|
|
Post by maarts on Jul 22, 2008 5:50:37 GMT -5
Fingers crossed on the job, mate. Must be frustrating to be in a 'number two'-position and reliant on somebody else making up their minds. But good that you got the kids to entertain you.
Life here is turning slowly to normal after the invasion of the Christians and the visit of the Pope last week to Sydney. Been a madhouse in the city with half of the inner city roads closed off. Thousands of pilgrims everywhere, good atmosphere and all but glad it's over nonetheless.
I'm going back to Holland in 3 months time...been a lot of things happening overseas to keep me quite anxious to get there. Dad's responded to the radiotherapy pretty badly too- the tumour is shrinking but he's pulled up with absolutely all of his energy drained. My mom's pretty shook up about the way he looks- pale, gaunt and thin- my dad was quite a portly man. Last week he started throwing up and not wanting to eat anything- he needs to have an echo made of his stomach at the end of the month to check that out. Hope it is not a precursor for more bad news...
My sister has burn-out yet again, she's sick at home. Her kids are with her ex-husband for summer holidays but the prick and his wife haven't even bothered to take time off work for them so they sit at his home all day long. Some holiday.
My mother's coping well with it all so far but remembering she's a recovering cancer patient I just have to wonder how much she will be able to bear. She's also dealing with her brother being diagnosed with prostrate cancer and apparently struggling with that and her best friend who has pancreatic cancer and has been given up by the doctors...she has only months to live.
But they all look forward to my visit and I'm looking forward to it too- but with trepidation.
|
|
|
|
Post by mrsscottsy on Aug 1, 2008 23:33:23 GMT -5
***hugs maarts***
|
|
|
|
Post by maarts on Aug 2, 2008 0:10:25 GMT -5
Cheers Mellie.
More news coming up this week. I'm likely to change jobs too.
|
|
|
|
Post by strat-0 on Aug 2, 2008 13:06:55 GMT -5
Seems to be a lot going on these days. Lots of changes. Scottsy, good luck getting the new position. You certainly have the right attitude for it, and things will turn your way for sure. My new job is teaching again too, and it's going to be quite a challenge!
Maarts, though tempered by recent developments, you must be getting excited about the upcoming return visit to Holland! Do you ever think of relocating there again? I've always wanted to visit there.
|
|
|
|
Post by maarts on Aug 2, 2008 20:36:48 GMT -5
Strat- that thjought has crossed my mind on several occasions but the truth is that even if I wished I would not be able to. I'd have to try to find a job and, at my age that would be a difficult thing to do.
Look forward to visit my folks, see most of my family at the reunion that will be held in October and the stopover in Liverpool and London.
|
|
|
|
Post by ScottsyII on Aug 2, 2008 23:46:37 GMT -5
Maarts, whats the new job you might be doing? Still within JB Hi Fi, or something competely different??!!
Good news everyone! I got the job! VERY excited!!! I'll mostly be working one on one with a particular student, whom i haven't met yet of course - I am really lookin g forward to this opportunity and this challenge though! I decided to keep one shift a week in the Deli as well, just because i might still need to bring in some income over the summer breaks and adding some extra money to our family dubget isn't a bad thing to do - although its not my favourite thing, the benefits of extra money are quite clear... :-)
Strat - I should probably post this on the car corner, but I have been doing some work on my car, namely some body work - I can't believe how ravaging the climate and conditions here are on bodywork - my car is but a mere 13 years old and the rust on the lower portion of the doors was something that astounded me. The winter and road salt really take a toll on bodywork up north here I guess!
Anyway I rubbed back the rust and sprayed it all with primer and now i am just waiting to order some cans of paint and clear coat to finish the job properly - should look pretty decent when all is finished.
Oh and Maarts, Kat ( if you still read here ocassionally...) Mellie and I are coming back to Australia for a month or so, most probably starting July 25, 2009 - keep calendars clear! Probably won't be able to stay overnight in Sydney or anything - accomodatio ns for a family of five would be difficult to tee up - but we could meet you at the airport, or if you are inclined to visit Adelaide again... :-) We miss you, tons, heaps...
Lastly, Maarts, I was sorry to hear of your difficult family situation - I am sure they will be happy to see you when you travel back to Holland - but try to get some fun time in for yourself! From all I've read here and from our conversations it seems to me you work bloody hard, so you deserve a bit of a fun time too! You are always in our thoughts!
|
|
|
|
Post by maarts on Aug 6, 2008 5:36:39 GMT -5
Well Scott- all my bloody hard work now has turned into absolutely zilch.
Last Friday I have been told that I was going to be replaced at the big store I work now as buyer/manager and transplanted to a suburban, much smaller store.
The whole way that the thing has been going has had me seething with anger and frustration. Judged by several people who never had the audacity to engage me in any sort of discussion or meeting about the state of affairs. Behind my back my fate was sealed. I was bluntly told without any tangible reason that I had no choice in the matter and that on short term notice (perhaps as quick as next week) I have to take up my new position.
The whole way that everything has been arranged has got the word screwjob firmly attached to it. People have opinions on my work but never talked directly to me, instead relying on second hand reports- I guess that if you want to beat a dog, you will always find a stick. This whole state of affairs has made me nauseous. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm getting on in years and need the money I would have walked straight out.
Words can not express my anger and frustration. I have busted my ass for this company. I spend countless extra hours trying to improve the stock in my store. My knowledge and expertise on getting stock and merchandising is second to none. Considering how many slackers I see in this store I can safely say I'm one of the hardest and most honest workers. But fuck that distinction- a bunch of cowards think I'm not good enough.
