Obnoxious Bitch
Thursday, December 29, 2005
“There will be consequences…” EPILOGUE
That goddamned Harry Potter did me in… once again I fucked up because I was pressured into putting something live after hours, and I forgot to send one last email with the live link to be tested. Of course, something was broken… which wasn’t discovered until almost two weeks later. It didn’t matter that the code that was fucked up came from a template that worked just FINE in the other language I built the day before, or that it would appear that no one ELSE - the project manager, the Legal Dept., the client - cared enough about this CRUCIAL site to thoroughly test it THEMSELVES. You’d think since it was so fucking important that it was worth violating the staging policy over (not to mention jeopardizing someone’s JOB), that one of these major stakeholders would take the time to give it the fine-tooth-comb treatment. But no one did; and since I was the one to stage it live, the last link in the chain, I was left holding the bag.
So I got the ol’ proverbial heave-ho on the 12th; and after 6 years on the job, I find myself looking for another gig. That I lasted that long is pretty much a friggin’ miracle in itself, as I’ve never lasted more than 3 years at any one job without going batshit from boredom and having to move on.
It’s cold comfort, but the manager who fired me and the HR rep who held his hand through it both seemed really unhappy to have to do it. I did a LOT of shit each and every day even BEFORE they laid off a third of the Interface Developers back in November; and once those folks were gone I inherited even more to do. But I did my best to get it all done; staying late, doing “favors” and going above and beyond the call of duty to keep everyone happy and things moving along. All of that simply didn’t matter… what DID was the violation of a rule and a circumnavigation of the Process. In the eyes of the soulless entity known as a Corporation, punishments are many and rewards are few. Despite my flexibility (5 title changes in 6 years, being given duties I wasn’t really qualified to do and learning how to fulfill them, living up to my work obligations no matter HOW shitty I felt, putting off doctor’s appointments so as not to miss too much work) I never had a single promotion, nor was I ever officially recognized for all of the things I received thanks and praise for from my colleagues and superiors.
The road to the Unemployment Line is paved with good intentions. In reality, though, I have no one to blame but myself, for turning a blind eye to what I’ve always known to be true: any loyalty between an employee and her company is a one-way street, and it ain’t the company feeling any obligation, that’s for sure.
Well, fuck ‘em. I had a great time for my 10th wedding anniversary, and a fabulous holiday in spite of those Scrooges!
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