Where was I ?
M is officially gone and the transition was fairly smooth I reckon.
B is definitely different but so far, all is going quite okay so we can hope this will go on like this.

In a mid-professional field, it seems that I’ve heard it all these last weeks.
One person came to me explaining that she was sexually harassed by another colleague
The same person explained that she and her husband would undergo a break of undefined length.
No need to enter in the details but “WHOW”. Anyway, I’m all ears for her obviously and will try my best to ease her planning in the coming weeks !

Someone else came to me explaining that she was planning to leave her husband and his two daughters (from a previous wedding).
This one also came as a shock and quite unexpectedly I got all the details as well and tried my best to offer my support.
She asked for a two weeks leave in order to go back to France (yeah fellow French person !) and try to assess the situation so she doesn’t do any bad rushed decision.

JW and myself got a meeting with the sexual harasser. He was/seemed dumbstruck but not this much I think. I can feel the politician in him. Nonetheless he got the message that this kind of comment would not have to come back to our ears once again … com’on !

Today though, at work !
I don’t mind even if it’s a bank holiday. At least, this is one of these calm days both on the roads and at the office so all in all, this is pleasant.

Allez Happy Birthday to Babylon as well.
One year of naggings … can’t be missed really !
And of course, to my God Father and to Ilah
Cheers

23-X1942 (Chicago) - 4-XI-2008 (Los Angeles)

Amazing …
While was relieved this morning not to have any email from MH but also no fair explanation from V and while the day was going on quite okay, M arrived asking me to detail my “daily breakdown”. Aghast, to say the least, he then explained that CJ was asking him that, somehow in relation with SB, back in France.
Aghast and shocked and puzzled.
Why in God’s name does she or he need this ?
M explained that this was a geo-political game between CJ and SB ; SB trying to show her control and power while the one that matters is actually CJ.
Okay.
But guess who’s in the middle ? Who’s the sad peon being targeted unfairly ?
M said that I had excellent recommendations and blah blah blah. Yes, but what if, in order to prove some cockish point, SB tries her very best in order to sacrifice me ?
M is there for his last week. Who’ll protect me afterwards ?
Frankly, I’m fed up.
She’s seemingly the worst manager I’ve ever encountered. She’s unable to play a fair and transparent game. She lies and stabs in an amazing non-flushing manner.
All in all, I don’t care. She can be the way she wants, but I don’t understand why this week, I’m the one to shoot …

What a crazy week !
Monday – F*nn*sh Day
Didn’t see anything of it. Arrived a bit after noon and almost right away, got asked to drive A to the hospital. She’s had a cancer a couple of years ago but she’s still in remission and has all in all a weak health and she wasn’t exactly 100% (cramps all over, pains, throwing up, etc).
Drove her and we spent more than three hours there to hear that whatever this was a cold.
Yeah.
*Coughs*

Tuesday – Country Day
L. is pregnant and asked if could drive her to the pharmacy for a little emergency.
M. told that I should walk around the department with a siren on top of my head but agreed to let me go.
For the rest, many brought all sorts of food from their country and this was very good and fun.

Wednesday – African Day
African food was amazing and got a general and massive consensus.
This was a fun day.

Thursday – Black & White Day
All dressed in black and white, with pizza’s and Italian’s delicatessen to share.
All was cool until MH asked about an escalation.
Background.
While at the Centerparcs, V. made a mess up out of the skills.
Mir tried then her best to solve some and all was thought to be fine.
One week later, people came to me explaining that they couldn’t process with their job.
Got asked to do an escalation which I did but being not fully aware of the skills mess and anyway thinking that this part was fine, I didn’t double check.
And yesterday, we found out, with Mir that the skills messed up by V. was the cause and solution of the escalation.
We solved it all but now MH is asking what happened and what’s the root of the issue.
So let’s be clear. I refused to answer to this maniac. Why ? I don’t want to take the fire for something I actually didn’t do in the first place.
V. agreed with sending an explanation (thank god !!!??) but when I left yesterday, it still hadn’t been done.

Friday – Early Halloween Day
Not going to work today : catching up for the 6 days in a row from last week.
The works for the humidity in the little back kitchen are done and we still need to remove the damage gyproc so the walls can dry faster (might though take up to 10 months !!).
We also went to town so I could get my new ID card.
In the meantime, can’t help but worrying about this damn mail V. has to send.
Somehow, no consequences should issue from there unless MH wants unions to unleash on him.
But in the meantime, I still hope she does take her responsibilities for doing something regarding her team that she didn’t follow up and that she didn’t solve either.
I’m too tired….

The weekend was ridiculously short …
Worked 6 days in a row then and could enjoy only the Sunday of resting time.
Should manage to get my recup day somewhere this week which is also quite convenient as we have a handful of contractors coming over. So well, all in all ….
TIRED but for the good cause ?
Can only hope for it and can only hope that this week will run smoother than the previous one. At least, this week will have a theme : the Happy Week.
Don’t ask. We’ll know if this actually was one only on Friday evening.
And …
Gotta go, GSM is ringing … again … gotta love Mondays when you are on late shift :oþ

Frankly, slimes are pissing me off.
Still trying to remain as diplomatic as possible without taking one to beat out the other one but jeez … grow up people !!!!!!!!
Okay, guys it’s not good at the moment and I’m very sorry but you need to work a little bit more on a consistency wave.
In a word, let’s be rational.

