What's Up in October 2016?

[Little Pixie]

Wow, that`s great, Noll.

 

Chalie, the Bi-Fold doors sound good.

[anisia]

Things are going well here. I find it hard to believe it's already half way through October. My birthday is in a week and a half! I've got some nice things coming up. Aside from my actual birthday-day (Oct 25th) (small celebration with Michael and my parents) and the day I celebrate my birthday with the rest of my family (Nov 6th), there's also a book fair coming up. My brother's girlfriend is coming with my boyfriend and me to the book fair, so it should be a fun time out. My brother should be back home early next month, too.

 

Looks like you have a very exciting birthday month, enjoy! I love book fairs, haven't been to one in a long time. 

 

I had to look up what bi-fold doors were! That sounds lovely. Hope little'un feels better soon.

 

I've taken up volunteering with a website called 7 Cups. Basically it's a listening service. Honestly, it is NOT the first place I would send anyone in distress - you have only minimal unsupervised training before you can start listening to people talk about all kinds of issues, and then there are TONS of other things to learn. It looks to me to be far more beneficial for volunteers, because I can do all the training, get loads of experience in 'active listening' and it's a first step on the road to volunteering in the area of mental health. I'm finding it interesting, and I'm hoping it will teach me a lot of new things, that I will be able to help some people feel a bit better, and that it will look good for me down the road that I've done it.

 

Also today bought runners so I can go walking in the evenings.

 

Still doing my cross-stitch too.

 

I feel almost like a totally different person these days, suddenly trying out all these things I've always meant to but never did.

 

I've wondered before about 7 Cups, I saw it a while ago. It looks quite good and I can imagine it gives good practice. 

 

---

I have a cold I can't seem to get rid of. I thought it was getting better, but it's worse and the coughing started last night too. Very glad I have nothing planned for the weekend except reading and studying. 

[Athena]

I've taken up volunteering with a website called 7 Cups. Basically it's a listening service. Honestly, it is NOT the first place I would send anyone in distress - you have only minimal unsupervised training before you can start listening to people talk about all kinds of issues, and then there are TONS of other things to learn. It looks to me to be far more beneficial for volunteers, because I can do all the training, get loads of experience in 'active listening' and it's a first step on the road to volunteering in the area of mental health. I'm finding it interesting, and I'm hoping it will teach me a lot of new things, that I will be able to help some people feel a bit better, and that it will look good for me down the road that I've done it.

 

Also today bought runners so I can go walking in the evenings.

 

Still doing my cross-stitch too.

 

I feel almost like a totally different person these days, suddenly trying out all these things I've always meant to but never did.

Good luck with 7 Cups. I hope it's interesting and that you learn some things .

I hope you enjoy your walks. It's nice you're trying out these things you've always meant to try .

 

Looks like you have a very exciting birthday month, enjoy! I love book fairs, haven't been to one in a long time.

Thanks, Anisia ! 

 

I have a cold I can't seem to get rid of. I thought it was getting better, but it's worse and the coughing started last night too. Very glad I have nothing planned for the weekend except reading and studying.

I hope you feel better soon .

[Nollaig]

 

I've wondered before about 7 Cups, I saw it a while ago. It looks quite good and I can imagine it gives good practice. 

 

---

I have a cold I can't seem to get rid of. I thought it was getting better, but it's worse and the coughing started last night too. Very glad I have nothing planned for the weekend except reading and studying. 

 

Yeah like I say, the absolutely minimal amount of training and supervision for listeners means most of them are not good listeners, in my experience, so I wouldn't send people there myself to be listened to. I am gonna use it myself to talk about my own issues, and see can I find a few listeners who are really good, and that way at least I can also start recommending the site by saying, 'make sure you search for this person, that person or the other person' If you're willing to wade in, do the work yourself and track down a mentor to guide you, it's well worth it from a volunteer perspective.

[anisia]

I hope you feel better soon .

 

Thank you!

 

Yeah like I say, the absolutely minimal amount of training and supervision for listeners means most of them are not good listeners, in my experience, so I wouldn't send people there myself to be listened to. I am gonna use it myself to talk about my own issues, and see can I find a few listeners who are really good, and that way at least I can also start recommending the site by saying, 'make sure you search for this person, that person or the other person' If you're willing to wade in, do the work yourself and track down a mentor to guide you, it's well worth it from a volunteer perspective.

 

I really like the idea of being able to recommend listeners - it can be such a hit and miss sometimes.  Knowing who to look for sounds very good. Good luck! 

