Sunday, October 19, 2025

Retired!!!

 On October 31, 2022, I retired with 19 years at the Library and one year at CR.  I didn't think that the one year would give me 20 with the state, but it did.  Wish I could have stayed another year though because under Mrs. M, it was pretty good.  It wasn't bad under Dr. H either, but shortly before I left, I was told I'd be getting a raise taking my $37.5K to $40 something K.   It would have made it worth my while to unretire, since I'd already started the process, but would be a PITA to undo.  She also offered to let me remote for the last year as I had told her one factor in choosing to retire was the mobility issues and the parking issues.  

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Upsetting

I had something upsetting happen today.  Mrs. P came to me to say that someone told her I'd been talking to the D about her taking so much time off.   I didn't, but she refused to tell me who it was.  MC isn't here for me to talk to.

I just want to know who is slandering me.

Update

Update: I have FMLA, but not for mom.  It was too late by the time I got it approved due to the time it took to get a doctor to sign off on everything.

Everyone but the Charlots came to the funeral, which was nice.  Looks like they all came together.  They didn't go to Bear, but Rebecca Montgomery came to Bear but not the funeral in Dover.

After mom passed, I started having issues with my RA.  But that's another blog.


Wednesday, May 30, 2018

So, basically, nothing has changed.  All the hot air about "forgiving time" is nothing at all.  I'm getting nickle and dimed to death on my time because the pair of them is having a power struggle, and Dr. D has said no vacation during school.  I don't think that's legal.

I'm still trying to get FMLA.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

And so, I am late getting in to work, and I called SG (Administrative Secretary) to let them know I was on my way and would be late, but when I got here, I discovered that TH refused to let SG tell B, even though B was at lunch when I called and she wouldn't have gotten the call.

Now I'm confused about how I'm supposed to let people know I'm going to be late.  Before all this game playing, I was to let B know and if I couldn't get B, let Circ or Ref know.  Now, I don't know what to do.

This is getting too complicated. Looks like I'm going to go ask for FMLA again. Maybe that will shut them up.


Friday, May 18, 2018

Today

Well, it's been a while. Haven't gotten around to post about issues, not that there haven't been issues. Now B is no longer in control here. We have a new person in charge. A little touchy to deal with at times.

Today, I'm pretty frustrated. Probably the most frustrated I've ever been in this place. Mom is in the rehab center and is not being very cooperative. They are discharging her on Wednesday, and I didn't know if I even had coverage from Mel for those days when I went to work. I asked for 3 vacation days and Dr. D had said no vacation during school in session - how is heck am I going to take care of her if I can't use my vacation time if I need it? I guess I need to sign up for FMLA just to be able to take the vacation time I actually earned.

 I have a call in to the Attorney. Haven't heard back yet.

Monday, February 15, 2010

New year, new problems

Been a while since I posted. Main change is that S. retired. Even though she told others that she just got tired of dealing with the University and the State, the real reason was that she got tired of dealing with B. I asked S. if I could go with her. :) Her last day here was in November, but her real last day was 31 Dec. After she left, B took over. SW has been doing pretty much whatever she feels like, although she did quit as coach. RB seems to be content to just let things be and let B run most of the place.

B is hard to figure out. When a student worker made a mistake and opened an ILL package as well as other mail he shouldn't have, she said "It's ok." If I had done it, I'd be at the JJ's work right now looking for a job.

I gave her my comp time sheet and my invoice - haven't seen either back yet. She assured me that I'd get both back. Since evals haven't come up yet, I'll have to wait to ask to get them back - I don't want B or RB upset before they finish my evals. Now MR is doing my evals. I'm not sure I want that. No matter what, I don't think she can be fair - she is not happy that I'm married and she isn't. She's so down on M and seems delighted whenever she sees that he's done something that I don't like. She takes every opportunity to tell me that I married him, and maybe I should dump him.

I went down to tell B today that we received a journal she was waiting for. She couldn't just say good. She wanted to know why we have had so much loss of journals - things we paid for and didn't get. I can't force the publishers to send - all I can do is to document that the claims were made or why they weren't claimed.

She is looking for someone to blame it on - me or S. P and the girl that was in this position before me won't be, although they were the ones doing it before. P was checking in journals and was supposed to identify any journals I needed to claim - she didn't half the time. WWD, she told me to just let alone because they come out of sequence. Guess what? We don't have some of them because they never came - before or after claiming.

Honest to God, if I could take 10 of M's years, and do an early retirement, I would. If he could, he'd still have 25+ years left anyway. I wish we both could just leave this place.

