HobNobbing From The Cheap Seats

A year ago I stumbled onto a project which has turned out to be the magic bullet when it comes to my career. Literally, I was in a new position for a month, and they sent out an email asking if anyone was interested in working off the phones.

I think my response was "Don't know if I've been here long enough to be considered, but I'd be interested". Apparently mine was the 2nd response they got, because two of us newbies got assigned to it, and I was given the position of "backup". I'm glad I was....because it freed up several hours a day for me to work on projects, and one of those projects has led me where I am today.

And where is that?

Over the last year, I have been the acting project manager developing a piece of software to automate & streamline a complex, labor-intensive communication process. In August of this year, in recognition of that, I was promoted to a first level Team Manager. Now this is typically a front-line position, watching over a herd of cats, errr...employees, and making sure that certain metrics get met. And it is that, to be sure, but for me, it is so much more.

This project has come with me, and we're now looking at expanding it to levels I had never imagined a year ago. I've already demo'd this for my Senior Manager and Director (people two and three levels above me), and the Director had indicated that he'd like me to show it to the VP and the head of Customer Service. Today, my Senior Manager emails me, asking me to call him on his cell. I laughed for a moment, as he genuinely expects that I have that number already.

Apparently word has gotten out, and other high level executives are interested in my program, and what it can do for ALL of our call centers. So we're going to set up a demo for them as well. These people have funding connections, so if they like what they see, budgeting money could come pouring in our direction.

I work for a VERY large corporation, with hundreds of thousands of employees. I have to wonder how many front line managers ever even talk to the level of executives that are becoming more and more prevalent on my calendar. As you can imagine, this is a lot more high profile than I ever expected to be, and very important to my chain of command.

It's exciting, and kind of scary. It's kind of like riding a shooting star and wondering where it will lead.

--BT

Twenty-Eight Miles

I've had my motorcycle for a couple of weeks now, but have not had an opportunity to ride it until today. First, I needed to make sure I had insurance on it. Then the weather soured, and I waited for it to clear. I finally had a good evening, only to discover I couldn't back it out of my space (slanted sideways on a hill, backing it UP hill using only my leg muscles since there is no reverse on a motorcycle). I had someone come over this weekend, to turn it around for me so I could use 1st gear to pull out forward instead of backing out.

Over the weekend, it became apparent that the brakes on my car needed some attention (BOY did they need attention, did I discover!), so the need to ride the motorcycle as my back-up transportation came into play. I left a note for work letting them know the car was going in the shop, and I'd be late.

I borrowed some warm riding gear from someone, and headed out to my condo, where I'm keeping the bike. As I was getting ready this morning, it was strange to realize that I was a bit trepidatious about riding it. It's a bigger bike than I've ever ridden before. I'd never gone over 20mph. All of my experience was in a controlled environment - not the semi-controlled chaos of city streets. I knew I wasn't ready for freeways, but surface streets can be equally as unpredictable. Was I ready? Could I handle this? Was it too much for me? Little questions prickled my spine.

I've used a fair bit of caution in avoiding circumstances I knew I wasn't ready for - riding in the rain, on freeways, at night - but I was surprised that I felt fear about getting on it at all. When I dropped my car off at the dealership, I asked for a ride back to my condo.......it's only a block away, but carrying helmet, gloves, backpack, fully armored fully lined motorcycle jacket, and waterproof riding pants, I didn't care to walk it. They dropped me off, and I went inside to dress.

It was now or never. The weather was perfect, I had driven the route I was going to take before, and I was in no rush to get there. If I didn't do it today, I knew I never would. With speed bumps the size of hippopotamuses, the first tenth of a mile was a little bumpy. But then the bike settled down and so did I, and my fears dissipated.

I got to take it around some sharp corners, up and down hills, numerous traffic lights, and many sharp curves. The wind whistled through my helmet, but the armored shoulder pads held my backpack firmly in place. The faster I went, the more comfortable the bike felt. I made it up to 45 mph, and by the time I got to work, I was wishing I worked further away. :)

Today was a gorgeous day here in Seattle, and the bikes began to line up at work, including mine! I went to lunch with another motorcycle enthusiast, and he said I had good riding form. He's *very* experienced, so that's definitely a great compliment to hear. Other than killing the engine nearly every time I started to move on the way to work, and trying to figure out how to make a left turn across rush hour traffic up a hill without a traffic signal on the way home, it was good.

Once I got over it, I had a blast! Now, I need, I need, I need.........riding gear, better boots, accessories for the bike, more experience, and good routes to travel. Just what I need - another expensive hobby. *lol* But the investment in protection is worth the price. If I hadn't just spent $600 on a brake job today, I'd be ready to shop.

So can you guess how far I rode today??

:)

--BT

Tal Vez

My day started much earlier than usual - 5am, and the cats were looking at me like I was interrupting their beauty sleep. Every morning this week, I have searched for reasons why I *shouldn't* call in sick. I'm not sick - just tired, actually, but I don't get the chance to catch up on my sleep. And every morning this week, I've arrived to find an email from my boss, saying he's out again today. If I didn't like the guy so much, I'd have to hate him for that. Lucky bastard. :) Of course, HE doesn't think so - he's fighting the mutant lung fungi from hell. My main co-worker has also called in sick, but at least for today, I have a replacement for him. Thank god.

So there I am, trying to learn a few things from one of the gurus in my department - things that would be a tad helpful since I'm going to be filling in for him for a couple of days. Three impromptu meetings and three bottles of water later, I've still barely had a chance to say Good Morning, and he's leaving in an hour (40 minutes, he corrected me). Ah yes.

Now this is not the only training I've had - I spent well over 40 hours learning what he does, and I do keep a hand in it now and then.....but it's been a good six months since I've touched on the fundamentals, and he's leaving in a hour. Or 40 minutes. (It actually turned out to *be* an hour, but then he was running late - Ooops!)

I now have five projects I'm working on, and/or heading up, and I thought I had a momentary lull. Two projects are rolling along pretty much without me. One is my pet project and can move at whatever pace I need. The fourth is my primary job, which I turned over to someone else for the day, and the fifth......well, that's why I was trying to soak up some rays from the expert this morning. Then something broke, and my mind went blank. I *know* what to do, I had almost everything taken care of. Then I got to one step and felt the grey matter begin to crystallize into slush.

It wasn't long after that, that I realized I'd been there over nine and a half hours, and hadn't taken lunch. Oh, don't get me wrong - I didn't go ten hours without FOOD. I just went ten hours non-stop without stopping to breathe.

As busy as I was, I still sat there on lunch and went - Did I actually *DO* anything today? Tal Vez (Perhaps.)