It rained again, today! It was only drizzling when I left to go to the office, in the morning, and it was barely drizzling on the drive home, but, in between, it rained enough to flood the intersections and cause accidents. The drive home took almost an hour and a half. By the time I came home, I felt too tired to do anything other than sit on the sofa and watch some TV and knit!
But, I did bring in the trash cans and I picked an orange from the tree. Then, I had a cup of tea and I watered the indoor plants. I made some fried rice for dinner with leftover rice, the last of a can of corned beef that needed to be finished, onions, and roasted peanuts. And I put away the laundry and emptied the dishwasher. What I didn't do was tidy the rest of the family room.
Friend R called and we chatted for a bit. Later, daughter and I video chatted. She had a longer than usual work day because she had to travel to and from Sacramento.
I had a fairly productive day at the office. On Sunday, there was an email sent by someone on one of the production teams on a project I am working on, to one of my higher-up supervisors, trying to "clarify and set the record straight" about the status of the project. Apparently, someone (an interested party, let's say) had come to see the supervisor on Friday (maybe when I was at the doctor's appointment?) and asked about the status of project X and she had communicated to the production team that she was given to understand that they were waiting on me to complete my part of the project. However, I had already completed my portion of the project and was waiting on the team to make the edits and changes I had requested and re-submit for my review. My supervisor never questioned me about the project status even when I returned to the office on Friday afternoon, after the doctor's appointment, and I didn't know that there had been an inquiry, until I received a copy of the email on Sunday, from this other member of the team, telling my supervisor that I have completed my tasks and the project is waiting for additional work by them and I was not holding up anything! Monday was my day off and I didn't see any response to the email from my supervisor, so, today, I approached her and asked what it was all about. She just brushed it aside, claiming the issue didn't even come up! So, I don't know who said what (although I have my suspicions), but I am grateful for the other team member for coming forward and explaining that I was not holding up the project! I had already provided my new immediate supervisor with a current list of projects and their status (which he said had been very helpful to him when I was out on sick leave for surgery) before taking the time off, but I took the opportunity, today, to update this higher-level supervisor, as well. Next time, I will provide her with a copy of my projects status updates, as well. It's what I call "diaper management"! In other words, covering ones behind! LOL!
Today, I am grateful for:
- A safe commute to the office and back in the rain
- Daughter had a safe ride to her conference and back (also in the rain!)
- More rain for the garden (it is raining now, as I type)
- A fairly productive day at the office!
- A team member standing up for me!
Tuesday's To Do List:
- Go to the office - DONE
- Water the indoor plants - DONE
- Bring the trash cans in - DONE
- Finish tidying the family room
- Knit - DONEBut, I did bring in the trash cans and I picked an orange from the tree. Then, I had a cup of tea and I watered the indoor plants. I made some fried rice for dinner with leftover rice, the last of a can of corned beef that needed to be finished, onions, and roasted peanuts. And I put away the laundry and emptied the dishwasher. What I didn't do was tidy the rest of the family room.
Friend R called and we chatted for a bit. Later, daughter and I video chatted. She had a longer than usual work day because she had to travel to and from Sacramento.
I had a fairly productive day at the office. On Sunday, there was an email sent by someone on one of the production teams on a project I am working on, to one of my higher-up supervisors, trying to "clarify and set the record straight" about the status of the project. Apparently, someone (an interested party, let's say) had come to see the supervisor on Friday (maybe when I was at the doctor's appointment?) and asked about the status of project X and she had communicated to the production team that she was given to understand that they were waiting on me to complete my part of the project. However, I had already completed my portion of the project and was waiting on the team to make the edits and changes I had requested and re-submit for my review. My supervisor never questioned me about the project status even when I returned to the office on Friday afternoon, after the doctor's appointment, and I didn't know that there had been an inquiry, until I received a copy of the email on Sunday, from this other member of the team, telling my supervisor that I have completed my tasks and the project is waiting for additional work by them and I was not holding up anything! Monday was my day off and I didn't see any response to the email from my supervisor, so, today, I approached her and asked what it was all about. She just brushed it aside, claiming the issue didn't even come up! So, I don't know who said what (although I have my suspicions), but I am grateful for the other team member for coming forward and explaining that I was not holding up the project! I had already provided my new immediate supervisor with a current list of projects and their status (which he said had been very helpful to him when I was out on sick leave for surgery) before taking the time off, but I took the opportunity, today, to update this higher-level supervisor, as well. Next time, I will provide her with a copy of my projects status updates, as well. It's what I call "diaper management"! In other words, covering ones behind! LOL!
