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April/May/Wild America
May. 31st, 2024 08:58 pmAnother manager gone. It was a weird week. There was a big party, at his request. I was unable to attend, as I had a prescheduled meeting out of town the day of, but apparently there was an awful lot of smoke blown, several other colleagues skipped it altogether and either manager was completely oblivious to the feelings of staff, was totally aware of feelings of the office and chose to be weirdly over the top with his gratitude for how they were all amazing as a means of passive aggression, was totally aware of feelings of the office and chose to take the high road out. I dunno, but I genuinely think he is an amazing person but NOT a manager of people. He would have done very well managing the building and property.
The executive director of the agency today announced her retirement. The plan is for her second in command and the third in command to assume co executive director roles, which is... well, let's just say the atmosphere isn't going to get much better and could get worse as the third in command is someone I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw her and she's a large statured person - so, not very far. I will say that both of them at least are a bit more personable. Current ED is, of course, capable and intelligent. But she has never been a warm person, and employees have been "staff" and not humans to her, or at least that has been the impression. The whole atmosphere of the place changed nearly immediately when she took over, and it has become a place we all dread going to instead of one of the best places to work.
Case in point, I joined a team two years ago to administer a new program that is finally rolling out. After two years. It opens on Monday. To date, I have zero training and there are zero processes in place. But next week I will see my first person and attempt to enroll them on this program. Without training and with no process to follow. Training "is coming", they assure us. WHAT. I actually wanted to apply to revert to my old role, which was financial eligibility, for this new program specifically but the job openings for that were "only available in Salem" though that job can be done ANYwhere. Very frustrating, because though I like case management, the eligibility side is where my true strengths lie.
Lord help me, I'm trapped where I am. Salary and benefits too high. A job recently opened - executive director of the local senior center, which I think I would really like but the salary is a full $30K less than I make, the duties are greater and there are NO insurance benefits at all. That's precisely the market I am in. So, despite the agency being a dumpster fire - I can't go anywhere.
Anyway, who cares? Mostly just wanted to get that all out.
^Took this in April. It was put up shortly after the State of Arizona did something stupid, but I think perhaps they got some negative feedback because it didn't stay up long.
^I don't know why I really like this sign.
^Forest for the trees. This was on the Cathedral Tree Trail, which means nothing to you - but I decided on this walk down it that we need to start dropping off gnomes or trolls to hide along the path.
^Looked up one day and this little cutie was munching on the shrubbery right outside my window. Stayed there a good long while, too.
^Self explanatory.
^For the life of me, I can't remember where I saw this guy! I feel like I must have deviated from my usual walks, which you'd think I'd remember doing. Nope. Brain totally blank.
Earlier today, a heron I have named Reginald who frequently flies between marshy spots near the office landed on our back lawn. We all watched him stare intently on the ground. The spring rabbits are about around now, so we worried he was going for one of the buns, but after a few minutes he lunged and caught a juicy, fat garter snake. It was gruesome and being the softy I am, I felt bad for the snake. But oddly proud of Reginald as well as he flew off with the snake writhing around. I, of course, did not have my camera! Sigh.
The executive director of the agency today announced her retirement. The plan is for her second in command and the third in command to assume co executive director roles, which is... well, let's just say the atmosphere isn't going to get much better and could get worse as the third in command is someone I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw her and she's a large statured person - so, not very far. I will say that both of them at least are a bit more personable. Current ED is, of course, capable and intelligent. But she has never been a warm person, and employees have been "staff" and not humans to her, or at least that has been the impression. The whole atmosphere of the place changed nearly immediately when she took over, and it has become a place we all dread going to instead of one of the best places to work.
Case in point, I joined a team two years ago to administer a new program that is finally rolling out. After two years. It opens on Monday. To date, I have zero training and there are zero processes in place. But next week I will see my first person and attempt to enroll them on this program. Without training and with no process to follow. Training "is coming", they assure us. WHAT. I actually wanted to apply to revert to my old role, which was financial eligibility, for this new program specifically but the job openings for that were "only available in Salem" though that job can be done ANYwhere. Very frustrating, because though I like case management, the eligibility side is where my true strengths lie.
Lord help me, I'm trapped where I am. Salary and benefits too high. A job recently opened - executive director of the local senior center, which I think I would really like but the salary is a full $30K less than I make, the duties are greater and there are NO insurance benefits at all. That's precisely the market I am in. So, despite the agency being a dumpster fire - I can't go anywhere.
Anyway, who cares? Mostly just wanted to get that all out.
^Took this in April. It was put up shortly after the State of Arizona did something stupid, but I think perhaps they got some negative feedback because it didn't stay up long.
^I don't know why I really like this sign.
^Forest for the trees. This was on the Cathedral Tree Trail, which means nothing to you - but I decided on this walk down it that we need to start dropping off gnomes or trolls to hide along the path.
^Looked up one day and this little cutie was munching on the shrubbery right outside my window. Stayed there a good long while, too.
^Self explanatory.
^For the life of me, I can't remember where I saw this guy! I feel like I must have deviated from my usual walks, which you'd think I'd remember doing. Nope. Brain totally blank.
Earlier today, a heron I have named Reginald who frequently flies between marshy spots near the office landed on our back lawn. We all watched him stare intently on the ground. The spring rabbits are about around now, so we worried he was going for one of the buns, but after a few minutes he lunged and caught a juicy, fat garter snake. It was gruesome and being the softy I am, I felt bad for the snake. But oddly proud of Reginald as well as he flew off with the snake writhing around. I, of course, did not have my camera! Sigh.
