MetaChat - Workin' late...

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22 May 2007

Workin' late... I've been spending all day making tables and charts out of spreadsheets, and just when I thought I was finished, →[More:]
there's more for me to do. See, I spent this morning making pivot charts of ending net receivables (in $MM), risk weighted assets (as a percentage of ending net receivables), and expected loss (percentage) over various business divisions: from the long look at regions and organizations (Asia, Latin America; Consumer Lending, Retail Distribution) to the close look at countries or sub-organizations within regions (within Asia, Hong Kong & Korea; within Consumer Lending, Canada & US). It's interesting to me, but probably not to you.

I should say it was interesting to me, until I learned that the raw data had to be adjusted (a second time) and that I would be doing the same thing again before the end of the day. Now it's after six, the raw data has yet to come, and I wish I could fly.

The silver lining is gold: overtime pays time-and-a-half, and if this week keeps up this way, I'll make my rent for the month in this week's overtime alone.

post by: Hugh Janus at: 17:10 | 75 comments

Dude, I wish you were on the porch drinking beer and eating braciole with us.

posted by jonmc 22 May | 17:16

Me too, bro, me too. I'm crying blood here.

I was supposed to get a new file cabinet from some friends today, too, and we had arranged to get it to my place by six, so I could head out to Astoria and hang wit youse, but I had to cancel. Now my file cabinet's cluttering their apartment and I'm a dick for not being able to take it off their hands (actually, they made dinner plans a month ago for later tonight that they'd forgotten about, so when I canceled, they breathed a sigh of relief).

I worked it out, you know I pay an astonishingly low rent, right? Well, with my new scale, before overtime, I'll be paying 15% of my take-home on rent. Yipee!

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 17:22

When I'm rich I'll take youse to Aroober!

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 17:25

Do aies gets to go to Aroober too?
i has a cookie and flavor.

posted by ethylene 22 May | 17:32

We all goin' t'Aroober now, yeh?

Take this hammer and carry it to my captain,
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone.
Take this hammer and carry it to my captain,
Tell him I'm gone, just tell him I'm gone, I'm sure is gone.

This is the hammer that killed John Henry,
But it won't kill me, but it won't kill me, but it won't kill me.
This is the hammer that killed John Henry,
But it won't kill me, but it won't kill me, ain't gonna kill me.

It a long ways from East Colarado,
Honey to my home, honey to my home, honey to my home.
It a long ways to East Colarado,
Honey to my home, honey to my home, that where I'm going.

John Henry he left his hammer,
Layin' side the road, layin' side the road, layin' side the road.
John Henry he left his hammer,
All over in red, all over in red, thats why I'm gone

John Henry was a steel driving man,
But he went down, but he went down, but he went down.
John Henry was a steel driving man,
But he went down, but he went down, that's why I'm gone.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 17:37

Utica's halfway to Aroober, right? Do they use United States of America currency in Utica?

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 17:39

Until then, HJ...

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by Pips 22 May | 17:39

Yum.

So while I wait for updates, I'm roaming some of my favorite haunts. The above lyrics to Mississippi John Hurt's "Spike Driver Blues" can be found on Harry's Blues Lyrics Online, along with this interesting page about 'Stag' Lee Sheldon (Stagolee, Stag-O-Lee, Stackolee, Stack-A-Lee, and evertually, Stagger Lee).

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 17:46

Check out my favorite internet site ever: Theban Mapping Project. I'm sure I've linked it here before, and I've linked it to Meffy under various names, but it's still absolutely incredible. Launch the atlases, listen to the narrations by Dr. Kent Weeks, check out the 3-d mockup of KV-14 (note: you can click the walls while the tour moves past and you get a photograph of what the wall actually looks like). Plus all the articles the project has published are available, plus some publications and books for sale and on and on and on....

Also, it's updated every season.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 17:52

I'm still at work too. But I don't have much of a reason.

You could look at this.

posted by Hellbient 22 May | 18:02

It won't load any of the pictures for me.

By the way, when I was six or so my hamster died over a weekend away (there was enough food and water, we just didn't realize that the poor little fellow had been coughing up blood for a week before we left). When we got back, my brother's hamster had chewed away most of the hamster corpse's face.