Today, I am grateful for:
- A safe commute to the office and back in the rain
- Daughter had a safe ride to her conference and back (also in the rain!)
- More rain for the garden (it is raining now, as I type)
- A fairly productive day at the office!
- A team member standing up for me!
Tuesday's To Do List:
- Go to the office - DONE
- Water the indoor plants - DONE
- Bring the trash cans in - DONE
- Finish tidying the family room
- Put away the dried laundry - DONE
- Empty the dishwasher - DONE
Wednesday's To Do List:
- Go to the office/attend staff meeting
- Pick up medication refill from pharmacy
- Put gas to the car
- Buy coffee creamer and bananas
- Tidy the rest of the family room
How was your Tuesday? How is your weather? Are you coping with winter storms?
Oh dear, so sorry to hear about you getting unfairly blamed for the project holdup. Disappointing to read your immediate supervisor didn't defend your part in the project. It takes courage to speak up as your one brave team mate did. I do not miss having to watch your back or as you say "diaper management"
ReplyDeleteMust be relaxing to smell those orange and lemon blooms in your garden.
Sandy, that's sort of how things work around here. Most probably, my immediate supervisor wasn't even asked! LOL. I know it used to drive my former immediate supervisor (the one who retired) crazy. It was, indeed, very brave of the other team member to speak up, especially as it was an acknowledgement that the delay was with her group (she works for an outside consulting firm), and she copied her supervisor on the email, too! She could have easily kept quiet, but she didn't. I called her and thanked her. :)
DeleteSorry you had to go through stress at the office. I have been there and it's no fun. And it's usually not resolved as fast as yours was. However, I hope you won't have to deal with a situation again like that anytime soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Live and Learn. These things tend to happen, every now and then. I've learned the importance of keeping records. There was one colleague who used to say one thing to me about what she wanted done and then, claim she asked for something else! After the first couple of times, I insisted that she put it in writing and when she'd come back and say, "I asked you to do X", I'd be able to show the file notes and say, "Actually, this is what you asked me to do". Needless to say, we were both very happy when we finished working on our project!
DeleteSo nice of the coworker to stand up for you! And it sounds as if your supervisor thought it was a nonissue so no need to worry about it thankfully. You are so thorough that your work ethic is not a question so whomever commented learned that quickly. And with you no longer needing to miss work due to appointments, etc there should certainly not be a need for the “inquirer” to do that again. Ahhhh ... the “fun” of office dynamics! Lol
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, yes, it was very nice of her to do so! Especially, as I was telling Sandy, above, since the project was being held up at her group and she could have very easily kept quiet about it and not owned up, so to speak! I called and thanked her.
DeleteMy supervisors know (or, should know), that I tried my best not to let the illness and treatments impact my work. I might have worked from home, but I always produced what I was expected to produce in a given time period. There were no complaints. The alternative was that I took a leave of absence for medical reasons. The personnel officer and I went over the options and I had enough paid leave to be gone for about 8 months! Sometimes, looking back, I think I should have taken that leave of absence! LOL!