[Madeleine]

Had another rude awakening last night - our burglar alarm went off at 1.20!  Turns out there was some sort of power cut, as other lights eg oven clock were flashing, and I could hear other people's alarms going too, but I had such a shock awakening I was actually shaking afterwards

[Autumn]

Afternoon all.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

 

Sorry I haven't been around much over the last week or two but everything at work is kicking off again and to be honest I just can't be bothered doing anything at the moment.  Things have been tough at work over the last couple of years with problem staff and people just generally not being very happy.  Last year a couple of people left, I was talked into a promotion I wasn't really sure I wanted and the first 6 months was tough... really tough and I was pretty miserable for most of it.  Things have slowly been getting better and a couple of months ago a member of staff (who was quite literally a waste of space and really should never have been working there in the first place) finally left before having to face a disciplinary hearing.  From the moment she left the atmosphere lightened and things were really beginning to look up.  People were actually happy and content again.. including me.  For the first time in over a year I went back to work after a week's annual leave and not one person complained about anything.  It was fantastic and a real turning point.

 

Yeah, I should have known it wasn't going to last.

 

Three days later a member of staff asked to talk to me in private and other issues were raised.  However, my boss, rather than dealing with said issues is taking the easy way out and moving people from different teams/shifts to avoid certain people having to work with each other.  Which on the one hand is fine, but doesn't actually tackle the issues.  Not to mention there are two sides to every story so at the very least he should at least be talking to the people concerned, but nope, not going to happen.  Now that everyone is aware there are going to be changes, other people are getting unhappy and I just know things are going to spiral out of control real fast.  I've been thinking about potentially asking to give up the promotion I was given because I just can't stand the thought of becoming as unhappy as I was previously, but on the one hand would I be shooting myself in the foot because the job itself (as in the additional workload) is fine and dandy, I just can't be bothered having to be involved in the staffing issues?  I don't really know what to do to be honest.  I don't even know if my bosses would even allow me to give up the promotion so I'm thinking of asking if it's possible before making a final decision.

 

Anyway, sorry for the rant.  Just wanted to let you know why I haven't been very active lately. Hope everyone is having a better time of it than me.  I have to play catch up with the end of the last thread and this one!

Edited October 16, 2016 by Autumn

[lauraloves]

I've been very busy the last few days! We have finally sited the in-laws caravan ready to move around here which is brilliant I cant wait to get into a house! So on the back of that now that the caravan is sited and the container is due for delivery on Tuesday we can finally start to move around. Weve been and ordered some funiture this week as all of ours is built in and I cant wait to have a proper sofa etc! I've also been packing up everything that we dont use very often so that I dont have too much to do once we can move in - its amazing how much stuff you have when you start packing up! I've ground to a halt now as I've run out of boxes!

 

Also its my little ones 2nd birthday on the 25th so I've been wrapping presents in the evenings as I dont know whether we will be in the caravan or the house at that point!

[Athena]

Had another rude awakening last night - our burglar alarm went off at 1.20! Turns out there was some sort of power cut, as other lights eg oven clock were flashing, and I could hear other people's alarms going too, but I had such a shock awakening I was actually shaking afterwards

That must have been scary !

 

Sorry I haven't been around much over the last week or two but everything at work is kicking off again and to be honest I just can't be bothered doing anything at the moment. [...]

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Just wanted to let you know why I haven't been very active lately. Hope everyone is having a better time of it than me. I have to play catch up with the end of the last thread and this one!

Good luck with your work situation! I hope it will stay doable .

 

I've been very busy the last few days! We have finally sited the in-laws caravan ready to move around here which is brilliant I cant wait to get into a house! So on the back of that now that the caravan is sited and the container is due for delivery on Tuesday we can finally start to move around. Weve been and ordered some funiture this week as all of ours is built in and I cant wait to have a proper sofa etc! I've also been packing up everything that we dont use very often so that I dont have too much to do once we can move in - its amazing how much stuff you have when you start packing up! I've ground to a halt now as I've run out of boxes!

 

Also its my little ones 2nd birthday on the 25th so I've been wrapping presents in the evenings as I dont know whether we will be in the caravan or the house at that point!

It's nice you are finally moving! I hope you'll love the house . Good luck with packing!

I share a birthday with your little one. I hope your little one has a great birthday !

 

I had a nice weekend. I read a lot (it was the read-a-thon), which was fun. I talked with my sister, she is doing well. I spent some time with Michael, that was nice. I made brownies (they were delicious). I did a lot of chores (that wasn't so enjoyable but I'm glad it's all done).

 

I hope everyone else had a nice weekend .

[Flip Martian]

Autumn - I would think long and hard before opting to give up a promotion (even if that's do-able). Dealing with staffing issues is 1 of those things that often comes with promotion. I had a few when I was promoted once and its just something you have to grit your teeth with. Why let those stop you doing the rest of the job and reaping the rewards (presumably it involved a pay rise)? Its something that comes with the territory - if the rest of the job is ok, don't let 1 small part of it spoil it.