To top that all off, the governor seems to think that all state workers earn too much. He's cutting budgets left and right, cut salaries - fortunately not ours, but he did JJ's - by 8+%. They are looking to trim things out of DSU's budget too. They did not replace Dean S., and they have not replaced Mrs. Q, or Mrs. J, or S yet. They may have to replace S, but I don't think they will replace Mrs. Q or Mrs. J. They did hire B's husband to do systems, but I have yet to figure out what he does - had an issue with my computer, talked to him... talked to RB who told me to email him. He forwarded my email all over the staff to tell them to address computer issues to ACO. Since we don't run our own server, what's left? I speak to him and he walks away. I started talking to him when I came in, and he walked off while I was speaking. I think that's rude. What do I have to do to have one word with him? Or aren't I supposed to? No one else seems to have that problem. I give up.

When I first came here, MR was like my best friend, RP didn't speak much, the only one who is like they were when I first came is RD. MR acts like a witch most of the time. RP has been out for surgery - this is the second time - but she's really nice with me. She gave me a Christmas present and I think I am the only one she did that to except the person whose name she picked. TD, of course, is gone. P speaks only if she thinks she can get something - except for her niece's baby stuff. The others are about the same except that SW speaks more, but then she about has to. S, when she left, was actually my friend - makes me feel like she escaped and left me to face the wolves alone. M doesn't care one way or another; I don't even think he's noticed much of it. There are 3 new people - M, B, and the new girl (I forget her name). She's doing cataloging. If it hadn't have been a grant position, I would have considered applying for it since it's daytime. M works with us and B took Mr. L's position after he retired. MR and RD are back on 2-10pm and M and I work 4-Midnight.

This whole last week was a wash. We were here a total of about 6 hours the whole week. The rest of the time, we were snowed in.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Well

I haven't had to post anything receintly - pretty much business as usual. M is doing her thing. S is on vacation, SW is doing camp now - taught her some goodies yesterday in Excel that she loved. BC came to ask me questions! Interesting that she would now think I have any answers when for so long she treated me like I didn't have 2 brain cells to rub together. M wants us to go on days thursday instead of Friday. Leave well enough alone. I have to to with Jen at 11 for an Ultrasound, and there is a staff meeting at 2. When I said something about some people may have made plans, M acted like a child. She said oh well everyone can work to 10 pm then. For God's sake, she'd come in at 12 and work to 8 - only Mario and I would be here until 10. It's not like it's the end of the world. Sheesh. Get a life M!

Did the State Fair for 2 days. The people coming in after me were both late. M says "don't do it next year". I think the main problem is that she didn't want to stay to 9 tuesday. Next year, I'm just going to take the days I want to work off and go do it. Idiots.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

copier problems

Yesterday, 3/4/08, as S. was leaving, we were informed of a malfunction in copier #1 – the dollar acceptor was not working. S. told me to put a note on it, which I did stating that the dollar acceptor was not accepting paper money. At that time, it WAS accepting coins.

Today, 3/5/08, I came in and discovered that both copiers were not functional probably due to a power outage. Copier #2 had been called in. I found a note from S., dated 2/4/08 (she meant to put 3/4/08) informing me that even if I had informed her verbally that I was to write it on the stat sheet or to leave her a note, and to put a sign on the copier.

Now… she was the one who told me to put a sign on the copier yesterday, which I did before she left. I didn’t think there was a need to tell her what she already knew, because she directed me to do it. If there WAS a sign on the copier, then why I was I admonished to put one there?

When I came in and was told about the copiers both being down, the signs on the copiers were not readily visible so I remade them and taped them to the copiers. Also S. spoke to someone about the other copier. If the copiers have been down all afternoon, why is this just being done now?

been a while

Been awhile since last I posted. Mr. L retired on friday. They had a big party for him. As usual, when I offered to do something it was ignored. I had brought in my camcorder and had already taped messages from MR, T, R, R, and myself. I explained to P how to do it, and then left the camera in MR's office. She (P) said that no one wanted to do it. I think it was basically that SHE didn't want to do it, and mess around with it. She didn't even bother to check her inbox for the dvd I told her would be there. I gave Mr. L the disk I made anyway, even though it had only 4 messages on it. P also wouldn't play T's message she recorded. Whatever.

All these people have agendas.

We also had a problem with the football team. They were up here earlier in the week and were raising hell. I heard them in the lounge and came out to see if they were fighting or something. Evidently, Mr. S heard them too, and came out. He said something to them about quieting down, and when his back was turned one of them made a comment, which was challenged immediately. Mr. S then went to his office and called down to the circ desk with a complaint.