Oh, there will be additional inquiries about when projects will be completed. :) That's really a given! Which is why I record when something is assigned to me/I receive the file, when I actually start working on it, when I completed my portion and sent it on, and so forth. Often, it is only the date. But, I can remember, on at least one other project, I noted the times, too! Because, the person sending stuff to me would tell my supervisor, that the file was submitted "last week", for example. Yes, last week, on Friday, at some ridiculous hour like 10:45 or 11:15...P.M.! Or, even, on a Saturday! LOL! I leave the office at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays and don't normally work over the weekend! Or, they'd call at 9:00 a.m. and say, "We submitted the documents, yesterday" - well, maybe they did, but not until 8:00 p.m. when the office was closed! So, I'd type up tables, showing date and time received; my supervisor at the time loved it, because then, he could show that to his supervisor when she asked him what was going on! :)
Yuck. Glad your co-worker stuck up for you. When I was working I made sure I always email people with everything - I suppose I was probably quite annoying - but I wasn't going to be blamed for something that wasn't my fault so I made sure I covered myself. It was the type of management that made me feel that way I suppose.
ReplyDeleteTake things easy when you can! You don't want to wear yourself out.
Thanks, Sharon. I used to copy everyone on my emails, too, but then, I stopped for awhile, with changes of supervisors, etc. But, maybe I should start doing that, again. I will probably start doing that with a couple of projects I am currently working on!
DeleteHope you are digging out from all the snow!
Now that I am retired I can truly say I do not miss all the office politics. *laugh* I guess it happens to everyone...some more than others. I hope your daughter has the benefit of learning from you and knows how to protect herself in the job. Glad she had a safe trip on her extended work day.
ReplyDeleteThanks to you I was reminded yesterday to water my indoor plants. I saw it on YOUR to-do list. Ha.
Susan, I am glad my to do list was helpful to you! :)
DeleteDaughter seems to be doing well at her job. She has heard various tales of discontent from some of her colleagues, but, so far, she seems to be handling things well. She is a note taker who often refers to them when things come up and others have realized that. :)
I'm glad the silly problem at work got sorted out and that you are smart enough to keep records of who asks for what and when. Cute expression "diaper management" made me smile. I guess your years of experience have taught you a lot but it really helps when someone goes out of their way to back you up.
ReplyDeleteLast night I heard the coyotes again that I heard a week or two back. They seem very close!
Today's weather was not wonderful, damp with a chilly wind when I walked to the mail and back. I was thankful that I would be coming back to a warm house. How extra hard it must be for the homeless in winter.
LOL, Bushlady, I can't quite remember now who first used that term - might have been one of my early supervisors and I think she might have also said something about a certain substance hitting the ceiling fan - but I've always remembered the term! :)
DeleteOh, wow, coyotes! Make sure any small pets are indoors at night! Yes, winter is an especially hard time to be homeless. I drive past several homeless encampments on my way to the office - it seems to me that I am seeing more and more of these collections of tents and cardboard shelters, these days.
Oh man, I am glad it was all straightened out and that someone did speak up for you. It's probably a good thing I don't live near you or I would want to give the trouble maker a piece of my mind and say "stop picking on our Bless!".
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debbie! This particular "inquirer" created a stir earlier, too, on the same project, claiming that everything had been sent to me and wondering what was taking so long, when not everything had been sent to me. Then, too, there was a flurry of emails and I listed everything I had received and all what I had not received. I generally take these things in stride, but I appreciate you wanting to stand up for me. :)
DeleteHopefully, that little office matter will now melt away and you can concentrate on the job, instead of scrambling around copying email, etc. I think it's a good idea to do so, though.
ReplyDeleteWe've had enough rain for the entire nation, I think. I'm sure you treasure each and every drop, and in some ways, we do too. In other ways, I'm very grateful for the sun break we had today. It's back to rain tomorrow. I was able to dig around a little tiny bit in the garden. It's way too wet for most things. I did last a few peas.
I really love those orange blossoms. So pretty.
Becky, I am glad you had a sun break, today. We did, too, although there is more rain in the forecast. Yes, we treasure each and every drop, but, even so, some of the burn areas are threatened with mudslides due to the rain, so there is some concern in those areas. But I am glad for the rain because the garden really needs it and I am saving on my water bill!
DeleteI hope you get more sunshine to help all those little seedlings grow!
I'm glad you weren't caught in office politics and that someone had your back, Bless!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nathalie. I am making sure to copy my new immediate supervisor on all my emails now, so he is in the know! :)
Delete