Working quietly and not liking instant messaging interruptions

I have a ton of content to put together for work. It's not difficult work. It's volume. I need to have my work done in over a week's time. I simply like to work quietly without any distractions.

I have a love-hate relationship with instant messaging. Getting messages from folks while I am doing a ton of work throws me off.

At work, we have two messaging apps. We use Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams. I am only on the former because my boss does tabs on when people log on and off. It's sad, but it's a virtual punch card machine.

I work enough hours that I don't really care. I get messaged often, which I don't enjoy. I am the longest-serving employee within our group, so I have a ton of knowledge. Everybody thinks that their work is important. Meanwhile, they don't realize that they may be interrupting work that I am doing that is important to me.

I only log on to Microsoft Teams when I have meetings. I haven't figured out a way to block people I don't enjoy working with yet.

Anyway, there is one project manager who has rubbed me the wrong way for at least two years. I have told her countless times that I prefer e-mails than instant messages. The former gives me time to think. I also write back with details.

She can't absorb e-mails. She wants everything quickly and continues to communicate with me through instant messages. I hate all of that.

I let her know that I am super busy. I copied two of her colleagues who know just how swamped I am with work. They also happen to be my past and present project managers on my team. I let her know calmly that I have shared everything with her and don't have an answer on how she should communicate to folks asking about software delivery. I am simply the person who put the contents of a document together. Delivery of this document is out of my scope once it is published.

Meanwhile, she makes it such a big deal to call and instant message me. If my status says that I am offline and she can't reach me, it's because I'm offline. I don't know what is so unclear about that. If telling her three times that I prefer e-mails doesn't sink in, that's her problem.

Work annoyances, including explaining processes to clueless people

My manager made a statement yesterday that I agree with when it comes to folks at work. Those who have to make a decision do not understand all aspects of the issue, including technicalities. Because they don't, there are so many problems that surface.

I have a project manager who does not know what she is doing. She immediately panics whenever I have a clear explanation for her in an e-mail and needs to talk to me. I work from home on Wednesdays. She called a meeting five minutes before its start, which I did not care for. I like to given more time than that.

I managed to cancel a second meeting that she had called. I just wanted an update and said that I am swamped with five conference calls in the afternoon. I am on the receiving end on deliverables. Why hold the meeting with me? It's the folks that are late with the deliverable who should be in a meeting with you. I spend far too much time in meetings and it's mainly because the other person doesn't get it. She said that she'd write meeting minutes. Nope, it didn't happen. I went ahead and did it for my own sanity.

The most enjoyable new feature in our instant messaging application is that I can hide my status from people who are not added to my list of contacts. This feature has significantly reduced the number of folks who contact me. I dislike instant messaging at work. I'd sooner do e-mail. If I don't reply in a minute, people come directly to my desk. I dislike this panicky mentality that folks have, including my incompetent colleague.

Two more days of work before the long weekend. I can't wait.

Overtime and contact

I worked overtime on Saturday. I'm tired.

I noticed that my guy was online. I tried contacting him on our work instant messaging app. My guess is that he was so into whatever he was doing workwise on his laptop that he didn't see any of my messages.

Oh, well. There's always tomorrow.

I did manage to finish my work. I now have Sunday and Monday off. Yay!

I'm exhausted. I'm off to bed.

Dealing with an inept colleague while on vacation

The new writer manages to still get on my nerves even when I am on vacation. She has no clue about respect for those who are on vacation.

On Christmas eve, she said that she'd wish everyone a nice Christmas. It seemed like a thoughtful gesture on her part.

We have an instant messaging tool that we use at work. I have it installed on my phone, as I take teleconferences while I am driving into work. I frankly don't like instant messaging apps. I find getting text messages to be a distraction.

Guess what she does? While I am preparing fixings in the kitchen on Christmas day, I get a text message on this instant messaging app from her. She's wishing me a merry Christmas. I have mentioned to her in the past that I don't like being contacted through this app. Obviously, this tidbit didn't register in her head, as with most information that my interns and I have relayed to her.

Two days later, I get a status report from her on this instant messaging app, saying that she's "holding down the fort." You would think that this app saying that I have been away for three days would mean something to her. Nope.

