Archive of Marcia's Musings February 26-March 4 , 2001
Sunday, March 4, 2001
Home Again, Home Again!!
Jiggety-jig!!! We're home, its late-- suffered horribly from NOBS ("Not Our Bed Syndrome"). Trip report tomorrow-ish???
Saturday, March 3, 2001No Update
Friday, March 2, 2001No Update
Thursday, March 1, 2001Another Month . . .
. . . is upon us!! Yeesh!! Where does the time go??? Nevermind, I know where it went-- behind me, in my past and my youth which . . . nope, I'm not gonna go there!!
Progress Made
The call with the hostile customer went well today, all things considered. These negotiators have not dealt with toolkit software before and it is painfully obvious. We're now down to playing semantics games and, frankly, its a waste of time. Additionally, neither of the individuals that I've been dealing with have ever asked about future orders; they can make purchases off the agreement that we are negotiating now. They were under the impression that they couldn't so they asked for that today to counter on something else we couldn't do. We were all caught off guard because we all (on my company's side) thought they knew they could buy using this agreement for future purchase. Since they didn't know that, it looks like we made another concession. We may or may not have it ready to go back to them tomorrow. I'm waiting on some information from them as well as from my AVP before sending the document back to the customer. We'll see how it goes, eh?
More Cleaning Up . . .
. . . my desk at work. I've got Nina, our admin, complaining about the amount of work I'm giving her because I'm finishing up documents and files. Once the documents and files are off of my desk, she has to scan the contracts into our database. So it gave her something new to complain about . . . she loves her job but she really isn't paid enough for what she does. Unfortunately, I don't control that but I do put a good word in for her when I can.
Reluctant Packer!
The Reluctant Packer wasn't as reluctant this time as he usually is when it comes to packing. He just looked at me, sighed and went about getting out his clothes. The sigh indicated that he knows I'll bug him until he gives me what he wants to pack anyway, so he might as well give it to me when I ask for it. I realize it is way more than 12 hours 'til we leave but, sometimes ya just gotta put up with me cuz I'm cute, right, Honey?
**********
And on that note, I'm going to wrap it up for tonight. Unless I get lucky and get some computer time this weekend, I don't expect to be able to make an update while we're gone and I won't have time tomorrow. Enjoy the weekend wherever you are and whatever you do but be safe and be back here soon, 'kay? 'Kay!!
Have a nice evening (and have a nice weekend)!!
Wednesday, February 28, 2001Better!
Not quite as sore in the throat and so far, that's still as far as it (this bug) has gone with me. That's okay-- we're going away on the weekend so I'd like to keep it that way, thanks! Yesterday I had swollen glands but then again, yesterday I still had a fever. Nina, our admin, yelled at me for having been at work yesterday while I was feverish. I explained that it wasn't just my philosophy to come to work that way-- its the way that we're told that we have to perform in this day and age.
That's a whole other philosophy from the one that my father raised me with-- my father's philosophy was based almost entirely on putting food on the table for seven people, keeping a roof over our heads, keeping five kids in a parochial school system and somehow surviving to retirement. He did that (but only enjoyed retirement for a year and a half before dying) and that's where we learned our work ethic except that now, its not to feed any number of people or put kids through a parochial school for us. Its just that the world has changed so drastically that it is more important to get the work done than almost anything else. The good thing is that the philosophy doesn't apply to things that are out of our control entirely, like the health and well-being of our immediate loved ones-- those "things" that are really most important in this world.
Where did that rant come from? No clue!! Man, I hate when they sneak up on you like that, don't you? Yeesh!!
Another Day
No huge discussions today-- I should've held all of my calls over until today since I wasn't feverish, I had more patience than I did yesterday. I got a lot of work off my desk, finishing contracts and sending them out for execution. There is another call set up with the customer from yesterday. Yes, my AVP is looking forward to it, I can just tell in his voice-- NOT!!! That should be finished by the end of the day tomorrow or it won't be finished for a lot longer time which is going to frustrate the end user because the software will be missing while the contract negotiations continue.
More Better!
Personally speaking, I'm overwhelmed by my site statistics for this month! I've stayed at a fairly consistent average of 150 pages per day with a total of well over 4,000 pages read this month!! Thanks for coming by to all of you!! I have said it before but it bears repeating: I enjoy this and the Community that this brings with it. There's a sense of family here that is unique, indeed-- we've experienced that a lot over this past month.
Again, thanks for coming by and please feel free to do so again and again. Also, keep in touch by email-- always glad to hear from you!
**********
Begging. . . er . . . Pledging is happening on PBS tonight so there's no "How To" night. Not much on the agenda . . .Have a nice evening!
Tuesday, February 27, 2001Not Well
I am not a well person-- but you knew that, right? I've got the crud that Brian had over the weekend except that he had it over the weekend and I'm having it during the week. The worst part is that this is the week I cannot take any time off from work because it is "end-of-month" (tomorrow) and followed immediately by the start of the last month of the quarter (March). We've been reminded that we're not to even think about getting sick during March although if we have to be sick, the director will find a doctor to come into the office and see us.
I won't get any rest this weekend either since we'll be flying to San Diego for the weekend. ARGH!!! I'm going to die from triple-pneumonia here!! (Okay, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration but . . . )
Fun Time
I had a call with a customer today who was being argumentative for no reason. When I'm sick, I have no patience so I finally said: "Excuse me. We're agreeing but you're still arguing. I don't feel well and I don't have any patience because of it but could you just draft the document with the things that we've discussed and get it to me for review?" It worked. He gave me sympathy for being sick (which wasn't what I was necessarily looking for) and got off the phone with the promise to get me the document by the end of next week. Its not a rush deal so the timing is not a problem.