[Autumn]

Autumn - I would think long and hard before opting to give up a promotion (even if that's do-able). Dealing with staffing issues is 1 of those things that often comes with promotion. I had a few when I was promoted once and its just something you have to grit your teeth with. Why let those stop you doing the rest of the job and reaping the rewards (presumably it involved a pay rise)? Its something that comes with the territory - if the rest of the job is ok, don't let 1 small part of it spoil it.

 

Believe me I have been thinking long and hard about whether giving up the promotion is the right thing to do or not.  It's been on mind on and off for months and I have kept putting off taking it any further or even broaching the subject with anyone because there is a huge part of me that doesn't want to give it up because I think I've done a pretty good job in very difficult cirucmstances over the past year.  But at the same time I'm not prepared to go down the road of being miserable all the time, which is what I was 6 months ago.  I love my job, I love my bosses (I have one immediate supervisor and 6 bosses who own the business), they have always been really good to me.  I also love (for the most part) my team of staff; we get on really well, especially now that the 'problem' staff member has left.  But the thing is the staffing issues I'm having to deal with (or at least be a part of) is NOT part of my job and never has been a part of it even before I took over.  My predecessors never had to deal with it, certainly not to this extent anyway.  It's sort of been foisted on me and it's not something I have ever been comfortable with because at the end of the day I work with these people on a day-to-day basis (they're my friends) so it puts me in a really awkward position.

 

I had a good chat with one of the actual owners today, rather than my immediate boss, and she's totally on my side with the whole situation and is going to discuss it with the others so we shall see what happens.  I feel better now that I've discussed it with one of them, although I was a little surprised that she didn't know there were further issues!! 

[Flip Martian]

That's good then. Never assume everyone knows what's going on - often not the case at all. Definitely more awkward if its not part of your job. However, it can be awkward when friends are also under you. Ultimately one would hope they respect you enough to understand you're talking to them with your manager hat on, and separate that from you as a person. Hope it works out, anyway!

[Nollaig]

Applied for a job I don't want to do and probably won't get for the tiny chance of financial stability. Life is such fun.

[Athena]

Applied for a job I don't want to do and probably won't get for the tiny chance of financial stability. Life is such fun.

I'm not sure whether to hope you get it, or not.

[Nollaig]

I'm not sure whether to hope you get it, or not.

 

Neither do I, honestly.

[shirley]

Why is it that when you start sorting through things you make a bigger mess before you see day light.  More stuff to go through this weekend but at least feeling a bit stronger as I am sleeping better and not so tired all the time.

 

Mind you with the dark mornings coming and dark evenings when driving home from work think I will have to get the heat lamp out again and start using it.

 

Hope you get the job Nollaig if that is what you really want.

[Flip Martian]

Applied for a job I don't want to do and probably won't get for the tiny chance of financial stability. Life is such fun.

 

Only way around that is to treat the job as a job and your life outside as your real life - and fill that with the good stuff. Makes the bit at work more bearable when you know it doesn't define you.

 

God, I sound old lol. But its true.

[Nollaig]

Only way around that is to treat the job as a job and your life outside as your real life - and fill that with the good stuff. Makes the bit at work more bearable when you know it doesn't define you.

 

God, I sound old lol. But its true.

 

That's pretty much what I've always done, which is why I went against everyone's advice to do what makes me happy, not financially stable.

[Peacefield]

I hope you find something that makes you happy AND financially stable, Noll .  To do what you truly love doing and get paid for it is a gift.  For the last 17 years I've just had a 'job' rather than a fulfilling career and while it's great to be financially stable, am I really happy?  These are the things I think about lately, especially now that I'm about to be laid off.  My original end-date was 11 November and now I've been extended to 9 December because the transition to the outsourced company isn't going well.  Surprise, surprise!

 

I've been busy packing lately and will be moving on Halloween, so I won't be online for awhile until I get settled.  I hope everyone has an excellent rest of October and if anyone has any spare positive vibes that you can send my way I would very much appreciate it!   

[Nollaig]

*positive vibes* Marcia. Good luck with moving! I agree, it's a gift to love what pays your bills. I just want a quiet, stress-free job. I don't have to love it. But this job would be training people, and I hate training. Sure look, I'll go with whatever comes my way, it's all we can do.

[Autumn]

I just want a quiet, stress-free job.

 

That's what I'd like to.  Go to work, do my job, come home at the end of the day and forget about it until the next.  I'm just not sure a quiet, stress-free job actually exists.