Meanwhile, I was coming out from lunch, and as I walked from the lounge to the office, one of them called out "What's in the bag?" Other times, when they'd called out stuff, I had just ignored it. This time I stopped, turned and looked directly at the kid I thought did it, and said, "If you really want to know what's in the bag, then I suggest that you come into my office and ask me.". The other guys went "oooooo". I went downstairs to look for the coach, who, T told me had just left. She was transferring Mr. S's call to MR, so I went there too.

MR emailed the director of athletics, to tell them what happened. Evidently, the coach got into trouble too, because he blasted Mr. S. and MR for emailing the director and not calling him. He apologized to me and asked me if I could identify the students, which I did.

Evidently, the big mouthed one fessed up to it. They all got into trouble.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Latest news

It's been a while since I posted. It's not because there hasn't been any problems, but because I haven't had time to write them all out.

Let's start with the "benefits". One of our AAUP benefits is supposed to be to allow us to take 9 hours undergraduate, 6 hours graduate "without charge". When I registered for this computer imaging class, the University sent me a bill for $199 in fees. It seems that the other 2 unions have "tuition free" in their CBA. I sent an email to one of the union people which started the ball rolling... as a result, according to the wording in our contract "without charge" the Union filed a grievance, which went to level 2 before the University gave in. The person I talked to told me that the way it was presented to the University, that even if the University won, my fees would be covered because of the timing.

The class - the class is going well. Except that I didn't realize that there would be a paper and a painting done. I don't recall seeing that in the syllabus. I'll have to check. However, the painting is going ok. She knows that I don't know how to paint and that I've only done 2 acrylic paintings in my life. She also knows that the only other thing like this I've done is to watercolor and/or chalk inside embossed rubber stamped images. Almost everything I've done is on PSP or Photoshop.

As far as work goes - I've had to take at least 5 sick days since Oct 1 for my teeth. The first time was when I got 2 out on Oct 3 - I took 2 and called out for a 3rd. Then on Nov 12, I took 2. On top of that, I've had to take off one day for stomach problems and I'm miserable right now with a cold or allergies.

SH has been leaving me notes again. I really wish she couldn't go thru my stuff. I leave it a certain way, and when I come in, it takes me longer to get started if I have to go through everything. Just this week, I've had to do one job twice because the papers I left here were gone. Two people just cannot work at one table like this - and SW gets the rest of the office. How fair is that? It's getting to the point that I'm going to either have to have a talk I don't want to have, or just say the heck with it. RS, my tuesday nite student worker, suggested that I put it all somewhere else. I think that's what I'm going to do. Put all the stuff I'm working on on a cart and put it in 218. She can still get in there, but at least if she does I know she went looking for something. I also don't like the notes she leaves like - "update Summary of holdings and shelve" on a microfilm, and then she tells me yesterday "if there isn't a student worker in by 9, shelve these" indicating the journals. The last time I shelved them at night, the student worker walked thru the door when I was finishing. I don't know how many times she's sat there playing around and then walked out without doing them. Also, I put one journal on the shelf in here and was walking to the cart to take the others out to the shelves, and she says... "I'm working on collection development. I'll be a half hour or so more, go shelve these." well duh. Where do you think I'm going to take them? Sheesh. What bugs me most is that this was supposed to be MY computer, and she has one in her office. Why wasn't she doing this down there if it's THAT important?

Oh well. Such is life. I have a student worker in here right now working on processing journals - right in front of the telephone. S just called, and the girl let the phone ring. Of course this is the same one who doesn't do anything after 4 when the other person in here who supervises her leaves. The girl doesn't do anything that I ask her to do - she ignores me like I'm not even here.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Schedule Change

We had a schedule change, even though both Unions have it in the CBA that they cannot change during the semester. I'm fortunate. My schedule didn't change at all. Everyone else's did except the day people.

Instead of being open from 9-8 on Friday, they are open 9-5 on Friday, and instead of 9-5 on Saturday, it's noon to 5 on Saturday and Saturday rotates. MRD, and RD now work 2-10 Sun-Thurs. RP works 12-8 Mon-Thurs, 9-5 Friday, and Mark's was changed on Friday from 12-8 to 9-5. TD got the worst deal - she works 4-12 Mon-Thu, 9-5 Fri and is in the rotation for Sat. The regulars from days on Saturday are SH, SW, GS, BY, and BC. To that line up, they added TD, RP, and Mark. PS, RB, CL, and CG were all excluded due to some "Grandfather clause" Why is Mark included in the Saturday rotation if they were "grandfathered in" due to their length of service? Mark has been here longer. He wasn't given a chance to choose; he was just told to do it. I don't think it's right. If he's going to have to do it, then so should everyone else. I don't know if he wants to or if he just doesn't want to complain about it. However, TD and SH have both asked me about it. I don't want to say anything if he wants to do it. Personally, the only person who should be excluded is RB, and even then, she should have to sub in if needed. If I'm given the opportunity to speak to the Dean, I'm going to bring this up along with other things I've seen.

favoritism

FDLC Fiasco

Well, they managed to do it to me again.

