Cloudy's Cafe, a conversation zone, May 28, 2007

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Wow, looks like I walked in at an awkward moment. How about we liven the place up with a belated birthday party for me!? I really like those colourful birthday wishes.

I'll have a nice cup of tea, and as far as old games, I recommend a nice SNES game a la emulator. You know, like the ones you already own, so you can download them and play them on your PC as well. I'm Ogre Battle right now. That game is the reason we have the Heroes series and specially the Disciples series.

[Ladyzekke]

It's OK Johnny. That subject is just a very sore spot for me right now. And no I haven't started looking for another job because I'm a loyal idiot. I just can't leave my boss to find some newbie to learn to run this entire office by themselves. So I'm here for the long or short haul, whatever it may be.

LOL Variol, err Happy Birthday again! Oh and the PC here at work is ala year 2000 and was not built for gaming. So I'm stuck with only being able to play little games or reeally old stuff. I tried like hell to find this old tetris clone from Canada named Drak that I really loved years ago, but apparently the company went belly up. Too bad cause it was a really fun tetris that made you use different strategies each level.

Well, at least it's Friday yay! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Captain Obvious]

If i were you LadyZekke, i would either be actively looking for another job, or sitting down with the boss and telling him your thoughts. You are right in saying they wont want to have to find a new person, so maybe if you lay it on the table for them they might work to keep you? or at least they might let you know what the future holds?

And, if you are worried about writing a CV (resume to you), feel free to post it here and i am sure people will help you out (I like to think of myself as pretty good at that sort of thing).

THere is nothing worse than sustained frustration in a job - it can make you miserable, but getting a new job (or discovering that your current boss really does appreciate you) can be very satisfying.

Good Luck!

[Bungleau]

Bummer on the job status, LadyZ. It's really frustrating when there isn't a lot to do... what about taking that extra time and investing it in yourself? Either writing, or learning something, or something like that. At one job where I was grossly underworked, I taught myself Autocad. Went over to the engineers, asked them about it, and they told me if they didn't need the machine, I was welcome to it.

Heck, you might decide to study to be a lawyer. You might be amazed at how much you already know...

Based on your years of experience with him, you might be able to tweak your way into managing a law office or even arranging to buy it from him (or get it sold to someone else).

Have you had conversations with his sons about his status and your future? I mean, loyalty is one thing (and one thing that's truly in short supply these days), but you could present them (and your boss) with your dilemma... stay there, be loyal, and wonder where your next paycheck will come from later, or move on, be concerned about just yourself, and guarantee your future.

They should either see something from your side of it or should let you know that they don't care, at which point your loyalty can go elsewhere.

And as for job-hunting (when that time comes), feel free to bounce stuff off of me. I haven't done it often, but I have a pretty good track record of managing things through networking, and I can help identify what works and what doesn't (and most importantly, why or why not).

On the brighter side, I had to weigh in a day early this week because we're heading out on vacation tomorrow morning at 5AM. And even with a trip to Germany and lots of spaetzle, I managed to drop another four pounds. That's 46 and counting, and in the next couple of weeks, Corbin's going to come with me to a weekly weigh-in and meeting. Why? Because I will have lost as much as he weighs... about another 3 pounds, and I'm there!

What a difference... in many, many weighs. Errr... ways [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[Ladyzekke]

Capt. Obvious, I've already voiced my fears and thoughts to my boss already, albeit it took me forever to finally do it. I'm one of those that is uncomfortable telling some old man that I'm worried about ME when he DIES. I finally did though and told him how I don't have anything to show for all he years I've worked for him. He agreed. As he always does with many things. He's one of those that will agree, then say he'll do something vague to help, but never does anything. He told me he'd open up some sort of account maybe for me last year when I finally mentioned it, I can't recall what he called it, but he never did. And it took forever for me to talk to him to begin with so now I'm just at square one. You have to understand also my boss is the nicest guy in the world. Heck he is hands down one of the best human beings I've ever met. He's not shady, just...I dunno. He has his old school ways that for some reason he can't get out of. So, I don't know how I can approach him once again to where it would make any more of a difference. And right now he's going through health issues, AND, actually (blew me away) is getting married for the second time in July when he is recovered. Hey, I'm glad of that because it means he isn't alone anymore and will probably be healthier because he is happier. It's hard to explain but I do care for my boss more than my job situation. My boss is also the only person in my entire life that I have not seen show anger. And I've worked every workday with him since '89. He does not show anger EVER. And he will also never say a bad word about anyone, even those deserving. He is an exceptional human being and so because of that I don't feel like I can rant and rave and go off about my own fate. I swear if it were anyone else it would be a totally different situation, cause I have no problem bitching about what I want in any other situation in life LOL. Blah. Again, as I said before, I'm just a loyal idiot.