I wrote her an e-mail, copying our manager, on instant messaging etiquette. I pointed out that instant messaging is used to contact someone quickly to get a response and when it's urgent. Providing a status report or wishing me a nice Christmas over Skype while I am on vacation is not proper etiquette. I had to spell it out that I do not want to be reached on this work instant messaging app when I am on vacation. I want a work-free vacation. However, writing this e-mail to tell her to stop it and to explain how instant messaging etiquette works wasn't in my vacation plans.

I then indicated to look at our manager's e-mail that wished everyone a merry Christmas. He sent it as an e-mail, not through an instant messaging app. She does not comprehend that instant messages that she sends goes to my personal phone while I am on vacation and she is not. The last person I truly want to hear from on my vacation is this woman.

I got a reply back from her to my e-mail saying that she understood what I had said. I doubt that she truly does. It is so frustrating dealing with someone who seems to be shielded from the world and does not understand what is common courtesy.

My guy misses me

My work laptop is annoying. On Tuesday morning, I had to reboot it four times before I successfully connected to the company's virtual private network (VPN).

My guy and I were both working from home on Tuesday. We were both online. He sent me a message on our instant messaging app and we started to chat:

"How are you doing?" he asked me.
"Good, but busy with work changes. How about you?" I asked him.
"I miss a certain sweet girl with full lips and a cute butt," he replied.

I am wondering what the IT folks make of such work conversations. He's sweet, as usual.

Installing an instant messaging app on my guy's phone and wanting to be spanked

My guy is the first to admit that he doesn't like technology. I have always found that to be an interesting remark, as we both work in the technology sector. He does pretty well under the circumstances.

We have an instant messaging app at work that all employees use often. I asked my guy a while back whether he has installed it on his phone. He did install the app, but had some problems configuring it.

The other day, at our usual Chinese restaurant, I helped him with the configuration. Moments later, he was able to sign in and use the app. He was happy.

"You are my geeky girl. Thank you," he said, smiling at me.
"You're welcome. I'm your geeky gadget girl, right?" I asked him.
"Yes, you sure are," he confirmed.
"I'm your good geeky gadget girl," I said, smiling.
"Um, that depends. I like when you are bad, so I can bend you over and smack your butt hard," he admitted.

I like when he tells me that I am bad. It makes me happy and horny.

A compliment on my nail colour goes a long way

As crazy as work is these days, I find that the new folks that I have welcomed and trained recently bring a smile to my face when I least expect it.

I was in our regular team meeting on Thursday. I don't normally bring my laptop into these meetings because I don't like being distracted. However, I had another meeting after this one that required my pulling up information that I had prepared on my laptop.

My manager posed a question to me that he should have known the answer to. He had booked the meeting, for heaven's sake! So, I answered it and continued to listen to him.

A new writer (NW), whom I interviewed and helped train with one of my co-op students a few weeks ago, shot me an instant message. As of late, our corporate instant messaging systems causes me stress when folks pick my brains.

I enjoyed this brief exchange:

NW: Hi, Cutiebootie. I love your nail colour!
Me: Thanks, NW! I thought that I needed a bright colour to liven up our workplace. =)
NW: I agree

All it takes is a small compliment to make someone's day. I have a cheerful berry colour polish on my nails. She made this meeting far more bearable!

I stands for injections #AtoZchallenge

My blog post's title sound eerie and perhaps negative, but I don't feel this way. It's all good.

On Friday, I went to see my ophthalmologist. The clinic looks like a place where you would go select your frames for a spiffy pair of eyeglasses. It's in a fairly modern, new building. I actually had to ask if I had the correct unit number, for it wasn't displayed at the front.

The receptionist wasn't exactly the most friendly person to deal with. Everything coming out of her mouth felt like a rapid interrogation:

• May I help you?
• Can I get your health card?
• Can you confirm your birthdate?
• What's your family doctor's name? Do you know her first name? Address?

After she had all the answers that she needed, I sat in the waiting area. There must have been thirty people sitting there at 10:00 am. Naturally, you can't get too comfortable.

