Oases, Below-the-Radar, Culture, and Fireworks

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show...(the opening lines of David Copperfield as written by Charles Dickens;inspired by MTM). Or at least this ACCOUNT will, perhaps, have a reflection on whether I'm going to be the hero in my own life.

...And I'm on tonight
You know my hips don't lie
And I'm starting to feel it's right
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see baby, this is perfection~~~Hips Don't Lie; Shakira

An interesting week; no doubt. And of course, Fridays always seem to put an additional slant on perceptions and perspectives; especially those that may exist in a tickler-file. Now certainly, that is probably a term one hasn't been seen. or heard of, in awhile~~~tickler-file. In the pre-INFORMATION-TECHNOLOGY days, that was a format to identify projects and initiatives that were in suspended-animation.

So check this out!!! I get a call Friday afternoon from 'Chris' of the Niagara Falls Airport. Some time ago I had sent them a Resume & a Cover Letter. They are looking for an operations specialist and were offering me the position. I thanked Debbie and Chris for considering me. I went on to advise them that I am already involved in an endeavor~~~and respectfully declined the offer.

It is interesting how that works. One is scrambling for over two years to try to find something that one can hang their hat unto. And one is just grinding it out in this lonely and desolate desert. The grinding is taking such a toll, that it is starting to affect one mentally, spiritually, and physically from a health stand-point. Just as one might think that they are about to expire; lo-and-behold~~~three oases become evident.

So in this new endeavor that I am involved with, I'm in a public-service office-setting. And there are many, many people that conduct business here. Some are full-time, and some are part-time capacity. Some have been with this operation for a long time and some have come on board more recently. And it is a mix of males~~~and females; young and older. Through all of this, I'm just trying to stay below the radar screen as I am trying to figure, and then fit into, the culture.

A close friend very recently cautions me on personal-computer use while on duty. I am cautioned to not be leaving any 'paper-trails'. Over these past three weeks involved in this endeavor, I have learned enough navigating skills that I have been going on the computer for a couple of brief moments to check email~~~and then CLOSE-out the internet connection. And I haven't even gone into FACEBOOK. Keep in mind what I just said. I don't TAB the internet connection, so that in effect, it is up and running all day~~~I OPEN it; thence CLOSE it.

So I come into my endeavor Thursday morning. I'm in early; not even all the lights are on yet. I dutifully crank up my data-entry sites that are assigned for me to do my editing with. I get started on a few of these NR applications and since it is still quiet, I minimize my data-entry sites, and open the Internet. I answer a couple of emails, and delete my spam, and CLOSE the internet. By 9:30AM, the place is at full-throttle. At this point one of the Office Managers; we have two, wants to discuss with all the office personnel a VERBAL-WARNING, in a discussion format. The office is laid out with a series of quads, whereby four people are together, separated by shortened dividers. What quad does she come to first??? Our quad. As she begins her 'discussion', which divider does she slip into to 'embrace' our group??? Right!!! Mine!!! Keep in mind, while she is discussing, she is also smart enough to recognize what activity is evident on the computer. Boy did I look good!!!! No internet TAB existed.

Check this out!!! She informs us that we MUST KEEP OUR INTERNET ACTIVITY TO WORK-RELATED CIRCUMSTANCES ONLY. We are to open the internet, google our needs, and CLOSE the internet immediately. Apparently, because some people open the internet, and then TAB it open for the rest of the day, the public-service IT gurus are interpreting that the internet is being used all day---instead of working. And guess what; our public-service area is apparently one of the most abusive areas regarding this alleged excessive internet activity. Needless-to-say, the two commissioners that oversee this public-service entity, are upset. The office manager spends the morning conveying these instructions and concerns to everyone.

The morning moves along to the lunch-break time. As I mentioned earlier, I'm too new to know the personalities, and the deep-seeded reasons~~~but two of the veteran associates, blow-up at each other!! I mean, it is the beginning of the New Year, for crying-out-loud. These two are going toe-to-toe with verbal diatribes, and I actually thought at one point, that they were going to come to blows. But they at least were heads-up to walk away from each other.

The two office managers intervene and try to talk 'some-sense' into both of the gentlemen. And now, a certain pall; chill, a sudden numbing dread falls over the whole place. One could have certainly heard a pin drop.

So what does the guy whom sits in the divider quad next to me do???? Keep in mind, he is now on his lunch so he THINKS it is alright. He opens up the INTERNET on his computer, and finds this NEW YEARS FIREWORKS jingle with this youthful voice doing this incantation~~~Three, Two, One---Happy New Year!!!!!!! To add insult to injury, he decides to turn-up the volume!! The Office Manager, who had lectured us just this morning on casual internet use is just getting back from lunch, and is taking off her coat~~~and is now freaking-out. She screams to shut it off, and springs over to his station to remind him of the early morning discussion regarding casual internet use. I thought she was going to send him home. She didn't, but I'll tell you what---the rest of the afternoon, was the most quiet afternoon, I had witnessed up to this point.

The end of Thursday, couldn't get there quick enough, for me!!!

I'll tell you what!!! I'm staying under the radar screen for as long as I possibly
can.
--{-=@
Hickok
The Promise