I have turned that store into an absolute paradise for people looking for bargains, imports and titles that yer average HMV doesn't stock. I have turned my department into the biggest in our company, something that my predecessors couldn't manage at all. I am so proud of that so to be told that I have to leave is more than a kick in the guts- it's taken my soul right out of me.
I wouldn't be surprised if my successor would be a mate of the guy who sacked me in the first place.
And yesterday, as I was coming to terms with all of this and reasoned for myself that I could go to that new store and take that to new dizzying heights, I got brought back down to earth with the message from home that doctors have discovered two new tumors in my dad's kidneys and liver and he may have to go in for emergency surgery- with his weakened state a dangerous proposition.
Made my anger about my situation a whole lot less important.
|
|
|
|
Post by RocDoc on Aug 6, 2008 7:23:42 GMT -5
boy, you certainly didn't need 'perspective' forced on you THAT way. ouch.
really sorry to heat that that's all happened maart.
do your best.
|
|
|
|
Post by strat-0 on Aug 6, 2008 17:51:26 GMT -5
I sure hate to hear about your employer dicking you over that way, Maarts. And then the bad news on the family front, too. That sucks. One thing, though - you're not that old yet, buddy! You're practically a tenderfoot! Check out this road salt damage, Scottsy! Glad they don't salt the roads here! "Well this customer brings his 92 Mazda in for an exhaust check and lube job. The tech lifts the truck up and then goes under it to inspect the exhaust at rear and then his "guardian angel" tells him to go to his work bench to write up the work order and just then this happens. Another Nothern Ontario salt victim. Just a heads up for these older relics on the road."![]() img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-4/1305927/Broken Mazda.jpg[/img] ![]() img.villagephotos.com/p/2008-4/1305927/Broken Mazda2.jpg[/img] |
|
|
|
Post by maarts on Aug 8, 2008 19:42:18 GMT -5
Well, Monday is my last day on the job. My boss was at work all day, went home and, as an afterthought remembered to ring me and tell me I was going to leave Monday to my new destination, a much smaller, suburban store.
Un-fucking-believable. Couldn't even come up to me during the day and tell this to my face although he knew the whole time.
Not even a chance to organise a farewell-drink for my colleagues.
I work nine years for this company, have a proven track record of success and this is the treatment I get.
In retrospect, this complete lack of respect makes it easier to take up my new position and I'm determined to make it a success. At least I still have a job.
I am not a vengeful person but I heard one regional manager who 'sacked' me say that my boss was also under scrutiny and that the 'knives were out for him' too. And you know? As much as I loathe the way he has been acting towards me (never even taking one shred of interest in my work, no personal or work- meetings, no warnings that my position was under fire) I do not wish him to be axed in the way I was. It fucking hurts.
Suffices to say I'll be on the lookout for a new challenge nonetheless although I don't think I'll ever find a job that was so satifying as this one.
|
|
|
|
Post by strat-0 on Aug 10, 2008 19:07:28 GMT -5
Sorry to hear it went down that way, Maarts. Sorry it went down at all. I know how you feel.
|
|
|
|
Post by ScottsyII on Aug 12, 2008 0:28:17 GMT -5
Maarts, we've been offline for half a week, and before that we were pretty busy, so Mellie and I were both sorry to hear the bad news you posted here - that whole work situation truly sucks!!! I think its highly offensive you put in hours and hours of work and over time on top of that and you just get shafted and given the arse to a smaller store in a split second like that...
My hope for you is that the new store is full of pleasant and hard working people who make your life a bit easier and that somehow in all of this your great work gets recognised -- but yeah, it sounds to me like there is a bit of company politics involved... reeks of it actually and thats the sucky part...
That kinda happened at my current (soon to be only a one day a week, for extra money) job - the store director and assistant all were given "new opportunities" within weeks of each other.... kinda strange...
Was even more saddened to hear about your dad's predicament - our thoughts and prayers are going out to him and to you and your extended family... I know Mellie would give you a great big hug if she was there and I'd go out with ya and drink crownies and whatever drink of choice you need until the early hours of the following day...
You are in our thoughts as always, and don't hesitate to call, email, whatever, even if its just to talk about any ol' thying just to disengage from the stress of it all for a bit... I'd happily go to the quiet recesses of Weetulta and exhange song line conversations till the cows come home...
But seriously, we're with ya mate!
|
|
|
|
Post by ScottsyII on Aug 12, 2008 0:30:45 GMT -5
Strat! Holy shit! Suddenly I feel absolutely ok about the minimal surface rust of my admittedly still very good looking vehicle... just imagine if that thing rattled apart going over a railway line or a large bump or pothole or something... scary, scary thought!
Hmmmmm, somehow I don't see them doing ads about Mazda trucks highlighting their longevity in the way chevy does about its trucks...
|
|
|
|
Post by ScottsyII on Aug 12, 2008 0:34:30 GMT -5
BTW, we were offline because we were changing internet providers... AT&T were being a bunch of knobs, so we gave 'em the flick!
|
|
|
|
Post by maarts on Aug 15, 2008 18:52:49 GMT -5
Right you are. Stick it to da man!
Started my new position Thursday...ye gods! Only two staff, got to travel almost 2 1/2 hours every day and there's so many people ill in the place it's like a constant struggle to get things done. The store is beautiful though but there's so much work that needs to be done. The department I'm in needs to be cleaned up drastically and that with young, inexperienced staff is gonna be a big ask. The main manager is nice but overworked. The worst part is that I'm being asked to work thursday nights which means I have to quit my volleyball team as we have our games on that night...
Came home last night and I was exhausted, never felt so tired in all my life. I don't expect that to get any different but I am resolved to get this thing back on track and kick some major ass in the next few months.
I look forward to my hols in October more than ever though.
|
|
