Survive my notice period

My manager is really quite spiteful and I’m collecting snippets to tell HR on my exit interview.

So here I am: a free woman (so to speak)!

It feels odd. Not entirely sunk in yet. Kind of missed that feeling of closure yesterday, as I had so many loose ends left behind me – mostly unavoidably! But it felt a lot more like just putting the work down and walking away… think that one’ll seep into my brain next week when I don’t go back!

Otherwise the day was a whirl of good luck and goodbyes, two very nice leaving pressies, having to make a small speech, trying to finish off a few things, my fourth and final leaving lunch (!), and clearing up my computer files and desk. Very therapeutic picking up the final bundle of paper at the end and just trashing it! Although a bit sad… after all, this was ‘important’ for 3½ years, and suddenly it’s not. Rather strange that the new bloke was in my desk before I’d left the building, though!

Made a comment about it being a ‘momentous moment’ as I (finally!) walked through the doors for the last time on my way out. Feel lucky that it wasn’t too emotional – two of my colleagues were coming home with me to get ready for the night out! Moments of that – “Right, you’ve left, so now tell me all the goss. Who’d you fancy?!” – did make the leaving seem more real.

The night itself was fab. Quite quiet, but I loved it. Tapas went down well, there was much laughter, and we shuffled round the corner to a quiet little pub for just a couple before people started peeling off for trains and buses. Oh! J popped in!! Love J :) N and D ‘couldn’t make it’ (ahem), but it was lovely to see one of the old faces :)

And so… got a lift home, and it wasn’t until then that I remembered – it was my leaving night! I kind of forgot during the event!!

Best bit: the hugs, and the genuine ‘keep in touch’ moments. I’m happy to be moving on, but it’s nice to know the last 3½ years left me with new skills and new friends :)

What a day!

I never seemed to stop today – buzzing about everywhere! First off, the new bloke started, and he wasn’t backwards about asking questions about the job! Mind you, when you’re introduced to your new team, and are promptly told that 2 of 4 are leaving tomorrow…!

We had a team meeting that ended up being a general discussion about the wider work. And I’m very happy to report that – in a positive(ish) way – I told manager and remaining team exactly the pitfalls that had turned a good job sour over the past couple of years. Too much work taken on, nothing ever dropped, no team work as we all had ‘our’ projects and isolated little boxes to do them, and a lack of overall focus. They agreed. Five minutes later, manager was talking about expanding (!) one of our current functions… arghhh!

Ah… new girl 1 is fab, new bloke seems okay if a little… something, and new girl 2 – ack. She has the very dull bit of work, and I’m sure she’ll drive people mad!! I had a moment in that meeting of wishing the new start, a fresh approach to the team – or at least the possibility of one – hadn’t required new people. But, much as I like ‘new girl 1’, I miss my boys and they’ve already gone. And the good spirit had gone before then, alas. I’m just hopeful that the new squad can have that for themselves.

Other nice things… we went out to lunch. It’s a tradition – both leaving and welcoming lunches. Well, this was both! New bloke was very impressed by the warmth of welcome. T’other escapee and I were very impressed to still have our lunch bought for us given the triple expense! More, two colleagues upstairs told me they now can’t make tomorrow night, but could they take me for lunch tomorrow instead? This’ll be my fourth separate leaving lunch!

Final bit of niceness, and one that almost made me tear up a bit: a woman I’ve worked with a fair bit usually has sweets on her desk, and I know I’d commented on how nice her latest selection was. So this afternoon, she arrives down, puts a bag on my desk and walks off again.

These people are so nice. I will miss them – even when I’m more glad to be moving on. I’m just really really touched to find that people are happy for me, and being so sweet :)

Wow. Tomorrow is my penultimate day!!

Today was another warm’n’sunny one, with a fantastic lunch with two colleagues. We did sit and bitch majorly about work, but in a way it’s reassuring to know I haven’t been ‘driven away’ by something I’d imagined, or made out to be worse than it is. Sorry to be leaving one of the girls there!

Not sorry that I won’t be working with my replacement (or the half that’s started already!) as she’s a bit weird and I’m finding her a strain. She creeps up and stands behind me to get my attention. Her questions are probably valid, but I don’t have answers, and to be honest it’s stuff that I had to just accept – lack of time, and people to answer said questions! But mostly I’m just seeing a lot of hard work over the past several months disappearing rather down the tubes, as I think this woman is going to struggle a little bit – and I don’t think she’s capable of asking for, or naturally eliciting, the support that she needs.

I shouldn’t still care!

My co-escapee was back in today, so he kept me in a better mood. I’m excited for him, too!

And I did start to get some of the loose ends finally pulling together – even if I did have a major post-lunch dip that saw me finishing C’s sudoko! ;)

Started talking about my new job to a few people, and realised – with much relief! – that I am very excited to be going there. It’s not just desperation to be out of here!

Today I… dawdled, mostly. Things to do, but it was hot and stuffy in the office, and left to my own devices I ended up clearing out more of my desk. Several people came to speak to me, which was nice :)

Was ashamed of myself when new girl asked me questions – and I got annoyed. Just today, wanted to be left alone to get on with stuff. But happily she’s picking it all up quickly, which is much needed! Ooh – and the new bloke starts on Thursday! Probably have some handover stuff to do with him? The second replacement (for me and N, you see), isn’t due for another month, but by then I’ll be long gone!

