Work Work Work

Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it. - Henry David Thoreau

By now, if you have been reading from the beginning, some of you might start to question my sanity! Sanity is sooooo over-rated! If you want to see insanity... I'll generously offer an example: I am getting paid for what I do!!! Who is insane now?

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my work, well I show up... on occasion. I might even look and sound professional sometimes... So easy to foul insane people Ha ha ha

A reminder to those "retired persons reading this": WORK is that place where you spend a lot of time, drink coffee, share your weekend stories, and talk about your spouse, child, pets or your car. Well it's like bingo, but you DON'T want to have your number drawn! It is also why on Sunday you wave and smile at us while you are sitting in front of the fire with a drink. I know what you are thinking then: "ouf!! Richard is going back to work and he will be continuing to pay for our retirement". Be assure, I'll get back to you later in a post... I will give names and pictures... I don't hold grudges!

Let's start talking about those "people" at work... you want to hear about the dirt... I'll give you shovels of it.

Shovel # 1 - The colleagues

I'll assume none of them would read this... I am not even sure they can read (it is how bad they are!). They are all younger, but, truth be told, except for a few with window offices, they are really a joy to work with. The one with the windows... they expected ME to work... sheeshh as if that would happen! I guess they don't use me as a role model... they seem to care about their work. They make ME look bad, but if there is one thing in life that I learned, it is that looks is something I shouldn't aim for!

I put up with them for over 10 years; Saint Hood might be in my future :) I heard they are already planning my retirement party, I kept telling them Nov 1st 2013, but their head is stuck to Nov 2nd... go figure!

An employee approached his boss regarding a dispute on his pay-check…
Employee - Sir, this is $100 less than my salary.
Boss - I know. But last month, when you were overpaid $100, by mistake, you didn't complain!
Employee - Well, I don't mind an occasional mistake, sir, but it seems to be becoming a habit, now!

Shovel # 2 - QA (Quality assurance) section

How Many Light bulbs
Does It Take
To Change A Tester?

I still remembered when my ex boss, Luc, at a meeting; announce we will be getting a QA section... I thought it was the most ridicule idea I ever heard... why would they spend money on someone to verified MY work... it is already soooooo perfect even I, don't double check myself! Don't get me wrong, I appreciate those people for what they do, and I don't say that because I am sucking up to them. THEY will probably read this, however, they probably won't understand because they will be focussing on the errors. I will leave typoTs, just for them, am I not considerate?

Shovel # 3 - The clients

New word (to me): Blamestorming - Sitting around in a group discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed, and who was responsible.

They are the best, I love them, my life would be meaningless without them, I wish I could get more, they are always right, their ideas are genius and should be implemented right away... (Yes NOW I'm sucking up :) ). I have several clients; for the sake of this discussion let's call them "persons". Those "persons" always expect me to deliver them what they are paying for - What nerves! Not only that, I have to advise them on issues - If this sound like work, IT IS! There is "persons" that kept coming back to me for more work, pleeeeeeeeeeeease, someone, didn't I suffer already enough!

They are NOT all bad, they are really good at gathering information: they know my phone number, my email address, where I work, what time I go to the washroom (they seem to always call when I'm gone there for some quality reading time).

Let's un-shovel... I am a programmer, I enjoy what I do and every one involved... If it was not for that age starting to show, I would not be thinking of retirement. I will not be retiring because of the people or the work; I really feel privilege that I have the opportunity of ending my career on such a positive note. I will not miss anything, my wife and I have plans, but I will fondly remember my time with those guys.

Probably some of you are questioning if there is really a wife or if it is the fruit of my over-active imagination... I'm posting a picture of her, but, I don't know what happen, the top half is missing. Being resourceful and artistic (the police keep calling me to sketch criminals), I completed the picture. Now it was windy and early morning Christiane didn't have time to do her hair...

If you are smiling... blues away!