End of a Crappy Week

Posted on 2006/06/04 03:47:35 (June 2006).

[Friday 2nd June]
Well today provided no exception to the week long fete du crap at work. I finished on a particularly low note. The work I'd been doing this week was supposed to be helping out my colleagues at the US office, who were horribly overburdened in the face of a looming deadline, and the bean-counting management over there had been cracking the whip liberally. Well by the time I got to the end of working week I had basically achieved nothing - there had been so many trials and tribulations in getting up to speed with the area they're working in, that effectively I had contributed nothing useful at all. I had to send an email to them to this effect, which was horribly demoralising. The only thing I could offer was to metaphorically throw myself on my sword, and tell them to send as much blame as they could my way.

Wallowing in self pity, I left the office on time, feeling I could stand no more, and turned down a kind offer from my friend at work to go out together. I really didn't feel I could subject him to the endless stream of moaning that would no doubt have ensued. I opted instead to go and drown my sorrows alone in Ikebukuro.

Usually the "standard night out" to Rohlan and Quercus is unfailing in its ability to cheer me up, but tonight I really didn't seem to be able to break free of the malaise. The food at Rohlan was excellent as always, but I think I probably ate too fast (in the knowledge that Chie had imposed a time limit on me for the evening) and ended up with a bit of indigestion. The atmosphere in Quercus was pretty good - Watanabe-san was charming and welcoming as ever, and the other customers all seemed to be having a great time... but I sat enshrouded in my own little aura of gloom the whole evening.

Well, let's try to look on the bright side. At least I have a roof over my head and all that, and in the grand scheme of things, my job really isn't that bad - it's hardly like working in a 19th century cotton mill, for example. So I'm sure this is just a temporary lull, excacerbated (no idea how to spell that) by a recent bout of home sickness, and having got a bit tired of life in Tokyo.

No doubt things will be better next week!

Modern computer language? You were lucky. When I were lad, we were forced to work 14 hours a day down-Reigate (and not be paid for the extra overtime) t' program int 'orrid language what no ever soul ever heard of and when we got home, our missus would want meanin'ful conversation o'er dinner.

Working in just two continents? Luxury! You don't know you're born, my lad.

Posted by Rob Lang at 2006/06/05 13:29:00.

(I was, of course, joking mate. Sounds like a shitty week to me)

Posted by Rob Lang at 2006/06/05 13:29:18.

Three is the number of the continents, and the number of the continents shall be three.

Posted by John at 2006/06/05 13:44:50.

No really - in the mornings I talk to the US, and at the end of the working day I talk to Europe.

Actually in March I visited all three of our development offices (Seattle, Tokyo and Dublin) within one month.

Posted by John at 2006/06/05 13:48:18.

I'm so global that Shakespeare modelled a theatre on me!

Err.

Posted by John at 2006/06/05 14:40:53.

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