Overcrowded mice will do this, too, plus, female mice will eat other female mice's babies. If you're running a large-scale breeding operation, like my friend the herpetologist does, you have to keep close control over your bins, or you'll wake up to a charnel house of cute little horror.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 18:09

I'd like a t-shirt with the airplane overlays from the lower part of this image on it.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 18:14

It's from this site, which, despite my kraut ancestry, I can't read without a translation.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 18:16

Hey look, those shitty kraut assholes stripped my translation of their informative and attractive article of its translation! German for Germans, huh?

What the hell's a Silesian-American supposed to do?

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 18:18

While you're bitching about your job, reflect that some of us bitch about looking for one. Not saying your annoyances and frustrations are no less real, but hopefully you'll find some perspective.

posted by PaxDigita 22 May | 18:20

Don't lecture me about perspective.

Anyway, lemme just say that the Silesia I refer to is of the Imperial German variety.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 18:23

For you, brotha

posted by jonmc 22 May | 18:32

Sometimes people are not bitching so much as talking about what is going with them, it can be a fine line but an important one.

posted by Divine_Wino 22 May | 18:36

Preach on, Wino.

posted by jonmc 22 May | 18:38

Hey, thanks for the Lone Justice, my brother, just cranked it up to about 1.5 on the volume meter, leaned my head forward and bobbed to the beat.

I'm sure there's someone who could spoilsport any thread on this site in the name of perspective. Why pick this one? Alternately, why pick me?

(I'm not trying to fight, just curious).

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 18:47

Sorry if you feel it's a lecture but that's your problem; suffice it to say I'll trade your day for mine and consider it a bargain.

posted by PaxDigita 22 May | 19:01

I'm sure there's someone who could spoilsport any thread on this site in the name of perspective. Why pick this one? Alternately, why pick me?

Well, I'm also sorry if you're feeling picked on. Now that you've come to MetaChat to whine about your frustrating day, I'll concede that yes, it was frustrating, and believe me, I understand frustration. Feel better now, you poor ol' thing, you?

posted by PaxDigita 22 May | 19:08

No, not pick on, I said pick, as in "choose." Many, many people choose to come here to complain heartily about their days. I reckon my complaints were milder than some, and at the same time, more strident than some.

I noticed you had no problem advising someone of specific ways to have fun on her day off; why not spoilsport that thread by telling her she at least has a job to have a day off from? See what I mean?

Why come and vent your frustrations at one person is specific when this site offers ample space for venting in general?

I've carefully avoided insulting you, and I don't think I need to supply excuses for my post here (though I should point out that this is a new job that I earned after being unemployed, like you, for quite a while. Surely I don't know how a frustrating day feels).

You're out of line, I think, and you're being needlessly insulting. You say you'd switch days with me. I don't doubt it, and I wish you the best of luck in finding gainful employment soon.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 19:23

Pax, I know you're going through a rough time and I really feel for you. If you need to bitch, we're here. But for pity's sake, lay off Hugh. It's like telling someone they can't complain that their foot itches because it's insensitive to double amputees.

posted by jrossi4r 22 May | 19:44

You provided a context for me to do some complaining of my own. Sorry, I didn't realize this thread was an exclusive pity party. I guess the "no job" thread's a couple of doors down. If I'm "out of line" and a "spoilsport," well, that's a shame; being a better person, I'll spare others my observations concerning you.

I don't really know you from Adam's off ox, and having pointed that out, if you're feeling insulted somehow, it's up to you to choose to accept or reject it. Although I guess you have, so enjoy it; it's yours to keep.

posted by PaxDigita 22 May | 19:49

I don't think you understand what I'm saying, but I'm not going to push it. If I insulted you, I didn't mean to; I apologize for my clumsiness, and my unintended insults. If there is anything more I can do, let me know.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 19:55

Being unemployed is a very stressfull time in anyone's life. I think we've all been there at one point in time or another, Pax. Surely you've seen the many SHOUTING THREADS here; why not start one of your own? That would be a much more appropriate expression of anger/frustration/whatever else is buzzing around your bean than jumping down Hugh's throat. Unless I'm very much mistaken, he's not the source of your woes. Why take it out on him?

posted by bmarkey 22 May | 20:03

Wow, that got garbled. Oh well, the gist of it comes through, I think.

posted by bmarkey 22 May | 20:07

Oh, I get you just fine. And, to respond in one word: Tough. You don't get to stage-manage your threads here.

