
Ever since I started working in Company in 1973, there have been
rumors from time to time that EL&P would go to “Hobby”.
But this time, the rumors came true.
However, this would not mean that I was going to “Hobby”, if I
were still in EL&P; all of Regional Services is going to be eliminated.
This means that a lot of people that I used to work for and with
are about to lose their jobs.
Bummer.
So, however much I might “complain” about my
situation here, it looks like I got out of the last job just in the nick
of time – if just under two-and-a-half years can be considered a “nick”.
Considering how important Company is as an employer
in the Bay Area, I bet “Murray” a quarter that the news would be on the
front page of this morning’s Chronicle.
I might have won if those teenagers up at Sierra Lake hadn’t gone
romping out onto the lake, thus proving the adage that “dancing on thin
ice” is never a good idea.
Now you know why I a) seldom gamble; and b) never
bet more than a quarter.
The news about CUSA, while it doesn’t directly
affect us here in Corp, is still disturbing.
Analysts both inside and outside the Company have been saying for
some time that Company is “top-heavy” with middle management.
An interesting concept.
You’ll notice that companies almost never are accused of being
just “top” heavy. It’s
always the middle and lower people who suddenly become too “heavy” to
keep around.
But what can you do about it?
My philosophy is this:
Relax, do your job the best you can, and brush up on your TJS
(Transferable Job Skills).
In other news…
We’ve been working like little beavers on the
“IDHS” User Guide. “We”
means “Ashley Holtz”, “Kevin Polse” and me.. which means, mostly me.
The Project Team drafted the guide and “we” have been going
through it, standardizing, correcting grammar/spelling, etc.
The weekend before last, I even took it with me to the Star Trek
convention in Palo Alto.
I worked on it during the less-than-fascinating
stuff such as the slide show on the Making of
Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles, the Movie (state-of-the-art muppetry, here).
Halfway through the presentation, I found some notes that
indicated that I had been doing the screen codes exactly the opposite of
the way I was supposed to. I
spend the slide show on
The Hunt for Red October
erasing all the “corrections” I had written in and the show on
Flight of the Intruder
getting back to where I was before I discovered the error of my ways.
By the time we got to the gruesome close ups of creatures from
Nightbreed (skip
this one, if you can), I was back on course.
I spent Sunday watching some 5-6 hour miniseries
while standardizing PF keys.
The reason for all of this rush is that the Project Team assured the
User Council that the User Guide would be out by March 1st.
Naturally, they didn’t ask us about it.
So, last Tuesday, I made the “final” corrections
and turned the whole kit and caboodle over to Publication Support, to be
updated and ready for pick-up yesterday morning.
Presumably, “Ashley” picked it up and will bring it into the City
this afternoon. Tomorrow
(lucky us!) “Kevin” and I will spend the
whole day with “Ashley”,
going over it “one more time”.
I’d look it over this evening, but tonight’s the
monthly ARMA (Association of Records Managers and Administrators)
Workshop and Dinner Meeting.
Tonight’s presentation:
Records Managers:
Dinosaurs or Dynamic Individuals?
(Where do they come up with these titles?)
I probably won’t get home until after 10:00, by which time I
couldn’t focus on a User Guide to save my life (or my job?).
However,
both “Kevin” and “Ashley” are “latecomers”, usually not arriving at work
before 8:00 am. As I get in
before 7:00, I’ll have about an hour to skim through it and make sure
that no Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles found their way into the Screen
Codes.
“Ashley” has also asked “Alma” if I can help him
standardize and upgrade all of the PC’s we have here in our offices.
Usually, when “Ashley” says he wants someone to “help” him with
something, it means that, consciously or unconsciously, he wants someone
to do the work for him.
Nevertheless, I told “Alma” that I was more than willing to help
“Ashley” and learn all I can about software, hardware or any other kind
of wares. Every little TJS
helps.
Love, as always,
Pete
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