03/19/01 - Though your workplace ends up being your home away from home, you must always act as a guest ... (those are my words, my feelings). We are communicated to by way of electronic announcements found in a public account: To All Employees. So I read through the usual: Don't keep your cell phones or beepers at your terminal or if you must, turn them off (I don't have a cell phone or a beeper). Keep your terminal clean, that means throw away your used tissues. Please don't throw garbage in the recycling bins. Put your cigarette butts in the ash can, not on the ground beside it. It's unpleasant reading these, maybe I'm embarrassed. But there is a need for them, sad but true. It's shift work. We are in operation 24/7. Three nights of the week I work graveyard, alone. In most cases, these announcements are not directed at me.
A couple of weeks ago there was a rather disturbing memo included in the envelope with my paycheck. It was addressed To All Employees. I didn't keep it, it gave me the creeps. It had to do with not using racial slurs at the workplace, even while joking. Someone had been offended? Someone had reported such an instance? I didn't know what to think, but it did make me think. I guess that was the point. But, I had to wonder if someone had been heard slurring, shouldn't that someone have been taken aside and confronted? Did this really have to be a message to All? A while back I was taken aside, during one of my swingshift nights. All six terminals were occupied. I was asked to come into a private office for a moment. This request was asked of me infront of all. It seems I had made a mistake. Words like " I never expected this from you" were spoken. Well, I didn't deny anything. I knew it was a mistake. When I realized I'd done it I tried to fix it. I didn't hide the fact that I made a mistake. I apologized. I saw no reason to fret. I'm human. I didn't even mind that the private discussion was pretty obviously public. I don't get paid enough to take it personally. I was pleased with my self for not feeling humiliated. We are all human, even the humiliators.
One of the announcements did mention something I am guilty of, although I'm not sure it was directed at me. We were reminded that we are not to use the computer in the computer room. I don't think I had ever been directly told not to do this. However, the only times I had were during my graveyard shifts, alone, usually to check my e-mail. I never did this sneekily. I didn't check for trails or cookies I had left. In any case, I won't be checking my e-mail at 3 a.m. anymore. I haven't any reason to offend anyone and on top of that, I'm pretty sure I don't, but, I am one of the all in the To All Employees ... No getting around that.
I had to put a band-aid on my foot today. It seems that my sandals have given me a blister. Last week was the first week this year I have gotten to wear sandals. Yippee! I guess a band-aid is a small price to pay for an early breath of spring.
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