Competition

I’m good at what I do. I enjoy the hell out of my job, now that I’ve gotten away from my crazy abusive boss. I have a great boss now, he’s not only fair he realizes that by giving me the tools and support I need to do my job…. his company succeeds. He isn’t afraid or hesitant to support me when customers are angry with me, and it’s generally like night and day compared to my previous job.

The only thing I missed from my old job were my coworkers. One retired, and I still see him and his wife from time to time. My son loves comparing phone games with her. Another does my taxes every year. One of the latter hires and I still talk on the phone from time to time.

There was one coworker whom I talked with everyday but I haven’t since I left. I’m on the left coast, and she’s on the right coast.

I’ve talked to her every day this week.

She is now a part of our team and I love it.

I am hyper competitive and we are now a sales team of 2. Before, I was checking my numbers against the Florida warehouse and I was ok with it. Since I’m not on commission, I feel like I should take care of all of our customers. No lie, keeping up with all the aspects of all the customers keep me on my toes. As I’m bored easily, it’s perfect.

Perfect!

However I’m hyper competitive. This is not something my boss puts onto me, though he likes it. No one is pressuring me. I’m not in commission, because I turned it down. I’d rather work on salary as I have the princeling. It also frees me up to answer phones and help everyone. 

But she… she’s good. She’s very good. And my competitive gene kicked in. And things starting building up…… so that by Friday morning I had a melt down.

A minor one. And all from internal pressure.

I understand and applaud putting customers who were under my rep number going over to hers if they will buy more. Every once in a while tho, one will come through that a different person reentered under their own number that was mine. My boss fixes it everytime. But one came through yesterday that was completely accidental and I lost it.

Thank God the boss man wasn’t there because I was so frustrated I cried when telling my coworker. Argh I hate that. But by talking it over with L I was able to calm down enough to email what had happened to the boss man.

I think L. may have talked to the boss man. 

Cool.

(And please be aware, my frustration had nothing to do with C.. I have always wanted nothing but to support her and make her life and transition easier. I like her. A lot. I love working with her. We worked together and talked almost everyday for 8 years. I’ve met her in person once, and had  blast. We used to joke wed take over the old company if we ever got together and that’s why we were only in the same place once.)

Later in the day, right before closing, he gave me words of encouragement. Something to the effect of C. being hired doesn’t take away from what I do. That I’m great at what I do and he’s happy with my work. He hired her to be a me on the other coast.

“It’s just I’m so competitive..”

“I know.” I’m pretty sure he said he like it too. I know he does.

“It’s just… I have my sales number to track, but I take care of everyone. House accounts, anthony, mine…”

And he gets it. He doesn’t try to make me feel less. He let’s me know he sees everything I do, and he likes it. I am good at what I do… even when I’m competing in my own head. Instead of being strung out and worried all weekend, I was able to leave work feeling great. It carried me through a crappie drive home. It stays with me everytime I get in the car at butt o’clock in the morning. I’m gone from 6:15am to 5pm and I more than ok with it. 

I used to say that my boss from my first job after college was the best boss I’d ever had. Tough, but fair and would always support me if I told him what was going on BEFORE the caca hit the fan. That has been changed. 

I’ll still be competitive. I won’t let that go. It’s all in my own brain, anyways. 

But for work, I think I’m going to focus my competitiveness outside the company. Show the industry what happens when women in the work place are valued and supported.

Yah. We can do that.

I’m good at what I do

I have a day job. It’s not an industry that I ever thought I’d get into, but I like it. I’m good at what I do– sales with a lot of customer service. I talk on the phone all day, and I connect with people.

Yes. I connect with people. Which is something I enjoy doing.

And I’m very good at it.

That’s not to say that I’m the best, the highest performing or what ever. But I like my customers, and care about them. Not just what they need. I know that it comes through in the way I deal with them.

I have customers dealing with cancer, and it breaks my heart. I have one who just had a new baby and she is the cutest thing ever. Others I chit chat with, catch up on the news about both our kids, and enjoy talking and working with them. I’m good at it— in a weird way it’s being a friend. I’ve never met them, but I care about them. And it has little to do with money.

I’m really good at what I do. Not everyone can appreciate it, or accept it. My last boss didn’t. My current boss does. Which is wonderful, because even if I started writing and selling full time, I don’t think I could just stay at home and write. I’m not that type of writer.

I’m not that type of worker either. I started out working at home– and while there were parts that I loved, for the most part it just isn’t for me. I enjoy the hustle of the office: phones ringing, orders going in and out. Interaction with my co-workers and customers.

I really like what I do during the day. If you have a day job, I hope you’re blessed with a great job too.

 

Beautiful Days

So the trip to Disney was great. Much needed break from everyday life~ a chance to recharge the batteries. I’m sorry I didn’t post last weekend as promised, but I was a little stressed trying to make sure that I had everything packed.

Now that the tiredness from the traveling has faded, it was time to set down to work. Writing work. Specifically, I wrote a poem based on the ride “Haunted Mansion.” It is exactly 10 lines, so it will be going up for my 10×10 post for the Mocha Memoirs Press Blog. I’ll make sure to post the linkage for you as soon as it goes live.

I’ll be having a guest post soon on Rie Sheridan Rose’s blog as well. About not my first sale, but the first time I felt like an actual writer.

I’ve subscribed to the digital edition of Writer’s Digest Magazine.

I’ve started a novel.

I’m keeping a running log of ideas….

In general, folks, I have to say…. I think I’m going all writerly again. However, I’m still a voracious reader, so I’ll do a couple of reviews a week and a couple of writing posts. How does that sound to you?  

I know i’m behind on posting some of my reviews… I’ll get them up this week.

