Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Sigh

So I blogged a little while back about having spent years totally immersed in a project, a project that took an enormous about of research and nit-picking detail work.  Only to find out in the end that the division I was doing the work for had run out of money for the project a couple years before and didn't bother to tell me.  Well, after beating my head on the desk for a while in order to not strangle someone I comforted myself with the thought that at least everything was now in place if the project ever got renewed.  I gave a presentation, and then took from my presentation and report and wrote an article for publication in a trade magazine about the project.  Months ago.

My division chief OKed the article for publication and told me to send it up to the Chief Geodesist for review.  I did.  Chief Geodesist says it needs to come through my division chief, not me.  OK, lets do it the step by step through the hierarchy.  So I send an e-mail to my division chief about it and he immediately sends the article to the Chief Geodesist with his blessing.  An hour later I get an e-mail from the Chief Geodesist - my division chief is at a conference and he doesn't want him bothered.  Have Tom send it.  In other words, have Not Division Chief repeat what my division chief just did an hour a go.  While at his conference.

And all the while because the real world people outside the HQ actually don't play at being Abbot and Costello, I've got an editor I personally know at that magazine waiting for the article.

Been doing this job for 33 years.  Getting real close to telling people what I think of them and suggesting actions that are probably physically impossible.

10 comments:

  1. Impossible yes, but the mere suggestion forces them to do the visual in their minds. The look on their faces is often satisfying.

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    1. Wouldn't be able to see their faces - HQ's heads are already stored in a dark place..:-)

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  2. Cream and excrement both rise to the top; first the one, and then - later - the other. Given sufficient time, only the latter remains.

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    1. And I'm so sick of lack of leadership and arrogance in our front office that it doesn't take much to set me off.

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  3. I understand the frustration

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  4. Hate to say this, but I told you that you were going to run into problems... Please let us know when it DOES get published!

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    1. I will. And I long for the days when I can, as a private citizen, go into the records and write some of the awesome stories that are contained there.

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  5. I worked in retail for 10 years (yeah, I know...stubborn), and learned very early on that "people will get promoted to their highest level of incompetence". Adding a degree on their wall usually boosts that incompetency up a few notches. Had a manager ask me one time what I thought we could do to improve the store...after I listed a few things I thought would help, he looked at me and said "well, we don't do that here," and asked me for more ideas. Duh. I wouldn't have suggested it if we already did it!!!

    As for your situation...this is why mankind invented firearms and ranges in the first place, I believe. Nothing soothes the frustrated beast like a good, healthy dose of gunsmoke.

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    1. I so hope I can practice the Zen of shooting soon. Won't be next week because I'm needed in Baltimore again, but maybe the week after.

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