Just when I thought blogging was getting a bit common, and I was afraid I was loosing my edge, and I was considering moving on to other projects, this gets dropped into my lap.
Without speculation,
Without rumors,
Without guidelines, guesses or conference calls,
Without committees and family meetings,
Without a dog and pony show, song or dance,
Without organization charts,
Without letters, fanfares or ‘Lifestyle Changes’ training sessions,
I find out that I’m up for re-organization.
I pride myself on thinking that I know what is going on the Sierra National Forest, after all “Cindy Blogs the Sierra”, but I sure as hell didn’t see this one coming. Granted, it’s not really officially even begun, but something has certainly been started.
I Get the Message
Last Tuesday, I started my morning routine. I arrive at 0800, start up my computer, and read a note left by Teri. Nothing surprising there. I open my email look for important or interesting emails. I email to Bob Hawkins a very nice photo I took of the PG&E Project Managers and the Forest Service Hydro coordinators. Then, I listen to my phone messages. There was only one phone message from my supervisor, and I can’t really remember exactly what it said. I didn’t bother to listen to all of it and I didn’t hesitate to delete it, but I got it. There were discussions going on about Lands becoming part of the Engineering Department and it was pretty clear that my work and I were being considered for ‘re-organizing.’ I walk down the hall and it’s confirmed by the Forest Engineer.
Being told you are facing an unplanned, involuntary change is like being in an earthquake. Have you ever been in an earthquake? The first few moments you stop and observe and wonder if you are really feeling an earthquake or are you just imagining things. Looking around you see things shaking, maybe a hanging object sways and you accept that you get it, the ground is moving. Slowly the reality presents itself. Yep, that’s an earthquake. Right about that time, things stop shaking and the questions begin. I wonder if there were any damage, and I wonder where it was centered? I wonder where were the people I care about when this happened? For all, I hope for the best.
Luckily, I wasn’t at the epicenter of this earthquake. Just stirred, not shaken. A bit confused, a bit angry, still whining, but not damaged.
Now start the million questions:
Communications are bad now, won’t that just make things worse?
Will I end up unfunded because the Lands budget is decreasing and I will be separated from the Recreation responsibilities on this forest?
Will I have enough work only doing just Lands?
Can I be an Acting Forest Engineer? Boy, that sounds weird!
Whose idea was this anyway, and why aren’t we re-organizing everyone?
I don’t require much supervision. I write my own documents. I do the Lands Budget, financial review, and Work Plan, I do all the Lands coordination with the District Lands Staff, so how much work are we talking about moving to engineering?
Does it really make sense to put Lands in Engineering? Why not OHV and Trails? They have more in common with Engineering than Lands.
If we are reorganizing something, shouldn’t we be reorganizing to save money or fund unfunded staff? I’m neither unfunded, nor am I much work to supervise.
What happens to the monthly Rec/Lands meetings? I have been part of the Rec/Lands Department for over fifteen years.
Will we still do Rec/Lands meetings?
Will we have separate Forest Lands meetings?
Are we moving the work, or we moving Cindy Whelan?
Do I get to keep taking photos? (I will keep blogging on my own time!)
Are they going to make me do engineering work?
Do the engineers meet as a group?
I’m not sure I have much in common with the engineering staff. They do like to eat.
Now, what is this supposed to accomplish?
What are the real issues, and does this move really address the real issues?
Since that voice message I have been up on the idea and I have been down. Wednesday I was whistling “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python’s Broadway musical “SpamAlot” and then last night I woke up at 3am crying about the whole thing. I survived the last re-organization and I’ll survive this one. In this new area of uncertainty there is one thing that is apparent, it is sure going to make for some interesting blogs! So, stay tuned, and if you want to leave me a comment, don’t leave me a voice message! I won’t be checking my voice mail for a while.
Here is my latest photo taken at the meeting of the PG&E Hydroelectric Project Managers and the Forest Service Hydroelectric Managers. I’m not sure it has much to do with being reorganized, but I wanted to post this photo on my blog.
Oh and that “SpamAlot” song is pretty good, too.
Check it out. On the SpamAlot Website Homepage, click the shield that says “About the Show.” Be patient, and it will play this song for you. You too will be whisteling…
“Always Look On The Bright Side of Life”
Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you’re chewing on life’s gristle
Don’t grumble, give a whistle
And this’ll help things turn out for the best…
And…always look on the bright side of life…
Always look on the light side of life…
If life seems jolly rotten
There’s something you’ve forgotten
And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you’re feeling in the dumps
Don’t be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle – that’s the thing.
And…always look on the bright side of life…
Always look on the light side of life…
For life is quite absurd
And death’s the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin – give the audience a grin
Enjoy it – it’s your last chance anyhow.
So always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath
Life’s a piece of shit
When you look at it
Life’s a laugh and death’s a joke, it’s true.
You’ll see it’s all a show
Keep ‘em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.
And always look on the bright side of life…
Always look on the right side of life…
(Come on guys, cheer up!)
Always look on the bright side of life…
Always look on the bright side of life…
(Worse things happen at sea, you know.)
Always look on the bright side of life…
(I mean – what have you got to lose?)
(You know, you come from nothing – you’re going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!)
Always look on the right side of life…
[Thanks to magpietap@yahoo.com for lyrics]
