When It Rains It Pours

Diary 20100528 When it Rains it Pours
For four years I have been working out of my house, going into the company facility in Olean, NY for a week, once a month.  Great setup for me.  About six months ago, we got a new boss over our group and a new manager.  Well, life changed.  I went from Joe Brilliant to Joe Idiot, apparently.  Got in a fight right off hand about an unsafe product we were making. 


Well, this week they gave me an ultimatum, I have to move to Olean by June 21.  I said my wife didn't have that long to live and I was not moving her or me to Olean.  They basically said life is tough and then you die.  Even if wanted to move to Olean, not that any sane person would, but even if I did, there is no way I could make that happen in three weeks.  And, who would want to work for a company that gives the ultimatum without first asking about how my wife is doing?  And what kind of people don't factor that into the deal?


And of course, they say it is a performance issue with me.  And I have to admit that with the new bosses that never ask me about what I am doing except for five minutes in a meeting every few weeks and with the added stress of my wife, I would agree my performance has not been as good.  Has anyone asked what they could do to help?  What could be done to improve my productivity?  Does anyone care that the acid gas project is still operating on a plan made four years ago that is not relevant.  Does anyone care that we are just going down a checklist and saying we are on schedule and on budget with stuff that is not important while we ignore important stuff.  Does anyone care, nope.  If you get stuff done that doesn't need to get done, and do it on budget and schedule, then everything is okay.  For those of us that like to make a difference, to contribute, it is a formula for failure.


Anyway,  checking out my options.  


The greatest mystery to me is why they don't just fire me?  Are they afraid of losing a slot, they would rather get a replacement first because they might lose the slot.  Does my meager salary help them spend the R&;D budget?  Do they want me to quit so they gave me an impossible ultimatum.  That seems the most logical, at least that is the best explanation I can come up with.


They have really made my wife and kids love the company.  But, that is what they expect of big companies, so it does not surprise them much.  Of course, I was trained by Adolpho Brusoferra an Italian that made my life hell for about a year.  This is fun by comparison.  


Okay, did a little venting.  Julie had her herceptan treatment today and her tumor markers were still low.  They are supposed to indicate the activity of the cancer.  On the physical side, Julie shuffles when she walks and seems to get slower everyday.  She has some good medicine to stop the pain in her legs.  She still does not have much feeling below the waist and must wear Depends.  It is sad to see cancer taking another small bite of her every day.  She has gone to bed already.   


Anyway, hanging in there.