Oh My God !!! Even more work ???
Not what was said …
Oh My God !!! What do we get in exchange ???
Euh, what ? The satisfaction to accomplish properly what you are paid for I suppose …
Oh My God !!! I feel faint, I’m shaking with stress, I need to go home
O—-kay … thanks for coming and jeopardizing your own job.

Voilà, in substance what these people think day in-day out.
This is also getting on my nerves because if anyone in this story has any kind of actual and heavy pressure, this V. and myself, not these precious lambs.

So today promises to be fun.
V. is off so I’ll be alone for about 100 persons and I’ll probably spend the day with M. and G. and why not B. on my back until 21u (bond to do the late shift today).
Woohoo.

V. calmed down and we set up a new strategy together while facing a growing maddening pressure.
I think that it’s partly real and partly imposed on another level, but whatever the origin is, we still have to deal with it, before the end of the month.
With the plan in place this should be doable, as long as all are equal in their approach of the deal.
The draft has been done today.
Of course, there are still many external events that could come and interfere in there, but once again, which choice do we have ?
*Sighs*
This is all in all, no fun period.
This is almost inconceivable how euphoria can leave place to burdened worries in a matter of minutes.
*Sighs*
So, let’s be straight forward, what’s the planning for the rest of the week
Tomorrow : roll-out
Friday : go live
Saturday : work duty
Sunday : rest ?
Monday : start of the “Happy Week” ha ha ha
…
Was it mentioned already that along with the “Happy Week” would be coming the big boss of Nk ?
…
Didn’t think so.

Once again, the first thing that would come in mind to sum up today would be : ARGH !
Today was as dense as yesterday with a touch of straight annoyance.
S found that was not strict enough and nagged towards AS … cute … too bad she doesn’t know the meaning of diplomacy in French sentences.
Am incredibly annoyed at the guts she proved to have but once again, bending down is the only solution here.
Only hope that will not have any kind of plotting consequences …
Cannot honestly fathom it but S is the kind of person who likes to appear better than she is and tries to trick in order to achieve this. Some are aware of her way of conducting affairs but all are not like AS …

But this was one thing. V was amazingly annoying today and kept complaining and making comments not to mention critics and all and everything.
Christ !
Do realize that she is and remains my mentor and can’t thank her enough for all she did but com’on … grow up already !
Gosh.

So all in all, left 1u30 too late, had to endure a massive traffic, arrived at home, it was almost 20u and then, do have to keep in mind that tomorrow will be as intense.
Hope though to finish my personal backlog by tomorrow so this helps to move forward in a more constructive way.

Going on vacation is always a fun option ; the going back can be quite a challenge.
This has obviously nothing to do with the early wake-up nor even the Monday morning traffic on the E40.
Nope.
What creepped me out were the 400 emails I had to read and react to.
To be honest, 200 are still remaining and they will certainly wait until tomorrow.
Reading emails was not the only thing that could be done.
Emergency meetings, naggings, organization nightmares … all came crushing in a matter of minutes … seconds.
But this is part of the job. job that is now officially labeled.
My evaluation is indeed in the hands of HR (I *coughs*casually*coughs* checked) and all the paperwork has been processed.
Finally, this is at least one burden removed from my shoulders.
Now, I still have to work on some managerial aspects and V. will help me on this … I hope that by the end of the year or at most by the end of the first year, I can if not master, at least, swim easily within some necessary principles.

With all of this, Guillaume Depardieu passed away.
He was 37 years old …

Holidays are already almost over and as usual, had to spend them being sick.
Just bleh.
This was nonetheless a busy week.
Monday morning already, the schedule was heavily loaded. The change of address is now official after the visit to the CityHall. This was a good thing to have done and that we’d had pending for a little while already but what wasn’t my surprise when I was also explained that I would be getting a new ID card.
Sweet.
It’ll be pretty much the same but for the swap from paper to e-card.
Okay then. We also got a haircut, made a few needed expenses and off we went towards the greenish Limburg.
Sadly enough, no pictures could be taken this year as the delivery of my new battery hadn’t happened yet but oh well … The Centerparcs is nothing new for us anymore. Little bonus for this year : renovations being ongoing in the two-persons châlets, we got offered to stay in a five-persons one ! That was cool and still pretty close to the Dome. We also got blessed with a wonderful sunny weather which was quite a relief after the tons of water that got poured in Aalst last Sunday.
Good times anyway and definitely with the SPA session that we indulged to ourselves.
We arrived back in Aalst yesterday, early in the afternoon.
Even there, we had a lot to do. My battery arrived so we went to pick it up and we also had to do many little things throughout the day.
One big event that startled yesterday was that last Monday (once we were already on the road of course), M sent my evaluation asking for some comments before this could be processed with. Yesterday afternoon, after apologizing for the delay, I confirmed by email that I had no further comment. He answered a little moment later explaining that he already sent it to our HR department anyhow. Ironic … I spent two months waiting for this thing and this is when I’m not around that he sends it without even discussing the evaluation with me … O.O Bon, I don’t mind one millisecond considering it’s a good evaluation, but still … Anyway, I’ll hear soon enough if this has been processed yes or not. HR also has a certain tendancy to lose things … so this is yet again something I’ll have to check but with some luck, this never ending story is finally ending.

Oh and today is Babylon’s bday … 11 months already