Wow. We finally made it to Friday. Only 6 hours until I can go home for the weekend. I don't know why, but this week has been the longest one yet. I think it's because the secretary who sits next to me has been out, and I've been covering her two attorneys on top of my two attorneys. It's not that there's too much work, 'cause there isn't really. I think it's because it's thrown the rhythm of my day off. I think we all create patterns in our lives that make it seem as if everything is going along smoothly. When we have to make changes or additions to those patterns, it disrupts the harmony we've created. That's what this week has been like for me.
Don't get me wrong. I do love the challenge of new things. I just don't like how "off" it makes me feel. It seems like I've been a step or two behind all week. And having to cope with two new people and their little foibles doesn't help. Especially since their secretary has spoiled them so! But then, I spoil my folks, too. I guess it's just that once you've worked with someone for a while, you get to know exactly how they like things done, and they get to know just how far they can push you. When you have to deal with new folks, there's an awkwardness to your communication. I mean, I know that I'm one of the best legal secretaries in this town, but Steve and Brad don't quite know that yet, so they're always double and triple checking things with me. Brad even seemed surprised when one of the items he gave me was already finished. He thought I'd have questions for him. I didn't. I just took care of it.
Things have gotten more relaxed as the week has worn on. However, Brad has started taking advantage of the fact that I'm here later than his regular secretary, who leaves at 4:20 every day. See, I usually take the 6:38 train home, but I get off work at 5:00. So I usually sit at my desk playing solitaire or reading the newspaper until about 6:10. It's warmer and more comfortable than the train station. And while I may still be at my desk after 5:00, I actually clock out at 5:00, and I'm not being paid for that extra time that I'm here. Brad doesn't seem to grasp that concept. He has been coming up to me almost every day after 5:00 with work to do. I finally told him yesterday that, just because I'm still here, doesn't mean I'm still working. As a matter of fact, I usually shut down all of my programs except Explorer right after 5:00, so I would have to open them back up in order to do a letter for him. I think he finally understands.
Oh well, hopefully today is the last day I have to take care of these guys. I'm hoping that Anne (their secretary) will be back on Monday, but she might not be. She has pleurisy, which is an inflammation of the sack around the lungs, and that takes a little while to get over. If she isn't here, maybe there will be desk coverage available, and I'll be able to hand off her folks to them.
Anyway, that can wait until Monday. Today, though, is FRIDAY. And I can look forward to two whole days of not coming into the office. Hurray!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Capsizing to the Right
Okay. It looks like Mr. Alito is going to be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, despite the misgivings that many people have. It is just another step to the right, but it is one that could have far reaching consequences. Forget about Roe v. Wade, let's concentrate on all of the personal freedoms that we currently hold dear. Once Mr. Alito joins the crew, we will all be very much in jeopardy of losing our privacy. According to the three briefs of the soon-to-be Associate Justice that I've had an opportunity to read so far, the Constitution doesn't really give us any rights of privacy. I am very much afraid that what we've found out lately about W ordering eavesdropping on private citizens without court order is only going to be the tip of the iceberg.
The last time this country moved so far to the right, we ended up fighting a civil war. The ultra-conservatives of the mid-nineteenth century supported slavery and wanted government out of our everyday lives. The one thing they had in common with today's ultra-conservative, though, is that they, too, believed that only those who agreed with them were true patriots. All others were suspect. I find it ironic that the current ultra-conservative movement has moved so far back in time to find their ideals. They didn't work then, and they are not going to work now.
The biggest difference between what happened just prior to the Civil War and what is happening now is that women couldn't vote then. We can vote now, much to the chagrin of Mr. Bush and his cohorts. I firmly believe that the women of this country have finally had enough of George W, Tricky Dicky, Rummy, and their friends. I look forward to the November elections this year, when I firmly hope that the voters of this country will finally return some sanity to Capital Hill. If we do not, then all of those steps to the right will eventually capsize our Ship of State.
The last time this country moved so far to the right, we ended up fighting a civil war. The ultra-conservatives of the mid-nineteenth century supported slavery and wanted government out of our everyday lives. The one thing they had in common with today's ultra-conservative, though, is that they, too, believed that only those who agreed with them were true patriots. All others were suspect. I find it ironic that the current ultra-conservative movement has moved so far back in time to find their ideals. They didn't work then, and they are not going to work now.
