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Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

Now for the rant. She was given a promotion to Vice Principal of Special Education. If I wasn’t so old, I’d be looking for work elsewhere.

I don’t know if you were being facetious there, Paddy, but that’s the boat I and many of my friends are in. Our work that used to be a source of pride and accomplishment have turned into little more than paychecks as we play out the last couple minutes in the 4th quarter. It’s an incredibly hard thing to adjust to -- at least I’ve found it to be so. I accept the reality of it, but not in good grace and I have to be on guard not to let my anger and frustration grow or show.

Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
4 months ago
Reply to  Just Sven

I also have other friends who are in the same boat. A good friend of mine lost his job when he was in his early 50’s and found it almost impossible to find another job. He’s now back at the company that laid him off, trying to hold on until he can retire. For me, the difference between retiring in two years vs. 5 years means an additional $7500/yr in retirement, plus three more years of full wages.

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

Coons: If you didn’t want us here, why did you invite us for this nice dinner?

Happy Thursday, GN. What fresh/stale hell awaits us today?

Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
4 months ago

Sure Happy It’s Thursday, Gerbil Nation!
Good morning, Sven!

Sven -- I wasn’t being facetious. It felt like a kick in the balls. When I spoke with HR, I told her that the SpEd director didn’t know her job or how to do her job. She agreed and said the Exec. Director came to her with the promotion saying “I know you’re not going to like this, but…”

I just have to work through these feelings, then let them go.

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

And that’s the incredibly hard part: letting them go. I grew up in companies where argument, discussion, and dissenting view points were welcome. Pointing out a problem was celebrated. It’s a completely different workplace nowadays.

It is what it is and we all are where we are, but the balancing act between doing what’s right and saying it out loud and holding on to a job for a few more months/years is really difficult.

Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
4 months ago
Reply to  Just Sven

Very true, my friend.

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

Brandon’s “Big Boy” press conference is upcoming and I’m all out of popcorn. Damnit. I’m not a huge popcorn lover, but I’ve grown fond of these guys:
https://amishcountrypopcorn.com/products/?Products=Microwave__Popcorn
You can buy on Amazon too.

Last edited 4 months ago by Just Sven
Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
4 months ago
Reply to  Just Sven

Great. Now I want popcorn. I have popcorn. I have an air popper. I don’t need popcorn.

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

Go to the Dark Side, Paddy -- we have popcorn. And cookies.

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

I attended this webinar yesterday. Don’t let the title fool you -- skip ahead if you like to the 5 minute mark. Even if you don’t know anything at all about MS 365, the first 20 minutes are insightful.

Strategies for Unlocking Knowledge Management in Microsoft 365 in the Copilot World -- Drew Madelung (youtube.com)

I used to argue with my fellow workers and management over the importance of documentation and what i would tell them is don’t call it “documentation.” What it is is information and knowledge and it is vital for any organization. If it isn’t documented, it doesn’t exist.

Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
4 months ago
Reply to  Just Sven

Very interesting. People with a problem to solve search for information and seek knowledge -- they don’t search for documentation.

How was the rest of the seminar?

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

It was good -- he covered quite a bit in an hour and he’s one guy that I can listen to.
The problem that I run into every singe day at teh bestest place ever, is that IT owns MS365 and makes decisions on what the business needs -- that’s completely backwards.
On the knowledge front, they rely almost exclusively on tribal knowledge without any standards nor organized distribution of necessary information to keep the organization intact regardless of who is working there.
It’s incredibly odd.

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

Have you noticed that Harris looks whiter than Brandon lately?

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

Joe is doing good -- they fine-tuned his meds. “Doing good” is of course relative, but good enough to keep the leftist civil war going for at least another week.

Paddy O'Furnijur
Editor
4 months ago
Reply to  Just Sven

Good. The longer, the better.

Just Sven
Editor
4 months ago

I think Brandon gets a “good job” for answering every question and deserves an ice cream cone.