Harry's Ruminations

So, here we are 3 years later.   In 2011, I saw my name on a weird spot of an organization chart, 3 levels up from where it had been.  I was reporting to a Director (soon to be a Vice President) and my title was 'Architect'. I went through all the phases of grief: Shock: "Wow, look at all this stuff I need to understand!  I can do anything I want..." Anger: "I've just butted heads with most everyone in power at my company.  I can't do anything I want ." Bargaining: "Maybe I can balance all this crap with things I like to do.  I can do something I want. " Acceptance: "There's an huge pile of work.  I'm spread paper thin. I can do a little bit of what I want. " During that time, I expected to live at all levels:  High-level strategy, designing new systems, coding, support/sustainment, etc.  I felt excited, because we needed help in all those places, and I thought I could do it all. Boy howdy, was I wrong...

The unfortunate thing about working in a corporation is you have to 'tie out' with people.  This sounds awfully exciting, with visions of ropes, knots, maybe even a lasso or wrestling someone to the ground. It's not that exciting.  No, what "tie out" really means is getting 2 or more people to agree to do something.  In general, that requires those people be physically or virtually in contact at the same time. This is a list of common excuses for that not happening, broken down by month: January : Sorry, I was on vacation skiing. February : Sorry, I was at home trying to shovel my driveway. March : Are you kidding? Spring Break April : Out doing my taxes.  Text me. May : Watching our (child, niece, grandchild, neighbors kid) graduate from (kindergarten, 5th grade, 8th grade, high school, college, college (masters)).  I'm also taking off the whole week of Memorial Day and the Friday before.   Really  need a break, ya know? June : Family Vaca...

Thought I'd just shout this one into the ether:  When one feels wronged by a person, the correct procedure is to go to that person  one-on-one and discuss it. 15  “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault,  just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.   (Matthew 18:15) Okay, that's what to do, but why  does God want us to do it that way?  Because it's human nature to gossip, and conflict destroys community. When you involve others, you spread the original wrong to others, "infecting" them.  Sometimes, this is entirely appropriate; when a crime's been committed, for example, the public needs to know to guard themselves from that individual.  For normal "he hurt my feelings" crap, you're making yourself feel better by spreading the poison to others who'll feel obligated as your friends to "own" your problem.  (An incorrect obligation, but one that seems widespread.)  Th...