An irksome day – but not without its benefits, as this was the last ever Monday (and Monday morning!) in that place – eeeeee! Doesn’t seem entirely real to think that not only will I not be there next week, but NEVER AGAIN!

In a very “CanNOT be bothered!” mood – people asking me questions that make me want to shrug and enquire why I should care right now? Tried to be nice, but… ::evil grin::

I was very good this afternoon and started my handover to the new woman: she still worries me. I suggested giving her a mock exercise, redoing a bit of work I’ve just finished from source materials, and I’m not sure but she sounded a bit sniffy. I don’t know if she’s really good and understanding what I’m saying very well, or if she’s just nodding and saying okay – and the whole thing falls apart in a few months. And I care why?! ;)

I did get the satisfaction of pointing out that they’re bringing in two people to replace me: the one who’s started and is taking on the ‘new’ bit of work I’ve been covering for the past several months, and someone else who will pick up the rest of my job. It’s very satisfying! Especially when you’re trying to explain why so many things were… less than perfect. I never had time for neatness and nicities!! Role on the days of having ONE job and one job only!

(yeah, it’s Sunday: but I’m out of sync with my countdown!)

Tomorrow is the beginning of the very end… so weird to know it’s my last Monday in that job.

I’ve become increasingly disconnected from it all – unsurprisingly. It doesn’t really matter in my life any more, and I have just been ticking off the days. Splitting my time between trying to finish things off (and since no one else seems to care, it’s hard for me to!), tidying up files and bringing bits and pieces home again, and – nice thing! – having more fun in my workplace than I have in a long time.

Long lunches, chatting with so many different people, lunch out pretty much every day, and making the most of the shopping while it’s still right beside me. It’s been nice. I’ll almost miss it!

And… watching the new girl, about to be the ‘senior’ member of them team after just 2 months… her enthusiasm and drive is inspiring. I almost wish I could stay to see how she turns the place around – and am disappointed I didn’t have that drive. Not there.

But overwhelming any of that has been the thinking and planning for what happens next… oh, how I’m looking forward to throwing myself into that, making the most of the learning opportunities and whole new life that comes with :)

Good day! Fridays often are :)

Firstly, the sun was shining today – and it was Friday!

Secondly, I got to take in the cheesecake I made last night – new girl was suitably impressed, and I was popular! ;)

Got out of a very dull meeting, got some stuff done, was unexpectedly taken out for lunch, managed to interact positively with my manager. All I ask for these days! (well, not the lunch – that was a bonus!).

And I booked my leaving do! Lots of people are coming, so I’m very happy :)

Oh yeah… and this time next week, I’ll be DONE. O.o

Bleugh day.

Highs and lows with soon-to-be-ex-manager. High was when I asked if I could take a flexi morning to go meet the recruitment agency guy to hand over some extra proof of identity stuff (proving where I lived three years ago is surprisingly difficult!). In one of his “I’m actually a really nice bloke (just a crappy manager)” moments, he told me to just take the half hour needed, and ‘make it up later’ (ahem!).

However, he later brought up the idea again of arranging meetings with the project managers to introduce the new woman. I argued about it again: I just don’t see it as a priority! He chose this to be stubborn over – argghhh!

I just don’t get it: I have six days left now, and better ways of filling that time than sitting in a room with a couple of people saying, “This is the new girl. She’ll be doing what I was doing.” And repeat. And repeat… I mean – I never got that from either of my predecessors, and didn’t suffer! I tried to think if it would be helpful for her (my replacement), but I hated the one meeting I sat in on before J left, feeling self-consciously not in the conversation and knowing I would have to take over.

So… what to do. Go with the flow: if these people turn up, I’ll give’em 10 minutes. But I half wonder if the meetings will ever be arranged in time, knowing what my manger is like. Although knowing him this is the one thing he’ll manage to organise – and it’s so frustratingly petty!

Talking of the new woman, I’m not warming to her. She’s too mousey, and I don’t chat enough to get over that in other people. I keep saying I’ll answer Qs or go over stuff, but she spent today stuck in her corner reading! Argh again! Look – after next week you don’t get to ask me questions!! No, that’s not her fault, she’s just looking busy. But I can’t be bothered babysitting, really. Bum.

Good news is, one of my colleagues from upstairs is actually keen to take over some of my other work! It’s ideal: she wants to get involved in new things, I have no one else to show what to do. Now we just have to break it to our respective managers…!!

Another weird day – think they’ll all be like that now!

First off I had an initial handover meeting, with my manager and the new woman. It was… hmm. Manager kept saying “this is how x works” comments, and I felt obliged to keep butting in with, “no it doesn’t!” I mean – maybe it should, but it doesn’t! No point in telling the newbie things are better than they are. Of course, manager got miffed and made a few comments as if it were my fault that the systems weren’t better – hello, like I’ve been running this for more than four months, I don’t think?!

Although that instantly made me feel – well, weird. Like, if I was only staying another four months I could maybe have cracked it, got everything streamlined and better…

It also made me look again at what I DO still have on my to-do list – and realise I’m probably not going to get it all done. And that bothers me, despite people telling me not to worry in the slightest – I’m leaving!

I also had to tell manager off for some of his usual ