the ongoing saga of my job 1 Comment

Transferrable Skills

I’ve spent these first three weeks at my new job mainly trying to teach myself the reporting app we use. The person who would normally be my guru is still on maternity leave. Although I’ve picked up the basics, the finer points continue to elude me. I’m so close to understanding how the damn program works, but little things keep popping up and I have to wonder WHY can’t I choose CensusSummary as my Source table OMG?!

Anyway.

There’s a project in the early stages that I’m kind of being primed to work on. A division of the company wants to have a web-based dashboard, where they can see all their normally stodgy and numberiffic reports in an easy-to-read visual format. Awesome. Yesterday, we received a document from one of the end-users, giving us a detailed representation of what said end-users would like to see. I read the document, nodded to myself, and started sketching possibilities on a legal pad (without being asked — it’s just how I do. I’m the thumbnail queen).

Not long after, I get a Microsoft Visio document via e-mail from my boss. It’s his idea of how the dashboard could be laid out. He shows up in my cube shortly after the e-mail does, and I redirect him to my cute little tabbed-browsing concept piece. He says he likes mine better, and has me work up a mockup of my version of the dashboard.

That was most of my day today. And everyone seems to like the result so far.

Yay for my design skillz! As I told my boss, “You went and got me in my element!”

But wait. There’s more.

Around 3pm today, I was approached yet again by my supervisor. It appears that there’s a report that’s been being delayed in our usual development process, and the internal customer needs the report shortly after month-end. Someone had suggested importing the data into Access and using its reporting tools. Just so happens that my boss just hired someone fresh from doing major Access reporting on a regular basis…

Got a sample report, got someone to help me connect to the database via ODBC, and got started. By quitting time, I had most of a report worked out. I’ll have to work out a few details tomorrow. The boss caught me as I was getting my coat on, and I showed him what I had. He seemed to be genuinely impressed that I’d made that much progress already, and he made comment that I’m kind of saving the day. I don’t know about that…

At any rate, I’m finally feeling like a contributor to the team, even if everyone might be going a little out of their way to let the new girl know she’s doing a great job. I’ll take it.

randomness

Mrs. Grumpy-Pants

I tried to figure out my database reporting app all day, but was still confuddled by day’s end.

I left work extremely hungry, thanks to the apparently under-nourishing lunch I packed this morning. I guess a breakfast banana, brown rice with salsa and cheese, sugar-free pudding and a small yogurt just aren’t enough to keep me going. My plans to go to aikido were therefore thwarted, being that I required more sustenance than could be had in the five minutes I’d have at home before leaving for keiko.

One bowl of whole wheat rotini and tuna later — plus a bowl of Chocolatey Special K for “dessert” — I’m feeling sated.

Now I’m cold and tired, but don’t want to go to bed too early. That just means that tomorrow’s workday would come that much sooner.

Did I mention that Aaron’s Xbox 360 red-ringed last week? That’s a good month round trip until he gets a fixed Xbox. No vegging out in the recliner with Carcassonne or Backgammon or Catan or Puzzle Fighter. It’s harder to veg out with a Wii game, since they all seem to require actual movement and interaction. 🙂

Jeebus, I’m tired.

Just say no to the call of the refrigerator…

randomness 1 Comment

Shopping Spree

Yesterday, Aaron and I went down to the local GameStop so he could pick up some used video games during their buy-2-get-1-free sale. While we were in the strip mall, we just so happened to notice that there was a clothing store next door for sizes 14 and up. Not sure how I missed that, after living in the area for almost four years, but there it was.

Since I had been saying I needed more business casual attire, and since I’d gone into the game store with Aaron, he convinced me to go into the plus size clothing store and get myself some work clothes.


Aaron actually found the stretchy black button-down shirt, and I think he saw the cable sweater first, too. I know he pointed out the red pullover (which is a darker red IRL). I wasn’t sure about the wraparound shirt, but it actually slims me quite a bit.

In addition to the four shirts, I got two microfiber underwire bras and one wireless bra. Thanks to my interest in this sports bra (before I realized it was a $65 sports bra), I’d recently re-measured myself to determine my correct bra size, which is actually an odd and difficult-to-find combination of band and cup sizes. Avenue had it, though, no problem.

I ended up spending nearly $200 on four shirts and three bras. Really, though, in the grand scheme of women’s clothes, and especially plus sizes, that’s not too bad. And now I have some classier business casual that isn’t looking like it’s past its prime.

Next time, though, I’ll have to get some pants.

randomness 1 Comment

Giving Thanks

I am thankful for my new job, which is helping me grow both personally and professionally.
I am thankful for my loving husband, who supports me in everything I do.
I am thankful for my house, in which I feel safe and at home.
I am thankful for our two cars, which help us get to work and other places.
I am thankful for my health, without which life would be a lot more stressful and uncertain.
I am thankful for my glasses, which allow me to see clearly to read and drive and live.
I am thankful for confusion, which prompts me to seek out answers.
I am thankful for the internet, which helps me locate the answers I am seeking.
I am thankful for Huntington Bank, whose acquisition of Sky Bank spurred me to seek a new job.
I am thankful for my friends, who are understanding and supportive.
I am thankful for my bed, which is much more comfortable than an air mattress or a sleeping bag.
I am thankful for my family, who reminds me who I am and where I came from.
I am thankful for Riverview Elementary, whose Gifted program first developed my interest in computers.
I am thankful for Mary (Bindis) Franzosa, who introduced me to my husband nearly 12 years ago.
I am thankful for readers who leave comments, who assure me that I am relevant and interesting.