Tuesday, July 8, 2008

2 things about work...

One thing I like about where I work (and there are a LOT of things, this is just one I'm thinking of right now) is that at 4:55pm, there isn't any rustling of papers and shutting down of computers. At 5pm, there isn't a mass exodus. People generally stay later. I do too. I used to be trained to leave right at quitting time; I was antsy if I stayed later. This isn't because I don't like work, or I'm lazy, but more because I like to stick to a time-line, and 7:30am to 5:00pm is an easy one to follow. In any case, it has helped me immensely in remaining focused that there is no actual "end of day" here. Some people quietly leave at 5, or 5:15, or 5:30, but I no longer feel like I need to go at any certain time. I still do occasionally leave at 5, but not because I'm itching to.
This means a lot to me because it's important that I do my job well, and I enjoy the thought that others think I am valuable to the company. In short, I suppose that staying later to get more tasks done (we're resource limited, so we all "wear many hats") makes me proud of my performance. In a job where I have a hefty personal investment in our success, that's great. *pats self on back*

So, the thing I don't like about my office is that it is SO cold in the summer. Jeez! I'm wearing clothes that are completely summer appropriate for a woman, and my cube is a meat locker. I feel like I'm in cryo-stasis for ten hours a day. When I get to escape to the outside I hear the cracking of the thaw. Dang! This is what comes of letting people who wear the same thing all year (read: men) control the temperature!

Funny, kind of related story:
When I was in college, one semester I lived with J, A, and S. We had an apartment (10B!) where we controlled the heat. J and I were always FREEZING and constantly turning up the heat. When A and S would come home from crew they'd complain and turn the heat down to 40. When they left, we'd return the thermostat to 80 and huddle together doing shivering-thermogenesis until the color returned to our skin. We denied turning the heat up, every time. It was pretty passive-aggressive. But, it's what you gotta do when you're perpetually cold...

4 comments:

feather nester said...

I so totally remember that! And here's the funniest thing: last winter I kept turning the thermostat to 68, a little chilly, but trying to save energy. The Husband, who used to be totally on the "It's a sauna in here!" side of the tale you just shared, has turned into a BIG BABY, who insists that 70 degrees is even a completely unreasonably cold temperature to keep the house in the winter. He also refuses to wear long sleeves or socks, so, really, even you and J had more sense than that.

Leslie said...

HA! Here it's so expensive to heat these uninsulated houses that I kept my thermostat at 60 degrees all winter - it was MISERABLE! Of course, I haven't spent years in AZ, so that might have something to do with it! If I had my way, I'd be able to wear tank tops all year and the temp in the house wouldn't dip under 74...

Ouiser said...

i made the maintenance guys disconnect the ac vents in my office in lexington, and then i would shut my door to keep the rogue cold air from the hallway away. i couldn't get any work done because of all the shivering.

i'm guessing that in your green business, a space heater under the desk in a big no-no. that stinks.

die Frau said...

We keep ours at 60 during the day during winter, 64 when we're at home and just suck it up and wear sweaters to save on the heating bill in the winter. I couldn't stand working in an air-conditioned office; I just kept a sweater on the back of my chair. When I'd walk outside, my glasses would steam up!

Of course you all know I have NO A/C problems at my current job; quite the opposite, as a matter of fact....