As to help: Unless you're the praying type, which I rather doubt, there's not much you can do, but the sympathy's much appreciated -- especially considering that you've had recent appreciation for the frustration.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, how come they keep springing adjustments to the data on you -- and is graphing it anything you can automate in Excel? I've learned to hate doing the same job twice in that app. Also, why are these co-workers so uncoordinated as to not get you the correct figures in the first place, and is that something you can work on?

posted by PaxDigita 22 May | 20:07

Oh, I get you just fine. And, to respond in one word: Tough. You don't get to stage-manage your threads here.

You're just making yourself look silly. Take a walk, Pax, and come back when you're in the mood to be cordial.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 22 May | 20:10

Pax Digita,

You can in swinging kiddo, Nicer people than me will tell you that you have lost perspective here.

posted by Divine_Wino 22 May | 20:11

PaxDigita: as an unemployed man and one of Hugh Janus' close friends, I have to tell you that you are seriously humping the wrong leg here.

posted by jonmc 22 May | 20:21

(Okay, that's three posts now since my last paragraph to HJ....I'm not the one keeping this going, at this point.)

posted by PaxDigita 22 May | 20:23

Alrighty. I just had a whole thing typed up but on preview I see we're moving on. Woo hoo.

My only answer pax is murphy's law. I don't think it's possible to avoid such things.

posted by CitrusFreak12 22 May | 20:24

I've been in similar sitches -- downstream from & seemingly at the mercy of constant changes -- where it's been helpful to go back to the instigators of those changes and go, "Hi. I'm the guy who gets to spend two hours massaging the data you provide, and when it changes, here comes another couple of hours...lissen, can we tawk here?" Sometimes it's really Señor Murphy paying a visit, but sometimes you can affect upstream processes positively, too -- the question is whether it happens more than a couple of times (The old Ian Fleming quip applies: "First time it's happenstance; second time, it's coincidence; the third time, it's enemy action.)

posted by PaxDigita 22 May | 20:30

It's a risk consolidator that we're building for the whole of a giant risk portfolio (think world's largest investment bank) with accounts worldwide, in every area of the business. It isn't up and running yet, and we're still working through exceptions to protocols involved in gathering the data. Much of the data is being submitted wrong by the portfolio managers, but some is meeting hiccups in the system itself. We have a lot of data to cleanse here, and it's gonna take all year. That's why they hired me (as a temp). I'm 35 next week and I don't have a finance or accounting degree, but that happens not to matter here (the first place it hasn't in a while, hence my recent and fairly lengthy unemployment). So I'm learning a massive amount every day, and it's pretty exciting, but I have yet to leave the office, and it's 9:40 here (I started at 8:30). At least the boss bought us dinner.

I understand your frustration, and I seriously wish you good luck. It's a struggle, and I admit I got lucky (after years of hard work), and you're right, not everybody has a job. I didn't, two weeks ago.

I'm done here, and I'm going home. Check out the links I posted at the beginning of this thread. They really are good. And read that Didion piece in the impeachment thread, if the link worked. It's good.

posted by Hugh Janus 22 May | 20:44

Is there a chance they'll let you do any work at home? Stuff like this used to happen at my job all the time, and after a couple years of "paying my dues" by working late (and unpredictably so) nearly every day, I insisted on a laptop. That was such a saving grace -- I wouldn't have lasted another six months at the rate I was going. Being able to take this stuff home with me (that is, once the data finally came in) helped me last another few years there until something better came along.

posted by treepour 22 May | 20:53

I'm late to the show, but for a few years of my professional life, at two different employers, I got the regular task of doing Weekly Departmental Reports which Management always had to see first thing Monday, so I was always the last one working on Friday. If I was lucky, my bosses required everybody to give me their data by 3PM on Friday, which meant most of my cow-orkers were non-working from 3 to 5 while I was quantifying their week. One Supervisor at one place was always pushing to make a good showing and would bribe me with homemade edible goodies while she pushed past the deadline. Her empanadas made it almost bearable. Fortunately, both places I was ultimately semi-promoted out of that duty. I never would've lasted as long as I did at either job if Fridays had stayed like that.

posted by wendell 22 May | 21:38

"I'm sure there's someone who could spoilsport any thread on this site in the name of perspective. Why pick this one? Alternately, why pick me?"

