All in a day's work

Meeting with Tony

Grabbing a handphone from a friend for my trip next week

Leaving for SPH to staff Tony

Shaking the hand on former Japan Finance Minister

Siam an inter-agency meeting to write briefs

That's my day

Well, I really believed I had earn the right to be angry yesterday. Let me try to convince you.

My boss will be on leave from Thursday and she mentioned to me last Friday that she probably couldn't clear my briefs because she is packed with meetings. Then I realised that of the 5 meetings she was in yesterday, I was with her for 4. (Why make me sit through all your meetings when you know that I do not have the time to do finish up the other things that you arrowed me to do?)

I asked her last week if I could extend my work trip for the weekend and she said no. (Well, I half-expected it since unlike my other colleagues in the previous trips, I'm the only minion around so I guess I have to baby-sit my boss all the way)

Then she made me the point-man for anything related to Israel, Japan and Russia ... Not to mention that I was with Darius to do the inter-agency stuff. All because my colleague (who earned more than me and handled Israel and Russia) had left some 3 weeks ago and I still don't see anyone coming in for interviews.

Because of that, I had to staff a teleconference for her yesterday with Israel, staff Tony for Japan, and staff Ming Kian with Israel again tomorrow. All these while, I had to bug the Japanese to firm up the visit schedules for next week.

And when NTU suggested that we could meet with another Israeli University, she sent it to me to arrange. As I clarified with her that it's not possible since she will be on leave and her boss will be in Japan, I realised that she had misread it as this week ... I was like (huh?) ... you send me something at 4+pm on Monday, thinking that I can fix and staff a meeting on Wednesday while preparing for the trip next week?

Yes, everyone in office was expecting me to visit Washington next month because of a wonderful project that my boss has given me (one in which I will get to travel to Washington to do a presentation every April, everything paid for by the Americans), and when the invitation came in over the weekend, she told me that it's not practical to go and that Contact can present on our behalf, with Brian preparing the slides. This was a huge blow.

Imagine, not just the arrows but the loss of benefits that should have come from the work that I was doing, I really believed that I had the reasons to be angry.

And then this morning, I found out that an indirect arrow had reached me. Well, my colleague got a mail from somebody who wants to discuss something with us, he sent up to his boss, his boss arrowed my side, citing that it's more appropriate for our side to take it up (which I'd agree), and my boss just forwarded to me to arrange ... It was part of the portfolio of the departed colleague, and with this arrow, I realised that I have fully inherited this former colleague's position, yet continuing with my own stuff to clear.

Same position, same pay, no benefits, does the Honor's Reward model still work? Will I get a windfall like what was preached time and again? Ok, it could be unseen treasure if I keep my mouth shut and not complain ... I will just state the fact: I have been overworked.

I couldn't remember the last time when I was that angry, as angry as yesterday. And even when my colleague joked about me fumbling and getting myself fired, I could picture that this place will suffer more than me since my service was used in so many places.

I guess when the PA of my Director starts to talk to me with sympathy (since my name perpetually appears on my boss' calendar), that probably would tell you something.

My boss is ok as a person, but she can't prioritise and can't distribute the work properly and I feel horrible, knowing that I'd be able to earn at least double when I'm working this hard in the private sector.

Alright, enough ranting.