August 17, 2006
Dear Everyone:
I can sum this week up in four words:
Frustrating
Unproductive
Chaotic
…gimme a minute to think of a word that begins with K.
Speaking of K, they moved us out of Building K
(nicknamed “
We were instructed not to show up in our new “workspace” until 8:00 am Monday morning. This cuts 2-3 hours into some people’s workday. Yes, we have people who arrive for work before 6:00 am nearly every day. This is because of the traffic situation. A drive that takes a half-hour that early in the day takes a couple of hours during commute time. Thus, some people took vacation or telecommuted that day.
I actually showed up shortly after 7:00, intending to go to the cafeteria for some breakfast until the appointed time. However, several people were already there, unpacking; plus, coffee and breakfast pastries had been set out in one of the “Huddle Rooms”. So I got my stuff from the car and started settling in.
I didn’t get very far. I got barely two bites of a bear claw in me when I had to dash off for an appointment. By the time I got back, there wasn’t much time until lunch. I only found out later that, buried on my desk was a “move packet” that included a card worth a free lunch. I had my free lunch on Tuesday instead.
On Monday, the Move Manager sauntered through, assuring everyone that they need only write their needs on the “punch list” and it would be taken care of. The punch list is a sheet of paper with three sections. One section was for things the movers would do, like moving your Slat Wall from one side of the desk to another. The next section was for IT (Information Technology); they would take care of phone and computer needs. I don’t remember what the third section was for.
I dutifully wrote on the punch list that I needed my Slat Wall moved from the right side of the desk to the left (movers section), but that I needed the phone to stay on the right side (IT). Then I hurried off to my appointment.
On Tuesday, nothing happened.
On Wednesday, nothing happened.
Finally, I contacted the Move Manager to let her know that nothing had been done for anyone. She sent a couple of underlings who collected the punch lists and pronounced that the movers would be in on Thursday. Sure enough, two movers showed up just as I was leaving for yet another meeting with the Time Vampire. They moved the Slat Wall in a matter of minutes, only unplugging my computer and monitor in the process. They had to leave the phone, with its cord still looped through the Slat Wall phone shelf, on the desk. They can’t do anything with the phone. Only IT can do that. They made a phone call. As of this evening, the phone is still stuck with the Slat Wall shelf.
What’s a Slat Wall? you ask. It’s a sheet of plastic, about 20 inches high and about 30 inches wide. It has slats, horizontal strips that you can use to “hang” accessories on. The most common accessories are a small shelf, hanging desk trays, a pencil cup, and a slanted shelf to hold the phone.
The phones are very expensive, so they have an anti-theft device: If you unplug the phone, when you plug it back in, it won’t work. Not until someone keys in the magic code, and only IT has the magic codes. And the IT genius who connected my phone over the weekend chose to loop the phone cord through the slat wall shelf, instead of leaving it free and giving me the choice of using the shelf or not.
All in all, a very frustrating, unproductive, chaotic week. (Still trying to find a word that begins with K.) On the plus side, I’ll have all day tomorrow to get organized.
And it’s the Time Vampire’s day off, so I might even get some real work done for a change. (Rant over.)
Love, as always,
Pete
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