More work crap...

Who are these people that like their workplaces and how do I become one of those people? That’s the question that I have had on my mind now for a long time running, like for weeks on end now. OK, no not weeks, make that months. My workplace sucks. I know that it sucks more than yours does, I guarantee it. For those of you out there looking for a job, and using a recruiter, by all means, if they call you ask if you would like to work for a company called GKN, just be like Nancy Regan, and just say no. You’ll be better off for it. Trust me on that one. Now there was a time, a time indeed when I liked, well, like is a strong word, but I didn’t mind heading into work every single day. I came in, did my job, had a few stressful moments here and there, and then went home at the end of the day, rode the bike for awhile, had a shower, hung out with friends, and then went to bed and repeated the next day. It wasn’t a bad life, not that my life is bad now, but work is a monster in the closet, and it’s killing me. OK, not killing me, but making me one unhappy boy. And when Tommy is unhappy, well, life in general is just not that happy. So I’ve resigned myself to yet again start looking for new job opportunities this weekend. Yes, I’m going to look again. I’ve said it before, and never followed through, but now, I’m at the end of my rope, and just about everyone else around me is looking for a new position here and there, and trying their damndest to get out of there ASAP. When the exodus does happen, it’s going to be sudden, and it’s going to be extensive. There are going to be a lot of people left holding the bag, and when the exodus does happen, I personally don’t want to be one of the folks left holding the bag. That would be a fate worse than death, because now instead of doing the job of 2 people, it would be more like 3 or 4. That would be super. Yeah, maybe it wouldn’t be super. I am betting that they wouldn’t be paying me the same as 3 or 4 people, I’d still be making the same low ass wages that I’m pulling in now. OK, maybe I’m not making low wages, actually I’m doing OK, but I should still be making more for the experience that I have and frankly the time that I put in at the office and in the plant. My health has taken a hit for it, because right now, when I come home from work, last thing I normally want to do is to exercise, and the times that I have been getting home allow me to not exercise actually. The days leave me drained. More from an emotional and frustration level than from actual physical exertion, but stress is tiring.

The stress from work of course carries over into my regular life as well, since I’m stressed at work and thinking about it almost all of the time, this leaves little time for that thing that everyone needs, sleep. Yes, I’m a raging insomniac these days, and no matter what I do, I can’t shake it really. I take some good sleep drugs once in awhile, but I don’t want to take too much of that, especially since it makes me feel funny, which is a good and bad thing. Funny feelings good, no bad feeling hangover good, and, well, what was the bad side again? Oh yeah, the narcotic effect of some of those drugs in that they can pull you in and hook you, so I use sparingly, and only when I’ve not gotten good sleep for several nights in a row. Since I am in the realm of quality for work, bottom line, and root cause of most of my problems in life is work. Pure and simple, contribution to the problems? I stake it at 100% No doubt. Would a new job solve all of my problems? Hell no it wouldn’t, but it wouldn’t be a bad start at all. It might relieve some of the symptoms at least for a short while. And even if a new job just takes the edge off, well, I’m all for it. What I really need to do is to move out of automotive, but recruiters don’t seem to follow my line of reasoning. Why? They ask. Why do you want to get out of automotive? Well chief, have you ever worked in a quality department for a tier one automotive supplier for over 10 years? I have, and honestly, it’s starting to suck. Are there other options for me within the same company that I work for now? I don’t think so. Not that I can see. I want a little less stress, a little less workload, and the same or more money. Does this sound like an ideal situation? You bet your ass it does, and maybe somewhere I can make it work. Myself, and just about everyone else around me at work, save a few very “special” people are doing a lot more work, with a lot more hours, with a lot less resources, and everyone, I repeat, everyone is essentially and fundamentally at the breaking point now. Like I said before, exodus baby, exodus. Or as Bob Marley would say, movement of the people. Damn it, I hate it when I quote Bob Marley, I hate that reggae bullshit. Oh, and Bob, if you are listening somewhere, you should have shot the deputy too, because he’s coming at your ass for payback.

Alright, I know, stop ‘yer griping about work and do something about it already. I will try to not talk about work unless I have something good to report. Remember, the key operative word here is “try”. I can’t promise anything more than that right now.

Hockey game was on this evening. Carolina Hurricanes trying to clinch their berth in the Lord Stanley’s Cup finals against Edmonton. Of course, they blew it in overtime. Tight game. Lots of hitting on both ends of the ice, and great goaltending on both ends, but there was a powerplay, and Buffalo capitalized on it 5 minutes into overtime, so now, they’re looking at a game 7, but in Raleigh, which doesn’t really mean anything since the ‘Canes have lost in Raleigh before during the playoffs. We’ll see if they can pull it off. I hope that they can. Playing for the Cup is awesome, and to think that it might be happening in my neck of the woods. Awesome. I’d like to be able to go to a Cup game, but I don’t think that this will happen. I’m too cheap to shell out the coin to pay to get in. And I’m sure that the cheap seats are even going to be expensive of course. It’s the biggest draw the entire year for the hockey fans around the country, and from Canada. Some people will pay immense amounts of money to get into those games, and this asshole, ain’t one of them. I’d rather drop that coin on something else, although the games are a good time, it’s just that I’m not a “super fan” or have the drive to go to those games. Last game I went to for instance, I got into for free. I like me some free sporting events. Which reminds me I need to get some Durham Bulls tickets from work, also free.

Interesting fact. Today in history was the day that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake (30-May-1431). Got that off of my “This Day in History” widget. That thing comes in useful. Another useful fact, on my Birthday, Kentucky became a US State. Which stands to reason, if you can figure out when Kentucky became a State, you’d then of course know when this kid’s Birthday is. Last year’s Birthday was spent in airports between here and Maine. Don’t know what this year’s Birthday is to hold for me. I won’t be in an airport, that much I can say for sure, other than that, don’t rightly know. I suppose I’ll do a whole lot of nothing, as most people don’t know when my Birthday is around here, and that’s good. I hate being made a fuss over. Don’t like the attention, and actually most people at work have no idea when my Birthday is. When my co-worker is making a big production of her Birthday for weeks on end before it happens, I make not even a peep about mine, which is the way I like it. Some folks might have known at one point in time when my Birthday was, but they have forgotten, and I’m hoping that they don’t really find out. I’d rather have it that way honestly.

It’s fast approaching “late” again as I write this, so time to wrap it up, hit the sheets, and get some rest that I need. Last night, another case of insomnia, and many episodes of Sopranos later, I was able to get to sleep around about, oh, 2:30 or so this morning. We’re fast approaching Wednesday morning. Time to call it a day.