wednesday afternoon. lunchtime.
Today is more may than march. I've got a lake breeze carrying the scent of mountain laurel, and pepperoni pizza from the boatyard. Iced tea with three sugars.
I�m on day 3 in my official �help desk coordinator� position (I've been hr bitch errand/researcher/ad-placer/filing/copy-making/proofreading girl up until Monday) and I am happy to say that I have begun to hit my stride. I've moved desks, forfeiting my windows for the front of the office, in the very heart of all things HR. no windows, put plenty of foot traffic.
Life is more hectic up here than I anticipated. I usually have on a hands-free headset that allows me to walk about the office while simultaneously taking calls from all walks of life. I am somewhat the human resources bouncer; I decide who gets to talk to this manager or that. Who gets meetings. Et cetera. Yet I, who can barely wade my way through the world of html, also serve as a makeshift tech support girl, as I take calls from the masses regarding our fledgling e-recruit application process:
�ma�am, ok ma�am, click on the word �jobs�. It�s at the bottom of the screen�no, not there, the bottom. no, don�t click on �contact us�. Click on �jobs�. Ohhhh�you�re using the AOL browser? Well that would explain your problems. Do you have another browser? Ok, I understand that you don�t know what a browser is. Do you have an icon on your desktop with a big blue E on it?� (b/c even explorer is better than AOL.)
�and then I inevitably backpedal, because the person on the phone is unfamiliar with such techie words as �icon� or �desktop� or �big blue E�.
I am not exaggerating. The preceding paragraphs are practically verbatim.
I am mostly enjoying myself, though. There are still aspects of what I do that I don�t understand�I�ve never been good with the language of benefits and retirement plans�but my higher ups are allowing me to trudge along at my own pace, and figure things out myself. I can honestly say that I do not feel as though I am under anyone�s thumb. And that is a beautiful thing.
Random question of the day: who out there has read blue like jazz? I�m interested in talking about it.
a. Congrats on the new position! I'm glad it's working out for you so well - it does indeed sound like you've 'hit your stride.'
b. I read Blue Like Jazz quite recently. I loved it, and would love to talk about it!
Posted by: Kari at March 23, 2005 3:32 PMDo you have an icon on your desktop with a big blue E on it?” (b/c even explorer is better than AOL.)
My favorite line. Glad to hear life is shaking up a bit, keeping interesting. Flip the script!
I read BLJ a year ago - would love to discuss. BTW, charlie has read a few things from "Searching for God Knows What" that were fantastic. There's a chapter on Morality that is glorious. That's Don Miller's "Plan B."
Flibbityflu
Posted by: flibbityflu at March 23, 2005 4:39 PMHaven't read it but like the Bananie's Book Club idea. Who's it by?
Posted by: Jude at March 23, 2005 8:32 PMit's by don miller, sorry!
Posted by: bananie at March 23, 2005 9:17 PMi have read both of don miller's books, and he has some very good things to say. even before i read them, though, i heard him speak, and what he said filled me with more hope than the rest of cornerstone combined.
Posted by: maria at March 23, 2005 9:17 PMhaven't read the book yet, but it's on my list.
just had to say that this post echoes my current situation so much. i have been thrown into an hr/accounting position with experience in neither hr nor accounting. go figure. i'm working my way through this benefits crap, though . . . it gets easier.
Posted by: Amber at March 23, 2005 9:53 PMi've heard Blue Like Jazz mentioned twice lately. sounds like a good read. i'd be up for talkin about it.
Posted by: jill at March 23, 2005 10:05 PM