A not-so-fun time was had with my AVP, on the phone with the hostile procurement person from last week. I couldn't get her to understand the premise behind a clause so I called John to ask him to help. Thirty minutes later, they were yelling at each other-- not a good sign. When we hung up the phone, I called John back and he told me that he's having the software removed from their site tomorrow since they can't seem to get the contract finished because she keeps picking at the agreement. The end user will not be happy, needless to say but maybe he can get the procurement person to quit nit-picking the agreement.
**********
On that note, I'm off to the sofa-- yep, its going to be a fun night of finding something to eat that doesn't hurt my throat. Sounds exciting, doesn't it?
Yep, well, you have a nice evening, too!
Monday, February 26, 2001Oh, the Fun of Being "ME"!!
Now what am I talking about this time? (You've gotta admit that I come up with some eye-catching headlines, don't I? Maybe that's another calling I missed-- and aren't you glad?!?!?!?) Well, I had a dentist appointment after work today-- actually, it was a teeth cleaning at the dentist office that did my surgery in August. This is the first time I've had my teeth cleaned there; yes, I've already had them cleaned once at my regular dentist's office!
Anyway, I digress: I had my teeth cleaned and the hygenist was talking to me before hand about how she doesn't want to hurt me, doesn't like hurting me and if I have anything I need to do, like take a break from holding my mouth open or get the water vacuumed from my mouth or if it just plain hurts (and this is a direct quote!), "You're in charge here-- whatever you want." So 25-minutes into the treatment and I'm doing fine except for where she's pushing in on my lip and teeth, working them for leverage. After having her hand balancing on them for this long, it hurts so I tell her. "Oh", is all she says but continues on along after removing her hand from the area.
As she gets ready to do the polishing, she starts on a ten-minute dissertation about how she has to hold her hand in a certain way and how does the other dentist do it and, essentially the implication is, that I shouldn't be doing anything remotely close to complaining about her hurting me as it is expected with this type of cleaning.
Excuse me?? What happened to "whatever you want"??? I was a bit blown away needless to say. I didn't say anything to the staff but I did make my next appointment with another hygenist. I told Brian about her little...stunt and he said I should call the office and tell them what she said but I'm not sure its worth it. I'll think about it...and let you know.
Hard Ball
This morning I received a phone call from one of my sales reps-- Derwin (he's from the south-- they have names like that there!). Derwin had just left a customer's offices where there were using an evaluation copy of our software. The evaluation license was due to expire today and they said that they weren't ready to sign the agreement. Derwin asked about the status of the document and I explained where it was and that the biggest issue that was open was the notice period-- if the customer cancels the maintenance, they want to only have to give 30 days notice but, if we stop supporting a product, they want 90 days notice. Nope, fair is fair-- you want 30, we want 30. That's how I responded and told them it was my final offer. (If you'll recall, this is the company where I knew were going to have their evaluation software turned off-- they weren't in a position to make demands. Also, what I was suggesting was not an unfair compromise.)
He agreed that was reasonable and that "We aren't gonna give another inch-- I'm sick of these people!!" Yowza!! He was ticked!! A couple of hours later, I received a faxed copy of the document with my changes accepted, signed by the customer. Yes, I called him and, I was paid a very high compliment: Of all of the attorney-types that he's worked for in all of his career, I'm the most efficient, agreeable, competent, reliable person he's ever known!! I was very grateful-- thanks very much!! Then, I reminded him that review time was coming and putting it in an email would really be helpful for me!! He asked for my bosses' name and email address and said he'd fire off an email today. If he does it, I'll be even more flattered than I already was with the compliment.
**********
Well, those were the high-points of my day-- aren't you glad you don't have my job? I'm glad you come by to read about it-- I think it helps for me to "tell" you about my day.
Prayers/Happy Thoughts/Whatever
Last night, I gave my friend Kathy a call. I hadn't talked with her in close to two months: between the holidays and all of our activities, I hadn't had time to stop to call her. Kathy has a daughter five years younger than me with breast cancer. Cheryl isn't doing well. She's on her second round of chemotherapy; the first four treatments didn't do the trick and she's had more surgeries, too. I don't know the exact name or grade of the breast cancer that she has but it is the worst to get and the hardest to get rid of even with chemo and radiation. After this round of chemo, she'll be starting on radiation therapy. She has a hard row to hoe but her mother, Kathy, is there to help her. Hopefully, we'll be able to get in a movie one of these days-- Kathy's my movie-buddy from when Brian was writing the book.
There is also good news for Kathy: her other daughter, Kim is getting married in a month or two to a really great guy-- Yeah, Kim!!!! Kim is also expecting a baby which will make Kathy a very young Grandma, indeed!! Kathy is happy for Kim and relieved that she has found such a great guy!! I'm happy for Kim, too-- she deserves it!!
Nail Art Revisited
The reaction at work to my toenail art was that they loved it!! Everyone thought it was sooooo cute!!! Everybody kept asking who did my nails and pedicure and who did my nail art!!! It was sooooo fun!!!
**********
On that note, I'm gonna go find some trouble to get into for the rest of the night. I think I'm fighting the cold that Brian's trying to share-- may have to go to bed early to fortify my fighting spirit!
Have a nice evening!!
Current Musings
Return to 2001 Archives
Return to 2000 Archives
Return to 1999 Archives
All Content Copyright © 1999, 2000 Marcia L. Dykstra. All Rights Reserved.
