Cantar De Procella

One day,at work,a new colleague had some problems with his pc and asked for my help.I went over to his desk and tried to set it up.At some point my team leader came by,saw what I was doing,and asked me if i was technical,to which I replied "I'm trying to be!".He then said he'd give my name to the HR as a candidαte for some training on technical stuff at another building on the site."Oh well",thought I.An hour later I was taking an assessment,which I obviously passed cause I ended up in a room with a bunch of other people from this building,being briefed about this new cross skilling thing and how we would be loaned out for a month to get trained on technical support etc etc ."One month",i thought to myself,"so the minute the training's over I'm going to Greece for holidays.Cool,I'll get to learn something new,plus it's on pc technical issues,which I've always really wanted to learn about but never had the chance."

Three weeks of classroom training.Loved it.Yes it was too much info to take in and it was quite advanced and I couldn't follow sometimes,but I learned many many new things,not to mention that I got to meet Oliver (see "Lust").After that came a week which we would spend being mentored,i.e. being next to the people who were actually doing the job.That week is this week.

I hated it.From the first minute,I knew it wasn't for me.With every hour that passed it was becoming worse.I loathed it.And,apart from that,problems started arising from everyhere.From the two different HR companies that couldn't even communicate between themselves,from managers and teamleaders,amongst colleagues.I sensed that I had gotten on a train that I wasn't sure where it was going and that now I had to get off,before disaster struck.

That intuition became a certainty when I saw an obvious threat of not being able to have the non-common work schedule I usually have when university starts.The new job i was getting trained in couldn't accomodate that.That's when I knew I had to act,and had to act fast.

Planning...How to make everyone pull at the same time,and pull towards where I wanted to go.First,my team leader at my old team.He likes me and respects me,good.Talk to him first,cause he'll then talk to my manager whom he can "handle" much better than I can.I was certain my manager would then go to HR,who would ask to see me-of course.It worked perfectly.

Meeting with HR-not just me,the lot who were getting trained.HR from BOTH buildings.I got a chance to tell them exactly how I felt.But always making them feel that they're the ones who make the decisions,never let them think that I was threatening or angry,or that I didn't know my place.Add a bit of the "frustrated female" to that,and then watch to see what happens.

First results-bad.I would have to wait until after my two-week holidays to find out if I would have to stay there for four more weeks.That was absolutely and tottally out of the question as far as I was concerned,I hated the job.So I had to find a way to turn everything around.Chased my HR,determined to the bone.When I got to see her,it was the first time I saw her scared-of me.She was even stuttering (later another colleague told me that I was indeed scary that day,guess i was so determined that it showed).She was ready to give me what I wanted,but there were two more people to talk to.My manager first.I knew how to talk to him though.Went over to him,talked,done.Two out of three,and I had already started feeling elated.

This morning,had to talk to the last person who was standing between me and what I wanted.I was more nervous cause I didn't know that person at all,had only seen her twice in my life.In 5 mins I was out of her office,having gotten what I asked for and more: not only was I back at my old team,but I was back there immediately.

That's when adrenaline hit me.I was powertripping.I had managed to work the system my way.I had managed to get what I wanted.Again.

My ex-HR (it's his last day ) and my team leader,when they saw me back at my old desk,were clearly surprised and actually asked me how I managed to swing from the whole thing.

I didn't tell them,of course.I escaped with a joke.But I'm telling you.

And the best part? All that was honest.I never faked a single feeling,I never showed something that wasn't real.What I manipulated was the amount of what I showed,to whom,and at what point.

It took me thirty years to learn to want.Now I think I've also started learning how to get what I want.


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