Work rant (Blogophilia 37.6)
I promise I'm not copying Tyler. I was thinking up this post this morning while trying to link my work computer to a new server. Several tries later, I was wishing my coffee was whiskey. But, I persevered and did get up and running.
As most of you know, I left my old job in State Government a little over a year ago and am now working in private industry. Specifically, I am on contract with the largest pension services provider working on one of their largest accounts. This is best described as a cavalcade of folly. After a parade acquisitions and divestitures, there are 22 separate pension plans with to deal with. The total number of plan permutations that regularly happen is around 5000. Like every good workhorse, there aren't enough chrysanthemums in the world that could make the parade route smell good. But, mums really don't smell. They just look pretty and propagate like wildflowers in my front flower bed. Kind of like the pension plans I deal with. I have union plans. I have non union plans. I have some that are traditional others that are 401(k). A three ring circus to be sure. But don't send flowers,at my age they scare me.
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This was written for Blogophilia, a gypsy group of writers currently squatting on Facebook. Come join us.
Blogophilia Week 37.6 - Cavalcade of Folly
Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts): Include " chrysanthemums " somewhere in your write
(Easy, 1 pt): Quote a flower (any flower) (Courtesy of George Burns)
As most of you know, I left my old job in State Government a little over a year ago and am now working in private industry. Specifically, I am on contract with the largest pension services provider working on one of their largest accounts. This is best described as a cavalcade of folly. After a parade acquisitions and divestitures, there are 22 separate pension plans with to deal with. The total number of plan permutations that regularly happen is around 5000. Like every good workhorse, there aren't enough chrysanthemums in the world that could make the parade route smell good. But, mums really don't smell. They just look pretty and propagate like wildflowers in my front flower bed. Kind of like the pension plans I deal with. I have union plans. I have non union plans. I have some that are traditional others that are 401(k). A three ring circus to be sure. But don't send flowers,at my age they scare me.
____________________________________________________________________________________
This was written for Blogophilia, a gypsy group of writers currently squatting on Facebook. Come join us.
Blogophilia Week 37.6 - Cavalcade of Folly
Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts): Include " chrysanthemums " somewhere in your write
(Easy, 1 pt): Quote a flower (any flower) (Courtesy of George Burns)
No worries from my side - I started with the passion (or lack there of) and worked it backwards to the prompts. Work was just the easiest street
ReplyDeleteTM
Yeah. I got that way towards the end at the old place. Not going anywhere. Nothing left to challenge me.
DeleteNew place the challenges are more annoying than anything else. Some good people, just weird,modern management style.
The new job must be quite the challenge during these times. I love where the theme took you.
ReplyDeleteI think any of us could probably apply this week's topic "Cavalcade of Folly" to our jobs!! But on the contrary, I don't see this as a lazy write. It's clever, succinct and nice to read about what you do for a living. ;)
ReplyDeleteSo many things set up at cross purposes to each other. It has always amazed me.
DeleteDoes this mean, I can quiz you about my 401K plan?
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have anything like that here. However, Cavalcade of Folly and work do go together. I retired because I was drowning in the folly
ReplyDeleteA lot of people drown. It's the truth.
DeleteBusinesses that grow through acquisitions usually have all sorts of trouble when it comes to actually running something in a profitable manner. And having satisfied customers... Sounds like the chaos is job security at least. -David II
ReplyDeleteWell, the contract goes through 2014. So, I'm happy about that.
DeleteCompared to yours, my job is a piece of cake!
ReplyDeleteI know not what I do but I do it well! here is proof
8 points Earthling! :)
Marvin
Are you supposed to be cleaning the illudium pu 38 space modulator?
DeleteYour job sounds harried and filled with problems. Very glad I and the workforce have parted
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting on that winning lottery ticket. (Of course, I have to put a Bic to a buck to win...)
DeleteWOW!! thats a very responsible job indeed Christopher ...
ReplyDeletethe pensions in the UK are shot to hell ... no one has much at all...
just make sure the same rot don't set in over there pal..
sounds like you earn your corn my friend... :-) ..
Most pensions are in pretty bad shape. A combination of too rich promises and an aging population. I am glad I am not on that end of this one, although I suspect it is pretty close to fully funded.
DeleteWhenever I am not at work I try not to think about work but all to often I find myself doing just that. I use to be satisfied with what I do mostly because I enjoy it. But economics (or lack of compensation and appreciation) have been playing a major part in my rethinking of what it is I do. It has become a chore that requires doing rather than a pleasure to do. I have been thinking of a complete career change but having been doing what I do for the last 42 years and not having another skill to fall back on kind of leaves me in a rut that cannot be climbed out of. Your blog caused these thoughts to the forefront of my mind. My apologies and my thanks for allowing me to release them here.
ReplyDeleteHard to get a grip on 22 plans I'm sure. And blink your eyes twice and it's suddenly 23, or 25 of them. Fish getting eaten by bigger fish getting eaten by even bigger fish. Hopefully your current account is the biggest fish around... ;o) Grtz Rutger.
ReplyDeleteThe multiplication is out of my hands, Thank God. I can safely say there are only one or two companies that could swallow this fish. And to do so would trigger all sorts of Anti-trust investigations.
DeleteI won't complain about my job anymore! Mine's a piece of cake compared to yours. :)
ReplyDeleteIrene