So. How’s your writing going? Read any good books lately? If not, go look up Wynelda Deaver on Amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com…. I hear she’s pretty good (cheeky grin).

Oh! and always, always remember…..

IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL!

Go Big or Go Home or, Will Write for a Car

When you’re the working poor, The sole provider for the family on a small salary and things look like they are never, ever going to get better… When your car dies and you have no money to fix it, or to buy new, or to even used… OR even good enough credit to do so…

When you’re living in a 1 bedroom apartment, and your son is the light of your life… And you don’t know how on earth you’re going to get school clothes, let alone a college education for a boy who is bright as the stars, even if he learns a little bit differently…

Well, when that happens there’s only one thing an educated, creative woman can do.

Go Big or Go Home.

I know I’m a little different. I know my sense of humor sometimes gets me in trouble.  But I also notice things that other people don’t.  I’ve passed that onto my son, who is a constant joy.

So. I WILL WRITE MY WAY INTO A NEW CAR. A NEW LIFE. IT’S THE ONLY OPTION LEFT TO ME.

JK Rowling did it. Now it’s my turn.

GO Big, or GO Home.

Good wishes are welcome. As are ideas on how to go about it.  Love ya all, hope to see much more of you in the coming days. Because it’s time for me to take a stand for that little boy and give him the life he deserves, the one that my parents provided for me.

SHHH!

Dear Customer:

 I know that some of you are used to talking with someone else. You’re not really used to me, or to talking to a girl. Lets face it, you spoke with him for years and years. So when he called you, you felt not only that you could trust him, but that here was someone you are comfortable with. So you gave him an order. An opportunity to quote. An opening.

Something you might not know is that almost everyone here has been bound by a confidentiality agreement at all times. That means, in effect, for three years the person who has signed that agreement cannot call customers that they have dealt with at our workplace, use knowledge of our pricing structures to under cut us with said customers, or try and get the same products from our suppliers. To do any of these things wouldn’t just be unethical, it would be illegal for the person who had signed the contract.

It’s easy to say, “Oh, I would never do that. It’s illegal.” What if there was no confidentiality agreement? If it were legal, but not necessarily right.

 Here’s what I did. I was laid off last winter (2008/2009) due the economy. At the time of my being laid off, I had *no* confidentiality agreement on file. The person who did all of our HR let it slip by the wayside. I could have gone to any one of our competitors with no legal ramifications. It was not, however, something that I could live with. So when I looked for work, I looked outside the industry. At the time, there were 10 ads in the Sunday Paper for jobs. But still I persevered. Luckily, when business started picking up again, I came back to work here full time. And I never compromised my principles.

I don’t have the product knowledge that 14 years in the industry can provide. You aren’t as comfortable with me as you are with him. Nothing but time will cure these things. But I will never do anything that goes against my ethical code. Not even to benefit myself. I’ve even told my boss and co-workers when they were doing something that I didn’t feel was right. If a customer deserves a price break, I fight for it. If there’s anything I can do, I do it. That’s who I am.

Some other changes that might amaze you: you’ll never hear me bad mouth my boss, the company, or other such stuff to you. You are my customer, I’m here to HEAR you, not the other way around (and besides, really? That’s what friends and family are for LOL). I won’t tell you one thing, then do another without telling you first, along with an explanation of why I had to do that.

So call me. Lets start to get to know eachother.

Thank you & Good Night

Catch Up

Well, I’ll be working 4 days this week. WOOHOO!!!! Things are looking a bit up right now.This is just a quick bit to catch up with what’s going on (right before work LOL).

1. The Amazing Baby Ray is doing great. He’s babbling a lot more, and using a lot more words. I’m really pleased with the way he’s starting to progress.

2. I talked with Phyllis, the pastor of our church and my mentor (whether she likes it or not) about my little Project Ray of Sunshine. I can’t do it without the church… And it turns out she was thinking simular thoughts as mine. So, we have it in the works and I am so excited!

3. Sunday Night, with the time change? Ray went to sleep at 11:00pm! That turkey! I was so tired… but he was out by 8:30 last night, so hopefully his clock has been reset.

4. I’ve been writing a lot of spiritual poetry, in addition to the children’s poetry. I kind of like it. I’ll post some of it either tonight or sometime this week. It’ll depend on MR. RAY and when he goes night night.

5. I really miss writing in here when I’m busy. SO. I’ll try and write more. It’ll be easier once I get my other computer up and running… But it’s with Leyla Bean right now. So. Short missives from work or late night ramblings are what you’re gonna get until I get back into the schedule.

6. I really love my church. I love a small congregation where everyone knows everyone else. It’s the way I was raised, and I can’t stand the huge, stadium style churches that my husband likes. But– But— Brian came back to church with me this past Sunday. I think the more personal attention is better for Ray. These people are a part of his family– they have loved him since before he was born and welcomed him with open arms.

Lots of love!

Wyn

Quick Bits

Just a really quick update on various things before I get to work.

Yes, I said work. I am working 2 days a week, sometimes 3. It gets me out of the house and stretches that unemployment further. Plus, I do like my job (most days LOL).

Ray got his hair cut on Saturday. He looks like a real boy now… No more baby. No more Rocker Baby hair for him either. It is a proper little boy hair cut and he looks adorable– just not like my baby any more. AND MOMMA MISSES HIS CURLS!

Found out that the course of my writing is apparently one of the toughest to break into. However, as I’ve mentioned before… Money is not the point. (I keep telling myself that over and over, maybe some day I’ll believe it). It’s the enjoyment that I get out of it, and the bonding with Ray. And maybe I’ll share it soon. We’ll see.

Anyhoo– Time to punch the clock. OUCH!

Wyn