Why did I choose, instead, to come into work for a single day?

Because we are at a critical stage in a huge project, and rumor had it that the consultants needed to meet with me before I went on vacation.  When I left Friday, I had noticed that no meetings had been scheduled.  Since the consultants work Monday through Thursday, so they can travel home on Friday, I figured I would get some requests over the weekend.  Nope. Didn’t get anything.

In talking to my boss, I discovered that they were probably not going to be ready for me until the end of the week.  She was a bit annoyed that I had told them my schedule, yet they didn’t shift things around as they should have.  I’ll let her go deal with that one.  

Instead of having good productive meetings, I am now left to do adminis-trivia.  My favorite was reviewing the contract for the VP of Sales.  Like many around here, they have a love-hate relationship with me.  If I’m on their side advocating for them or managing their project, they love me because I’ll get it done.  If they have to work with me and get my opinion on things, then they hate me.  Why?  I don’t exactly mince words.  I spend an hour reading this stupid contract just to have more questions than answers.  For example, if you reference an “Exhibit A”, you may want to write it up and have it ready for a contract review.  I also sent him a few other questions that revolve around some changing business processes we are all working on implementing.  I don’t think he recalled that we are going to “stop doing” some of the things he is putting into the contract.  I’m sure he will love my pointing them out given he is not exactly on-board with the changes.  

After the contract, I now get to go through corporate phone bills.  Yes, I’m in hell.  Either that or I’m paying early penance.  

Speaking of penance, my cohort, the chatty one, he had way too much caffeine this morning.  He can’t sit or stand still, but he can sure talk a hell of a lot more and faster.  I have my earbuds in my ears listening to my iPod, and my hair is down (which means no one can see them) – he has come into my cube twice and had a full blown conversation with me before realizing I don’t hear him.  My back is to anyone who comes into my cube, so I’m not sure what he was thinking when I wasn’t turning around to acknowledge him.  Both times I realized he was there because he was bouncing the whole floor.  I love the way they build buildings for earthquake regulations.  If someone is bouncing their foot in the right part of the floor, it shakes the whole floor.  This is how I’ve discovered him in my cube twice.  

And, when I’m done with phone bills, I get to do my quarterly Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) auditing!  I’m so glad I got up to come to work….I just need to keep reminding myself that I don’t have to come back for the rest of the week…