That's For a Change of Pace

Today, someone in another department sent an e-mail about a problem to everyone in my department (that is not the right procedure for such a thing, but what can you do). The gent who sits on the other side of the cube wall from me jumped on the problem right away. He called the merchant and left a message and, as he hung up, I heard him say to himself, "that's just rambling." He was referring to the initial e-mail that would be an English teacher's nightmare (or an English student's failing grade, depending on how you look at it).

The gent then came over to candidly vent about how many people cannot accurately communicate the situation in writing. Even poor Pat has some terrible writing habits (putting periods in the middle of sentences, random line breaks, that kind of thing. He's asked me to help him on several occasions, but he's so set in his ways it's near impossible to correct). I understand concise writing is a skill few people possess, but they still know where sentences should end, right? Correcting horrendous writing skills is not why I decided to write about this today, however.

Towards the end of our conversation, my coworker said, "I talk to you because I know you understand. You're the smartest person in the room." Well, how about that! It makes you feel good when someone has a kind thing to say about you, doesn't it? Actually, both of the guys who flank my desk were rather generous with the elevating of me today. Yes, I said "thank you."

The other gent was talking about WAM and her amazing inability to admit when she is wrong. There is a certain procedure that we have to do, and it's a pain and a half, but that's what the bosses want. I'm not in the situation to need to do this very often, but when I am, I'm sure to do it. I listened as Adolf went to everyone in the two database groups and re-instructed them on this procedure. Most just said, "oh, I forgot" but WAM said she thought that's what she was supposed to do but wasn't sure (therefore she didn't do it at all, nor stop to ask). My co-worker told me he thinks I am very thorough and is amazed that WAM takes my attempts to help her as a personal challenge (pointing out that I didn't get to level 3 for doing nothing). I must say, I was the only one that Adolf did not have to come to about correcting that procedure. That felt pretty good too.

Among rampaging mammoths and working nearly four hours overtime yesterday (that was not planned), it's nice to hear these things every now an then. I guess not everyone thinks I have ridiculous opinions. I hope I can get to bed early today.