GS and the Dean met, did not include RB who was on vacation. It was suggested by the Dean that I go with Mark to reduce the costs of the FDLC (Federal Depository Library Conference) 15 Oct to 17 Oct. I was asked after the decision was made. Then when I did my paperwork RB and BC refused to sign them even though SH and MRD did. RD was to be on vacation the Sunday I was to leave.

I asked Mark what to do with the paperwork for the costs, and he told me to put them into the Dean's mailbox, so I did. He signed them, and the leave papers and gave them to RB in a meeting so that she had no choice but to sign. Suddenly BC could sign too. However, RB wanted to have all the expenses itemized, which no one had heard of before. So I did that, and when I returned them to RB, with BC in her office, I was asked what the conference had to do with my job, and why couldn't Mark go alone.

Within a day or so, Mark was told that the budget didn't allow for the conference. He told me but RB didn't tell me until over a week later. Strangely enough, we ran into Ron that weekend, and he was set to go to a meeting in Baltimore that the budget was suddenly able to afford. MRD said that the money came from some place else, but it came from the professional development money.

I know this was in retaliation for me going to RB about BC's treatment of me, so I know that they are trying to figure out a way to get me to leave.

However, I didn't find out until today that MRD had her finger in the pie as well. According to SH, MRD questioned why Mark couldn't go alone, as well. So much for her being my friend. She was the one who put forth this new schedule change; but that's another post.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Changes again???

I was told today by both SH and SW that SW will check records before giving them to me to check in, so I wouldn't have to print out MARC records and give them back to SW. When SH told me, she said after checking them in, I could go put them on the shelf and then shelfread. I'm not sure if they are doing this because someone thinks I don't know the records, or that i'm not doing my job. I don't know if this is supposed to help me or just make feel inadequate even further. I'm afraid to ask to have this put into writing, but I might need it to protect myself. I need a private talk with SH if I can get her alone long enough.

I'm going to push up my job search because I don't need this kind of stress.

Monday, July 16, 2007

I give up

I don't even know why I try to talk to anyone about this place. I can't be the only person who doesn't like to be talked down to.

I talked to RB. today, and BC. came by, and was asked to come in. As usual, she turned things right around and made me feel like a spineless, brainless idiot. I don't remember 90% of the things she said she covered - if I was even in the meetings she mentioned. I don't think I was in the meetings- and I know I missed one or two - and was late to at least one because I was told that I didn't need to come in early. SH. told me that I hadn't been told about the DRCh being serials; and I do not recall ever seeing it mentioned before by BC. As far as some of this other stuff...Mrs. Q said to leave the local call number blank; no one ever told me anything else. I know no one said anything about the 001 and the 008 fields before Susan told me about it about 6-8 months ago.

If I have been making mistakes, then instead of fixing them and forgetting about them, they should have been brought to my attention. If I don't know that I've made a mistake, I can't know that what I did was wrong.

I do know that she has said things and then turned around and done the opposite - for example, telling us that she didn't care if we even did 5 a day, as long as they were right. Yes she did. If we only did 5 a day, she'd tell us we were behind.

BC would tell us to do 5 a day as long as they are good, SH turns around and demands 7-10 every nite, and tells me to use the best record I can find.

It's also not like other people in this place haven't made mistakes. I give up. I'm going to start keeping my eyes open for another place to go; this place is making me crazy.

She was talking to me like I was a child. I felt like just getting up and walking out. I am proud that I didn't cry like I usually do when I get mad. I guess that I just figured that it doesn't matter anymore. To tell you the truth, I don't much like working here anymore.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Whew

There are some times that I really wish I was someplace else when I'm at work. Tonight was one of them.

It seems that every time I do something, it's wrong. Even if I do it according to the way I was told to do it. On top of that, the way I'm supposed to do things now is making my workload increase timewise, which means that I will have less time to do whatever I need to do. With SH. having me shifting, and labeling (which now I'm doing totally wrong), and all sorts of other things, I don't need extra work.

Not to mention that I was made to feel like I am brainless. Contrary to BC's belief, I DO have a brain. I tried to explain to her that I DO know what the MARC record information says. I couldn't tell you what the field number is. The things I don't understand about it are things that I don't need to know anyway. I don't know why she insists on treating me the way she does, but I'm to the point where I am going to come in and talk to RB. tomorrow or on Monday. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to be treated as demeaning as that.