Crazy Week

It's been insane this week.

Last Friday was my boss's last day. In the week or so prior, I was organizing getting his goodbye cards signed, collecting money for the traditional last day cake for the entire office (about 100 people or so), and trying to get him to sign as many contracts as humanly possible.

So, now we are bossless. Well, not really. His manager has taken over his duties until they find someone else for the position. Yes, I did put in my application. No, I do not think I'll get it. Like I've said before, there are people who are applying who are way more qualified than I am, and who've been in Procurement and Contracts for a number of years. Besides, if I get the position, they may actually expect me to dress properly (ie - wear shoes around the office, not wear clothing that looks like I just escaped from a Greatful Dead concert, etc), and (God forbid) be nice to people who are trying to take advantage of me. And that wicked sense of humor I have? Probably not a good selling point.

See, I treat people like normal people. I don't kiss ass, and I don't treat people differently because of their title. I'm a bit goofy, and have a weird way of relating to others. I have two contract managers, for instance, who I have to work with to get a multiple-provider contract through the unbelievably long process of getting approved. I have informed both of them that I will more than likely HATE them by the time November rolls around. The two solicitations equal about 20 contracts, which means I have to get information from 20 contractors, about 40 insurance companies, and get the Secretary of State's office, the Office of Risk Management, and not one but two legal offices to approve it. Frankenstein's monster has NOTHING on the State's contracting process. Anyway, these two contract managers completely accept me, and know how to take my teasing in stride. Sadly, not all the people I deal with are like them.

I had my first meeting with the manager yesterday, to update her on all my contracts. An hour and a half later, and I feel as if I would gladly participate in a firing squad against this woman. Well, not that bad, but you get the drift. She's very very nice, but she doesn't understand the contracting process as well as some other managers, and I think it makes her nervous. And when she gets nervous, she likes to find out every little detail about things. And when people try to delve that deep into my work, I get nervous. And when I get nervous, I get a bit huffy. Oh, forget that. I get downright bitchy. After about an hour into the meeting, here is what my train of thought was like:

'She's judging me. I can feel it. She thinks I should have gotten this stuff done ages ago. She doesn't understand this at all. My GOD, I'm going to scream. I need a cigarette. Oh, wait - I quit smoking. Okay - I need chocolate. Damn! I'm on a diet. Shit! Shit! Shit! Is this ever going to end?'

Being the good manager, I'm sure she could tell I was getting defensive. Actually, I know she could tell because she told me, "Don't get defensive. I just want to have a clear picture of where we are." See? I'm good at deductive reasoning. Heh.

Anyway, an hour and a half later, the meeting was actually a wonderful success. She found two contracts that shouldn't have even come to me in the first place, and two more that needed approvals that I didn't even know existed. And by the end of the day, she had managed to find an easier way of handling yet a third contract of mine, and possibly taking a huge headache of a contract assigned to one of our other analysts off the board. Woo hoo!!

She's not as easy to relate to as my former supervisor was. She's much more professional and by the book. But, I'm finding out that isn't such a bad thing.

And now, I'm off for the next four days. Woo hoo!!!

Have fun everyone!