Thursday, January 31, 2008

Desperate watching of the Clock

I am currently working the most boring job I have ever worked. The pay is good, but I can’t imagine why. Someone calls maybe every 1.5 hours, and, granted, they never know who they need to speak to and send me on a wild goose-chase to figure out where to transfer them, but that lasts about 30 seconds and immediately subsides. I am working as a receptionist for American Express Corporate Travel Services. Sometimes people call and think they’ve been transferred to the North American department. Thank the Lord that this job only lasts two days. I have no internet access (and am therefore writing this in Word and sending it to myself via Lotus Notes), nothing much to do, and 9 hours to do it in. The 9th hour is for a break that I certainly don’t need…although it’s nice to not be in the front room with the buzzing lights over-head. I am currently stuffing peanut m&m’s into my face. They are delicious.

I have registered with a different temping agency because I’ve heard it’s a good idea to do that…and they’ve immediately offered me an ongoing position at a health center doing general admin AND…..wait for it………………weighing babies. The pay is not the best, but the other job they offered me for a bit more pay was data entry….and that just sounds soul sucking. I can’t think of anything soul sucking about weighing babies. The lady that is working on getting me jobs is Canadian. I suppose the North American camaraderie is what is making it easier for me to get regular work with the new agency…or it could be that the new agency is just a lot better than the other one (other being said with a disdainful grimace). The other (repeat previous stage directions) agency leaves my timesheets until the very last minute and then complains to me when I get them in late. Well, when you send them to me five minutes past the due time, there’s no way for me to get them in before stated time. I mean…really. The other (again) agency will be told the days that my availability begins and will not have work for me until at least 24 hours after that day. I called the new (ooOOOoooh) agency on Tuesday, went to register on Wednesday morning, and Wednesday afternoon, they offered me two positions. The other agency looks at me like I’m crazy when I make jokes…the new (oooOOOOoooh) agency passes them around to everyone in the office and shares a good laugh. The only thing that gave me pause about the new agency was that the girl registering me (English girl) maintained eye contact the entire time that she was speaking to me. Now, normally, the listener is REQUIRED to maintain eye contact, while the speaker has no such restrictions. This girl was staring me down while she went over the guidelines and such. It was a bit unsettling, as I was unable to break eye contact being the listener. You all know those rules? Right?

I have to stop eating these m&ms. I’m getting light-headed.

Well…that killed about ten minutes. Only 39 minutes to go…until tomorrow…

3 comments:

diana said...

mentioning your lack of internet access at work buys you one more day before I throw myself off a bridge.

carolinelovesyoumore said...

you....are....amazing.

chrishaley said...

That sounds like the greatest job ever.

The baby weighing one, I mean.

Or at least the cutest.