I Am Not Wonder Woman

Quick update. You have to be careful how much you do at work. I am serious. The last year and a half, I have been killing myself trying to get all of our facilities up to speed. Stayed up until midnight many nights, reviewing, doing reports, writing processes, creating training programs, financial audits, etc, etc, etc. I won't write my whole resume. Just suffice it to say, I have been acting like Wonder Woman this last year. Now, I feel like my magic bracelets are losing their power.

You ever notice the higher some people climb up the ladder of success, the more they forget that everything is not available at the snap of their fingers just because they want it?

So, I am here, trying to get ready for this accreditation and the first thing that happens: "Kat...I know you're on a plane right now, we have a meeting at 1pm (my flight lands at 12:30) meet us at the hotel." Big Boss. What? Crap! I was supposed to be working in the warehouse so I was dressed like I was working in the warehouse. I didn't even know he was going to be here. Oh...did I tell you they couldn't find me a freaking hotel within 30 miles of the office because they left the "emergency broadcast for assistance" to damn late?

Anyway, my lone employee who resides at this branch picked me up from the airport. We were supposed to have a lunch meeting to review the three outstanding contracts that need to get in the computer system (did I tell you I am also the liaison to contracting and system maintenance...short story...10 years with the same system. Guess that makes me an expert?). Anyway, my plans are cancelled of course. Get to the hotel where they are staying (not me, because I am the late edition to the "Oh My God, we're being surveyed, team") Boss, "FYI...we have a t 2pm meeting with so and so contract."

What the hell? Where the hell are these meetings coming from? I am supposed to be coming here to help the warehouse get in shape for accreditation. I am dressed in beat blue chinos, tennis shoes and an old polo shirt. I am supposed to attend a contract meeting? UUURRGGHH!

Boss and branch manager..."You're fine. It's just a handshake meeting." Good..first and only impression, I will look like crap. The managed care manager is leaving and they are trying to keep his stuff running while we try to fill his position. Enter Wonder Woman. We are in the middle of trying to get the contract's billing electronic and I have been a peripheral person, occassionally assisting translating system fields into MIS geek speak. Which I don't have a degree in but have learned by osmosis.

Ok...First day, I get nothing freaking done. Meetings. Meetings about meetings. Crap! Ok..Wednesday, I'll get it started on Wednesday.

Nope! The BIG boss asked my boss for some data. They are having a meeting with the accountants and discussing relieving a previous bad debt reserve we had taken, back when we were sucking badly. Oh...by the way, they need it by 3pm and a narrative to support the numbers so we can reverse it.

Ok...reversing bad debt accrual is good, but asking for miracles again? Errgghh!

So, drop the other crap and run around like a lunatic. Get done. The email goes down and I can't send the reports. I missed lunch. I was ready to throw the computer on the floor and stomp on it.

Got that done. It's now 3pm. No lunch. Run across the street to the sandwich shop. Closed early because they were short staffed. Shit!

No lunch, I just went back to the office and ate a candy bar. Tried to start the next project which was to find some temps to come and take care of some equipment cleaning and general projects (charts, etc) while we prepare and contract with a courier service to pick up some slack on our deliveries (we have two injured drivers and a third one walked ...no loss there, but sometimes a warm body is better than no body). by the time I called, the people I needed to speak to were gone. Guess I'll move to the next project.

Nope! Phone call. Can you explain this stuff that you explained in the narrative for this report? (Did you even read it? NO! I knew that would happen because they never read the narrative. Just want a few verbal bullet points).

Ok..another day wasted. Thursday. I can make the phone calls Thursday morning.

No...contract guy that is leaving wants to have a hand off call about this contract that is being a pain in the ass and I am the liaison with MIS. Oh...by the way, other new contract has bad coding and some bizarre language. Nobody can interpret it correctly to figure out what to enter in the system, can you be on that conference call as well? When? Soon as we hang up from this call.

Ok..it's now 11 AM and I haven't gotten a damn thing done. I can't believe that they flew me to San Diego, stuck me in a crappy hotel, didn't have a car for me and I have just spent the last two and a half days doing things I could have done from my home office.

Why am I taking 10 mins to write in this stupid blog? Because, it's the only thing that will listen and doesn't mind when I say "shit" "damn" "crap" "hell" and "fuck". It can't fire me. So I need to say it before I say something very bad in the presence of the "Others".

And you know why they expect 150% from me? Because I have been giving it for over a year. Now the bar is set very high and I think I am reaching burn out.

Quick...somebody tell me it's ok to tell them that I can't give them everything they want. Is that ok to say?

Wonder Woman's magic bracelets are just about out of energy. I think the magic is fading fast.