Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Corporate High School

I didnt get a gift for Secret Santa. Out of everyone in the company I was the only one who didnt get one. I dont know who was supposed to get me something because the HR manager wont tell me, but just wait till I find out. You cross me, you die, Bastard.
They hosted the party at the picnic area outside the building. Everyone got their food and sat down and some were saving seats for others who were still getting their food. So guess who was the one going around saying, "is this seat taken?" Yeah, me. All the seats were taken. I ate standing up in a corner while everyone chatted and laughed and seemed to be having a good time.
I'm glad everyone gets along and its one big corporate family. Heck, I hired half of them and I like to think I did a good job getting the right people for my company. But I cant help feeling that I'm the odd woman out. Perhaps because I'm in management, perhaps because I have an arrogant/too important air about me. Maybe It's because while everyone has gotten close this year, I have been too busy stuck in my office working and not gossiping with the other girls.
So this is the price I pay for wearing shoes the other girls cant afford, and this is the price I pay for being the 24 y/o boss.
And the thing is, no one even acknowledged me. No one said, "Aida, why arent you sitting?" non of the men said "Aida, let me give you my seat because I am a man and you are a woman, and my mother raised a gentleman."None of that. Instead, I ate my deviled eggs, some cold mashed potatoes and honey baked ham, and came back to my office.

Monday, December 18, 2006

Don't forget to pick up the deviled eggs at Publix

The year is almost over. I have to clean out my desk, bulletins, stacks and stacks of papers. Funny how shit just accumulates. So much paperwork, everywhere. Once every couple of months I come in on a Saturday afternoon in my ripped jeans and t-shirt (a far cry from my everyday professional wear) and go through all the paperwork, throw some away, file some and read others saying to myself, "oh shit, i forgot to do that." Being the controller of my company means everything that doesn't have a home goes to me. The receptionist gives everything to me. She likes to walk to my office and hand it to me instead of just sticking whatever it is in my inbox.
I have so many files, sometimes I create one I already created 2 months before. Contracts here contract there. Such and such person said they gave me a change order and they probably did. But do they really expect me to remember where I put it? 99% of the time I do, because I'm organized 80% of the time and my memory works the other 19%. Sometimes I just tell them I never got it. Go get your copy and make me another. I have tons of crap all over my office. It's so frustrating cleaning everything up because everything belongs in pending. Oh the trials and tribulations of the corporate world.
Tomorrow is our company holiday potluck. I called Publix to make the deviled eggs, it'll cost me $30. The Secret Santa gift was $40. And the Yankee candles for my accounting girls were $100 in total. Respect and appreciation=priceless.
I called my CFO this morning to ask her an ethical question while I was in the middle of writing an email to one of our customers. She hasn't gotten back to me. Sometimes I wonder why I ask so many questions instead of just making executive decisions on my own.
CYA 101 (Cover Your Ass) I took that class in business school. Speaking of which, the thought of school depressed me this morning. If I hadn't dropped out 2 semesters ago, I would have been an MBA grad today, as of this past weekend. Depressing I tell you.
Saturday I had Christmas dinner with my girlfriends. Everyone is on a totally different page these days. My BFF gave me a gift card to Sports Authority. Don't ask me why. Maybe because she was already there and wanted to shoot a few birds with one shot. I guess these days it's too much to ask for a gift with some thought in it. But I shouldn't bitch, everybody is busy, no one has time for anything anymore. I got some wine glasses from my other friend and a gift card to Target from my other, other friend.
I always give better gifts than I am given. I'm not full of myself, its true. I'm thoughtful. Ok, I am a little full of myself.