Living in the Projects

When my class ended at 8:20 last night, I ended up heading to Half Way Tree with the only other colleague from work who decided to go to class and stay until the end (one other person went and left half-way through; the other 6 persons didn't show up at all). As we paced on the sidewalk, my colleague related to me one of her disappointments about work. She told me how at her previous job, there were days she'd go home with no burden on her shoulders, knowing that she'd done everything she needed to do that day. She no longer experiences that feeling, because in her present position, she never gets a chance to feel like there's nothing hanging over her head. There's always a tonne to do.

We are very alike in that way- I too like the feeling of going home knowing that I've completed my tasks (at least up to that point). But like her, that's a thrill I've yet to experience, even though I've only been on the job for a month... I have become the project specialist.

I had related previously how, only days after starting my new job, I was put on a committee to handle a project. That project involved (from where I stood) analyzing a spreadsheet with about 5,000 rows and maybe 15 columns. To finish my analysis (with included dishing out all sorts of data for the GM, and then making recommendations), it took about 3 weeks. The very day that I finished that project, I was called into a meeting with the GM, and at that same time I heard that I had a meeting with the Underwriting Manager. I thought they were the same meeting. Not so. In the space of 30 minutes, I was briefed on 2 other projects I was to participate in, one where I'd be working with a partner, and the other where I'd be working with 2 more senior people. The latter one has been going slowly (even though report deadline is next week).

The former, however, is the one that I've spent almost a week working on. This one involves a spreadsheet with about 55,000 rows and 45 columns. And not only is the time allotted to work on it only 1.5 weeks, but we (the 2 of us) also have to put together a presentation for the likes of the General Manager, Managing Director, and others. Joy, joy.

Today, just after we found out that we had a presentation to do next Monday, I got an email from the GM- another big company project starts next week Monday, and I'll be a part of it. Literally, as soon as the presentation meeting ends, I'll be walking into the new project meeting.

Do I have another 4 decades of stuff hanging over my head to deal with? I was told after the first project that I was proof of the fact that the reward for good work is more work. Now I'm being worked like a donkey. Imagine what it will be like when I start doing overtime...