Every online community progresses through a natural series of phases, beginning with an initial optimism and good cheer (I'm glad this place is so much cooler than that place we just left!) followed by a long, slow slide into internecine squabbling and trolling. Paxil's comment was the equivalent of your cat acting weird before the big one hits.

posted by craniac 23 May | 07:43

That's a pretty pessimistic view of a single (initially) comment, without considering the external influences at play - what I saw was PaxDigita reacting to someone complaining about the stresses of their job, because he (she/it) is stressed about not having a job at all. Pretty understandable, really and calling it a harbinger of bad things to come is drawing a pretty long bow.

posted by dg 23 May | 07:52

Jesus, what the hell is going on here?

*spreads love*

posted by tr33hggr 23 May | 08:35

Well. One of things that has amazed and heartened me here is how people can disagree, miscommunicate, misunderstand, misinterpret, or just get into weird little personality loop things, and then recover and be wonderful.

I think pax is a good guy, who sort of flipped out in this thread without any obvious reason, and then recovered himself. I think Hugh is a good guy, who was initially a bit miffed at being attacked, and then became quite empathetic and understanding - not just because he could put himself in the other situation, and see it with different eyes, but because he took the moment to do that. I think that this is rare in internet space, but quite compelling - and I think that we shouldn't just all swallow the conventional wisdom that internet interaction makes us all dicks, and that we can't hope for more.

posted by taz 23 May | 09:05

can I just forestall the incoming "swallow/internet/dicks" joke by making it myself? No? Okay, nevermind.

posted by taz 23 May | 09:09

Well put taz. Wise words.

posted by tr33hggr 23 May | 09:14

Yeah the whole thing had a nice short breakup to makeup time, it's always nice to see that.

posted by Divine_Wino 23 May | 09:31

Sorry for opening my mouth, I just felt obliged to defend my friend.

posted by jonmc 23 May | 09:35

No apologies needed my friend, as far as I can tell.

posted by tr33hggr 23 May | 09:45

Eh? You didn't say anything bad, jon. Though I didn't follow the youtube link... did you make a decisive attack via youtube? Those always escape me.

posted by taz 23 May | 09:45

Nah, just when I told Pax (who generally seems to be an OK guy) that he was humping the wrong leg. Right after that, he seemed to get upset, so I wanted to apologize if I had encouraged a derail.

posted by jonmc 23 May | 09:56

(and the youtube link was just a song called 'Workin' Late.')

posted by jonmc 23 May | 09:57

:-)

Pax was humping the wrong leg... which I think he knows. Pax, c'mere baby, and get ur noogies; we still luv u.

posted by taz 23 May | 10:10

Thanks for the kind words, taz et al. I just hope I don't have to stay 'til ten again tonight (I have a parcel to pick up from the post office before seven; I'd hate to see a birthday gift returned to sender).

What really sucks is that nobody will likely read the blues and Egyptology sites I linked above, or the Joan Didion piece on Cheney that I linked in hellbient's impeachment thread. Which is a pity, because they're all fantastic. Especially the Theban Mapping Project site.

In case Pax is still reading, we've said all that needs to be said here. But because it bears repeating, good luck; I hope you find satisfying and remunerative work soon.

posted by Hugh Janus 23 May | 11:44

Oh poop on you, i looked at the sites, esp. the the Theban one but i knew i could come back and look at them when i had more time and interest. That's the point of linking them.

posted by ethylene 23 May | 11:46

How did you know there was poop on me?

I just figured, when a thread becomes a hullabaloo, it's remembered for the doodoo and not for the spunk.

But I thank you kindly, ethylene, for noting my links. You are nonstop wonderful.

posted by Hugh Janus 23 May | 11:52

What i am is doing lunchtime laundry, wondering if iconomy ever got the kiln as i just saw this thing on heatform glass, and thinking of prettifying myself up for afternoon appoinments.
It's really too damn warm for serious beautifying. Must not forget sunscreen.

posted by ethylene 23 May | 11:58

the equivalent of your cat acting weird before the big one hits.

