No habla
Next Monday will mark the beginning of my 12th week working here at the bore-factory. For some reason, in my mind, this arbitrary marker of time gives me permission to quit. I didn't think I'd make it a full month, and here I am approaching three! I've so exceeded my own low low expectations that I feel a deserved reward (or desert, as they say). What better motivation to work another week than quitting?
Anyways, it dawned on me today why I go unnoticed at my place of work. The reason? I am without a phone.
When I started, there were two copy editors that both sat against one wall and had desks complete with phones and computers. They put me at the empty desk in the middle of the room and found me an old computer that sort of works. But no phone. When Davina, copy editor # 2, left, they offered me her desk which I politely refused for a number of reasons, 1) I was comfortable and used to my desk, 2) she didn't like her job, so I thought if I "replaced" her, i wouldn't like my job either, 3) i didn't want the responsibility of a phone.
It turns out that this job is wretched, regardless of desk position, so I admit that some of my reasoning was flawed. I am glad, however, that I have still not acquired a phone. I hate using phones. I especially hate using phones in rooms with other people. One particularly unproductive day here, they gave me busy work that involved calling people on the mailing list and trying to sell them tickets to an event. I sweat profusely the whole time and suffered mild heart palpitations. I did this for about an hour and not once did I actually speak to a real person, but the very possibility that I might was quite terrifying enough for me. When it comes to quitting, I have a history of being "all talk" but on this day, I seriously considered quitting and running out the office in phone-induced hysterics.
Typically, the phones here are used for more benign purposes, predominantly inter-office calling. I don't really understand it, because only about 12 people work here and often, I can usually hear the person on the other end of the phone because their office is 10 yards away from ours. But because it would be ridiculous to walk all the way into our office, the fact that I don't have a phone and an extension means, essentially, that people cannot ask me to do things. And this, in turn, means that I can spend the majority of my day reading FAQ's on JK Rowling's web site.
Anyways, it dawned on me today why I go unnoticed at my place of work. The reason? I am without a phone.
When I started, there were two copy editors that both sat against one wall and had desks complete with phones and computers. They put me at the empty desk in the middle of the room and found me an old computer that sort of works. But no phone. When Davina, copy editor # 2, left, they offered me her desk which I politely refused for a number of reasons, 1) I was comfortable and used to my desk, 2) she didn't like her job, so I thought if I "replaced" her, i wouldn't like my job either, 3) i didn't want the responsibility of a phone.
It turns out that this job is wretched, regardless of desk position, so I admit that some of my reasoning was flawed. I am glad, however, that I have still not acquired a phone. I hate using phones. I especially hate using phones in rooms with other people. One particularly unproductive day here, they gave me busy work that involved calling people on the mailing list and trying to sell them tickets to an event. I sweat profusely the whole time and suffered mild heart palpitations. I did this for about an hour and not once did I actually speak to a real person, but the very possibility that I might was quite terrifying enough for me. When it comes to quitting, I have a history of being "all talk" but on this day, I seriously considered quitting and running out the office in phone-induced hysterics.
Typically, the phones here are used for more benign purposes, predominantly inter-office calling. I don't really understand it, because only about 12 people work here and often, I can usually hear the person on the other end of the phone because their office is 10 yards away from ours. But because it would be ridiculous to walk all the way into our office, the fact that I don't have a phone and an extension means, essentially, that people cannot ask me to do things. And this, in turn, means that I can spend the majority of my day reading FAQ's on JK Rowling's web site.
posted by lady at 11:16 AM
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