Bungleau, I'll reply to your post here next week OK? Boss won't be in the office Tuesday - Friday so I'll have plenty of time to reply then at my leisure. Thank you so much for offering your thoughts and expertise, I can use all I can get seriously. [img]smile.gif[/img] Hope you are enjoying your trip to Germany as I type this.

[Bungleau]

Not a problem, LZ. I'm officially on vacation this week, enjoying the sun and warm weather up here north of Green Bay, so I may take a little time to respond as well

Last night, I formally cleared my calendar. All my to-do items got moved over to the last day of the month, and my calendar says only two things:

Vacation

Anniversary

Already delivered on the anniversary... we don't normally give each other gifts, but I found a book I thought she'd like and gave it to her before the trip started. That way, she's got something to read along the way.

Only problem... I glanced a little at the end, and it's not an overly happy ending. She may not be happy with me when it's all over

On the flip side, I'm getting in a lot more walking this week. More than four miles yesterday and again today, and we're planning a bike ride to a state park later in the week. That'll be about 5-8 miles one way... could be interesting

[Cloudbringer]

LadyZ, I'm so glad you did say something to your boss! Maybe you could gently pester him for that letter of recommendation now? You could offer to type it up for him if he dictates it! That might move him along a bit faster in doing it!

I know resume writing can be a chore! I was looking at mine and realize it hasn't been updated since the 90's and needs it badly but I never know where to start! And job hunting..ugh, I don't think that's ever a fun thing to do, but you have lots of folk here who are willing to help and let you bounce things off 'em it seems!

[Ladyzekke]

Bungleau, unfortunately my boss is in the hospital right now, hopefully doing well after having 3 kidney stones blasted LOL. So LOL, again, I feel it is not the time to broach anything to him for a while even when he returns to the office. But, when I do feel a time is OK, what would you say Bungleau? I mean, how would you word it, and what would you ask for?

Well I hope that not so happy book didn't turn out too bad for her! And walking to me is one of the best types of excercise a person can do because you get to see things and people along the way. [img]smile.gif[/img] Good luck with that 5-8 mile bikeride though, you may be feelin that later in the legs LOL.

Cloudy, will chat with you tomorrow evening even though we may not be able to play!

Been so hot and humid the past few days here ugg. This rubber piece on my car door that prevents other car doors from denting just kind of melted and partially fell off LOL. I go to leave work the other day and there it is,hanging there. I so wanted to just grab it and pull the effing thing right off, screw it. My car is old and I don't care what it looks like. Heck, with all the crime around here, the duller and cheap and old my car looks the better, because no criminal will pay it any attention. But still though, that flap thing had to go, that's just embarrassing because I'm sure it was bobbing away in the wind when I was driving, which caught other drivers' eyes and attention. I know if I had seen that on a person's door I'd have been drawn to look at it. Anyway. I'm good now. Aquarium sealant is good.

[Bungleau]

Actually, LZ, it may be a good time to talk to him, since his own mortality may be on his mind.

I'd start off something like this:

I'm glad that everything has passed along well with those kidney stones. You know, I've been working for you for the past 18 years, and one of the biggest reasons I've been doing that is because of you. You're a person I can easily and often look up to. Things like the fact that I've never seen you get mad, even with people who deserve it, have kept me wanting to work for you and learn from you. Events like this recent hopsitalization for getting rid of your kidney stones makes me realize that in spite of all I've learned from you over the years, it won't last forever. And I'm torn now... torn between loyalty to you, that I've shown over the last 18 years, and duty to myself, to ensure that three, ten, or twenty years from now, whenever it happens, that I won't find myself on the street hoping for someone else to offer me a job. I'd really like to continue working here with and for you, and I'd also like to know what my future can look like. What do you think that can be?

That will lead to a couple of options...

• Hmmm... I've glad you've brought that up. I've been thinking about that, and here's what I've been thinking....
• Really? So you think I'm going to kick the bucket, do you? Why, you ungrateful...
• I hadn't really thought about that. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

There are variations, but those are the basics. You'll want to think about possible responses to each of those... accepting his offer, proposing something, or realizing it's time to move on. All three are certainly possibilities, but you'll know better than I which ones are probabilities.

What would I ask for? What will make you happy? Helping to find a buyer for his practice? Helping to find you someone willing to take over the practice (and you) when he's ready? Or perhaps now? Some kind of retirement/pension fund?

Anything you can think of can be asked for... he'll simply say yes or no. He may get offended, but ask him to look at it from your perspective. When he's done, he's not going to have to worry about his next meal. You, however...

[bubbe]

weird day at work today...

everything went bad... and when it was at is peak of bad things my workmate started to complain about he feeling dizzy... after 30-40min he complained so much I told the others about he was acting weird and was complaining a lot...

so we had to call an ambulance.. first time suchs thing ever happend to me so it feels kinda weird.. ;/ i hope he is alright at the moment