[Nollaig]

That's what I'd like to.  Go to work, do my job, come home at the end of the day and forget about it until the next.  I'm just not sure a quiet, stress-free job actually exists.

 

That's probably true, unfortunately.

[Talisman]

I have certainly never had one like that. Everyone I know seems to be going through the mill just lately, both on and offline, and I feel for every single one of you.

 

Things at my work seemed to be getting a bit more positive for a while, and at last I seem to be sleeping better and feel a lot more stable in myself. I should have known it was too good to last!

 

Some of you may recall that at the beginning of September I asked for a pay rise. I hadn't heard anything at all since then, so on Monday went to HR to ask them. It turns out that they had a discussion with my Manager re this several weeks ago where they decided they are not going to give me anything, but for reasons best known to them did not tell me about this. To say I was and am angry and pissed off is an understatement. What they are basically saying is that all the extra stuff I have done falls under the remit of what they term as "other appropriate duties". This is though just a get out clause to wriggle out of giving me anything. So, I have sent them a long email basically saying that's what you think and detailing every single thing I have done. There is a lot of other stuff going on as well which I won't go into too much detail about, but suffice to say it has all been put in writing and will now have to be dealt with.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Talisman

[Autumn]

I'm so sorry you're going through so much crap at work just now, Talisman.  I feel your pain, I really do.  There is nothing worse than being miserable at work.  Been there, done that.

 

My job situation has improved somewhat since my chat with one of the owners on Tuesday.  All the owners and my immediate supervisor had a meeting yesterday and I'm not sure what was said but I was called into a 40 minute meeting with my immediate supervisor and was basically told that the changes to the teams/shifts, which was pretty much a done deal two days ago, are now not going to happen.  Oh, and the staffing issues I was having to deal with are now (hopefully) not going to be my concern anymore which is even better news.  I was also told that I'm good at my job and that everything I do is really appreciated by everyone (him, the owners and my colleagues) which I have to admit was nice to hear.  It's not often we get any feedback unless it's negative and it's nice to feel appreciated now and again.  Mind you they could just be telling me what they think I want to hear to calm the situation down, rather than face the upheaval of me giving it up and having to find someone to replace me.

 

I never actually got an answer as to whether giving up the promotion was an option or not but we'll see how things go over the next few months and I'll take it from there.

 

Friday tomorrow, yay!!

[Athena]

I've been busy packing lately and will be moving on Halloween, so I won't be online for awhile until I get settled.  I hope everyone has an excellent rest of October and if anyone has any spare positive vibes that you can send my way I would very much appreciate it!   

 

Good luck with moving! I'll be sending positive vibes your way .

 

Some of you may recall that at the beginning of September I asked for a pay rise. I hadn't heard anything at all since then, so on Monday went to HR to ask them. It turns out that they had a discussion with my Manager re this several weeks ago where they decided they are not going to give me anything, but for reasons best known to them did not tell me about this. To say I was and am angry and pissed off is an understatement. What they are basically saying is that all the extra stuff I have done falls under the remit of what they term as "other appropriate duties". This is though just a get out clause to wriggle out of giving me anything. So, I have sent them a long email basically saying that's what you think and detailing every single thing I have done. There is a lot of other stuff going on as well which I won't go into too much detail about, but suffice to say it has all been put in writing and will now have to be dealt with.

 

How ridiculous that they didn't tell you about their decision. Were they hoping you'd forget?! Good luck dealing with the situation .

 

My job situation has improved somewhat since my chat with one of the owners on Tuesday.  All the owners and my immediate supervisor had a meeting yesterday and I'm not sure what was said but I was called into a 40 minute meeting with my immediate supervisor and was basically told that the changes to the teams/shifts, which was pretty much a done deal two days ago, are now not going to happen.  Oh, and the staffing issues I was having to deal with are now (hopefully) not going to be my concern anymore which is even better news.  I was also told that I'm good at my job and that everything I do is really appreciated by everyone (him, the owners and my colleagues) which I have to admit was nice to hear.  It's not often we get any feedback unless it's negative and it's nice to feel appreciated now and again.  Mind you they could just be telling me what they think I want to hear to calm the situation down, rather than face the upheaval of me giving it up and having to find someone to replace me.

I'm glad things seem to be looking up more for your job .

 

It's my birthday next week and while the celebration with a lot of my family members isn't until November, I'm doing a little something for my birthday with my boyfriend and my parents, so we're doing shopping for that.

 

My brother is doing well on his world trip. He is still in the U.S. but he should be coming home soon, in the beginning of November. He's currently in Indiana and they're making their way to New York City to then transport everything to France and from there drive back home in Eindhoven. I'm so proud of him and will be glad to see him home safe.