Oh, the cats here have been weird plenty o' times before. After all we're wearing bunny suits with no pants.

posted by danostuporstar 23 May | 11:58

What i am doing is sitting on my porch drinking beer and listening to 'Hold Your Head Up' and trying to obey the songs instructions.

posted by jonmc 23 May | 12:00

I bookmarked the Didion one. What are your afternoon appointments, eth?

posted by box 23 May | 12:09

A little this, a little that, nothing i have to be all superexecutive looking for, clean and less than totally dumpy will do.
Must fetch laundry.

posted by ethylene 23 May | 12:30

Oh, man, the neighbors made panckaes and sausages and everything outside my door smells like maple breakfast. Too cruel.

posted by ethylene 23 May | 12:32

What i am doing is sitting on my porch drinking beer and listening to 'Hold Your Head Up' and trying to obey the songs instructions.

did lol, will lol again.

posted by taz 23 May | 12:43

Oh, man, the neighbors made panckaes and sausages and everything outside my door smells like maple breakfast. Too cruel.

My neighbors always seem to be grilling. There are few smells in this world as pleasant as grilling meat.

posted by jonmc 23 May | 12:46

What i am doing is sitting on my porch drinking beer and listening to 'Hold Your Head Up' and trying to obey the songs instructions.

I was at a bar with a friend once and Bush's "Machinehead" came on the jukebox (you know, "breathe in, breathe out"). I can't stand that song and there were a few people standing around the pool table singing it really loudly. I said to my friend, "Ya know, some people just need instructions on how to live life."

My friend, who I've known all my life, said it was the funniest thing I had ever said, and that it was a shame no one was around to hear it. And now I'm sharing it with you in the twilight hours of this dying thread.

posted by Otis 23 May | 13:38

Otis (my man), I am moved.

posted by jonmc 23 May | 13:40

*breathes in*

what next???

posted by taz 23 May | 14:19

My breather is on the fritz.

posted by Divine_Wino 23 May | 14:32

Hugh, I check out the KV5 site every now and then since it was linked to at Mefi, what, 2 years ago? I'm ga-ga for Ancient Egypt stuff. I'd love to visit Egypt at some point in the future. And I'll never forgive my mum for not getting me to the King Tut exhibit when it was in L.A. in the '70s.

posted by deborah 23 May | 16:14

Goodness, what was in that coconut drink? Didn't see all this till now. (Internet was down at work today.) Better stick to tequila from now on.

(Everyone to tr33's nude beach thread!)

posted by Pips 23 May | 18:18

After all we're wearing bunny suits with no pants.

Then where the hell do we keep the fish?

Also, thanks for the Stagger Lee page, Hugh. I looked into that story a few years ago when Nick Cave's heartwarming version of the song came out, but that is a much more comprehensive history of the story than I was able to find at the time.

posted by elizard 23 May | 18:55

There's a book about Stagger Lee, and a comic. Both are pretty damn good.

posted by box 23 May | 19:23

Holy Shit! I'm here again tonight!

Bossman tell me this ain't the usual course of events, just a big meeting with a few CEOs tomorrow to justify our project and demand better source data.

Just had a burger and shake courtesy of the shareholders (ooh, daring! My first milkshake in ten years at work! If I shit my pants I'll have to go home).

Gotta get back to work, fry my eyeballs a little more.

posted by Hugh Janus 23 May | 20:17

Dude, can you use a tampon or something?
Wanton pooper, no wonder you're so huge.

posted by ethylene 23 May | 20:46

w00t! Thanks, box!

eth, I don't see how a tampon helps with fried eyes. ooooohhhhh. I see. Never mind. Ewwwwwww.

posted by elizard 23 May | 21:47

It keeps going, and going, and going. 36 hours and fifteen minutes so far this week, and Wednesday isn't even over. I'd switch weeks with me anyday.

At least I'm splashing around in a puddle of my own shiss.

posted by Hugh Janus 23 May | 22:23

Wow, that's all kinds of ridiculous. But time and half.

posted by ethylene 23 May | 22:27

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