The biggest difference between what happened just prior to the Civil War and what is happening now is that women couldn't vote then. We can vote now, much to the chagrin of Mr. Bush and his cohorts. I firmly believe that the women of this country have finally had enough of George W, Tricky Dicky, Rummy, and their friends. I look forward to the November elections this year, when I firmly hope that the voters of this country will finally return some sanity to Capital Hill. If we do not, then all of those steps to the right will eventually capsize our Ship of State.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Mondays
I don't know why, but I have a really hard time with Mondays. I have to force myself to get up, get dressed and go to work on Mondays. I'm always down on Mondays, too. No matter how much fun I have on the weekend, when Monday comes, I find myself depressed. Is it because I long for the day when I no longer have to get up at 5:30 am to go to work? I don't know.
To tell the truth, I really like my job. I'm a legal secretary who specializes in Litigation. And when I'm busy, I really get a rush out of keeping everything going and in the correct order. When I'm preparing a document for an attorney, and I find a subtle grammatical error, or unclear sentence, I discuss it with the attorney. Most of the time I'm right, and that makes me feel really good. And on those occasions when I'm incorrect, I still feel good because I've learned something new!
I like the folks I work with. I've been with my main assignment for nearly ten years (and two law firms). He's an absolute dear. And most of the other lawyers I've worked with have been good, too. (So far, only one bad apple in the bunch, as far as I'm concerned.) I also enjoy working with the other secretaries and find that we all have the same strange type of humor (what do you call 1000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start).
So why is it, then, that I have so much trouble with Mondays.
I'm beginning to think that it's not so much the beginning of the work week, but the end of the weekend that bothers me. Maybe if we just didn't work on Mondays, I would feel better. I don't think having only two days for the weekend is enough. I, for one, spend Saturday running around, trying to get all of my errands done as quickly as possible. I try to keep Sunday for rest whenever possible. But all of that running on Saturday has a tendency to really tire me out, so that I'm more tired on Sunday than I would have been if I hadn't run all those errands on Saturday. If I didn't have to work on Monday, then I could spread my errands out over two days and still have a day of rest.
That's it. I think we should push for the 32 hour week (8 hours, Tuesday through Friday). Then I won't have any more trouble with Mondays.
To tell the truth, I really like my job. I'm a legal secretary who specializes in Litigation. And when I'm busy, I really get a rush out of keeping everything going and in the correct order. When I'm preparing a document for an attorney, and I find a subtle grammatical error, or unclear sentence, I discuss it with the attorney. Most of the time I'm right, and that makes me feel really good. And on those occasions when I'm incorrect, I still feel good because I've learned something new!
I like the folks I work with. I've been with my main assignment for nearly ten years (and two law firms). He's an absolute dear. And most of the other lawyers I've worked with have been good, too. (So far, only one bad apple in the bunch, as far as I'm concerned.) I also enjoy working with the other secretaries and find that we all have the same strange type of humor (what do you call 1000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A good start).
So why is it, then, that I have so much trouble with Mondays.
I'm beginning to think that it's not so much the beginning of the work week, but the end of the weekend that bothers me. Maybe if we just didn't work on Mondays, I would feel better. I don't think having only two days for the weekend is enough. I, for one, spend Saturday running around, trying to get all of my errands done as quickly as possible. I try to keep Sunday for rest whenever possible. But all of that running on Saturday has a tendency to really tire me out, so that I'm more tired on Sunday than I would have been if I hadn't run all those errands on Saturday. If I didn't have to work on Monday, then I could spread my errands out over two days and still have a day of rest.
That's it. I think we should push for the 32 hour week (8 hours, Tuesday through Friday). Then I won't have any more trouble with Mondays.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
My First Blog
Who would ever have thought that I would be a Blogger?! Not me, for sure. But here I am, about to post my very first Blog. What is my Blog going to be about? I called it "Random Stitches" 'cause I'm a crafter, quilter, doll maker, etc. , and I do a lot of stitching. But that doesn't mean that this is going to just be about crafts. I see my life in many pieces, and this Blog is going to be a look at how I've kept them all together as a whole.
I don't just craft. I work full time. I volunteer. I write. And, yes, I craft. I like to meet new people and try new things. Sometimes it's hard to deal with what life throws your way, and I find that writing about it helps me to cope. Just the act of putting feelings on paper seems to help sort things out in my mind.
So here we go. Hopefully, people will not find what I have to say to be too far out. I hope they can find some humor (laughter always makes you feel better), and I hope that I can continue to polish my writing skills.
Happy Blogging!
I don't just craft. I work full time. I volunteer. I write. And, yes, I craft. I like to meet new people and try new things. Sometimes it's hard to deal with what life throws your way, and I find that writing about it helps me to cope. Just the act of putting feelings on paper seems to help sort things out in my mind.
So here we go. Hopefully, people will not find what I have to say to be too far out. I hope they can find some humor (laughter always makes you feel better), and I hope that I can continue to polish my writing skills.
Happy Blogging!
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