"Issues"

It's been a stressful few weeks, probably the most stressful of this past year. Primarily due to the issues I am having at work and how unstable work situations sort of pre-empt life decisions. And as C keeps pointing out to me, when I am unhappy at work I bring it home and it does inadvertently effect everyone. I'm not very good at covering up things that might be bothering.

In reflection, the issues with the one "problem" client have been building for a little over 2 months, but have hit it's peak within this past week or so.

It's a long, detailed story full of jargon and information that won't make sense unless you work here. But the long and short of it is that my relationship with this particular client has grown increasingly tense, errors have been made on both sides and since this application is 5 plus years old and has not received anything but band-aids in that time period, we are not only facing communications conflicts but fighting the very technology needed to keep this project running. I think there are 3 fundamental reasons why the relationship has grown increasingly sour:

1) They've never been happy with my transition into the project from the get go. I've constantly been compared to the very talented young lady who had this position before me (who also worked on it 4 full years and knew every detail in and out.) I am not bitter about it, but I think they are. As soon as she was no longer my immediate mentor, the direct comparisons began and I was faced with "R never did it like that." or "R always knew what I meant when I said xyz, why do you need an explanation?" This is normal, but normally it ceases at some point. It still has not, 7 months later.

2) The companies perspective on how to manage this project changed right as I came aboard and I was instructed to manage it more like other projects developed here. The client doesn't like it that way, it takes more time and effort in thinking requests through. I have to go through the proper procedures to have changes made to the interface and data structure, I make the changes or new development and the Admin's post them. It's a process, one they are so complete foreign to that my enforcing this process gives the appearance of incompetence and being purposefully contrary, when before a request was made..it just got done, it didn't have to be approved or submitted to Issue Manager or in the hands of the proper channels to be uploaded by the appropriate Admin staff.

3) Errors have been made, on both sides. I openly admit to mine, which have been minimal with the exception of 1 which was easily addressed and I held myself completely accountable for. They blatantly ask me to cover up theirs to THEIR client (it's confusing) and to my supervisors. I do not. I do not agree with their work ethic. If their appears to be a problem of any kind, I am instantly on trial and am forced to account for every step, every detail and method behind the process. I've spent more time explaining the detail than doing the work.

I am fed up with the client. Thing is, my supervisor is the best I've had in years. It's a great company to work for and I have no problems with any other clients. Unfortunately, this particular client is the main reason I was hired as they basically required a full time baby-sitter, even if they don't want to pay for it and cry when charged for work performed. Equally unfortunate is the fact that in the past 3 days a major boo boo has been uncovered and no one really has an answer as to the cause, including me. I have researched it past the point of reason, I cannot find a concrete reason for this error, which is not good as it's going to cost someone some money. I don't *think* this is my fault but it's sort of one of those things that points to me no matter how you look at it and it's one of those boo boos that someone will have to be held accountable for. Probably me. Which I could hang with if I knew for certain I SHOULD be, but we just can't figure it out.

So that said, I have been thinking a lot and will probably start looking for another job even if I don't get canned. I love working here, that's the hard part. My boss rocks. But I don't want to face this client every day any more, I've sort of had it and don't really know if the relationship is salvageable at this point, at least not to the point of it being pleasant and I've already been down the path of working with Toxic Negativity, I want no part of it.

However, I will wait and see how things turn out over the coming days, I should have more info soon. I've submitted my research findings and now it is up to management to make decisions with what they have, which isn't much. The client is using very threatening language, but I'm not so sure we care all that much. Apparently this client has been problematic before and we've thought of dropping THEM in the past, so we'll see.

In other news, my former Boss Momma and forever Mentor Gail T. Wilson has won her race in the LEWIS-PALMER SD 38 DIRECTOR DIST 3 ! Go Gail! This means she'll be working directly in the School District in her county, spreading the word and kicking ass all along the way. I hold mad respect for this woman, she is on my list of Top 5 list of direct female influences in my life (along with my Grandmothers, a certain Aunty and Carin) and I can't think of anyone better to be in office. I am so glad retirement is providing her the opportunity to move forward and she will wow them, wouldn't surprise me if this isn't the first position she's elected into!

As some of you may know, yesterday was a big day for us locally regarding elections, some pretty important stuff finally happened here like:

Denver Initiative 100 - Legalization Of Marijuana ( up to 1 oz.)
It's about freaking time people. I don't smoke the wacky tobaccky myself but the idea that someone would go to jail for indulging is absurd. Hemp has many valuable resources in of itself, clothing, paper, medicinal qualities etc., I could go on for pages on this one, but my happiness over this has more to do with the idea that it is a start to a bigger process in motion and that is the opening of minds about the possibilities and potentials of many things that have been vilified by our culture in the past. Took long enough cripes.

Ref C past, D did not (just barely) Ref C will provide $3.7 million in tax refunds to help ease recession on civilians, state and local spending using tax dollars.

Ref D was to allow the state to borrow a few million from the federal government for state funded road work, schools and local firefighters and police pensions. We needed that one, danget. That's why there were a Team, ah well...something is better than nothing I suppose.

The main bummer is that WalMart managed to win out in Westiminster. A local group didn't want WallyWorld in it's neighborhood, especially not one of those new huge clinical feeling ones. Feels like being in a warehouse for housing consumers, it's gross. Walmart contributed $150K to the motion, the grassroots campaign had $25k, you do the math. Jerks.

Over all though, very good things are happening here politically and I'm excited about that for sure.