Moments later, you hear one technician call out your name. The problem is that you don't know which room the woman is in. For some reason, she chooses to sit in the room and yell out names. So, I followed the voice and had some scans done on both eyes.

I went back into the waiting room. Another technician yelled out my name. This time, if felt like a maze. I had to ask where she was. I followed her voice again. It's an odd setup.

I had more vision tests done. My eyes were dilated. I am getting used to this procedure where everything close up ends up being fuzzy.

During my second hour there, I got to meet my ophthalmologist. He has a calm tone to his voice. I felt reassured and in good hands.

He took a look at my eyes. He confirmed what my optometrist has concluded the other week. This time, I got a better diagnosis and a thorough explanation. I had a stroke in my right eye, which caused a vessel to explode. The blood is blocking my central vision. It explains why some of my vision is blurred.

He recommended injecting a drug in my eye, which will provide oxygen and nutrients. The idea is to break the blood clot and see how much of my vision can be restored. The uncertainty doesn't shock me. My mom had a serious stroke that has left her right side of her body rather weak. However, she has made good progress under the circumstances.

I realize that making a full recovery is difficult. However, if I can get most of my vision back in my right eye, I'll be happy. 

So, I have six injections with this drug. I had the first one on Friday. I am thankful that I have a decent drug plan. Otherwise, I would have to pay $2000 for all six injections out of my own pocket.

I go monthly for each injection. We'll see how things go.

My manager pinged me on our instant messaging application a few hours after my appointment. He told me of some news that made me happy. I will save that for a future blog post.

He asked me about my appointment, so I told him. He told me never to get injections in my eye. My mood changed. I could feel some stress moving in.

My ophthalmologist advised that injections are safe. I risk infection, but the odds are slim. As long as I don't rub my right eye or have water seep into it during the first 24 hours, I'm good. I did get a bottle of sterile artificial tears, which made a world of difference.

In my case, using drops containing medicine in my eye won't get down to the blood clot. My manager is a worry wart. He has an eye condition and is adamant to not have anyone pry into his eye. In his case, he has a pupil that will not close. He simply puts prescription eye drops in his affected eye.

I frankly think that our eye problems aren't similar. He wants a face-to-face discussion about my eye situation. I really don't.

I changed the topic and said that I need my workload reduced. He tried to be jokey, but it turned out worse. He first suggested to get Portuguese egg tarts, which I love. However, he wasn't willing to buy any. Instead, he suggested that I do and that he would eat them. Again, I didn't find it funny.

I basically told him that our instant messaging tool causes me stress. I get distracted when folks want information from me immediately. I told him for a long time that I have been thinking about not logging on to it. My mentioning it on Friday wasn't a first. 

I told him that his remark about never having injections doesn't make me feel good, as I have already had one. He apologized. I also said that I was logging off the instant messaging application. We were done.

I have no regrets. My health is more important than hearing nonsense that was making my blood boil. Again, I need to reduce my stress and this online conversation did not help.

My ophthalmologist has asked that I see my family doctor. So, I have an appointment on Tuesday. I need to talk to her about whether I need to be on high blood pressure medication or if there are techniques that I can employ to destress. 

I am trying meditation. I exercise daily. I need something else.

Role reversal and lunch

I drove back home from Montreal a few hours ago. I was there to train a few employees. They told me that it was helpful and good. Learning how to use a new tool isn't as daunting anymore to them, which is wonderful.

My guy sent me an instant message out of the blue while I was on my lunch break on Tuesday.

MG: Hey, are you in Montreal?
Me: Hey! Oui, je suis a Montreal. I can't find the accents!
MG: =) How's training?
Me: So far, so good. We are breaking for lunch now. How are you?
MG: I'm in the office all this week and next for training.
Me: =( for this week, except Friday. =) for next week," I wrote back.
MG: =)
Me: Can I see you on Friday?
MG: Yes
Me: Yay!

We thought that it would be a while before we'd see each other at work. Funny how our roles ended up being reversed a bit. I am normally the one at the office and he is travelling.

Anyway, after I crazy week working at another office location and doing additional work after hours, we get to have lunch together on Friday. Yay!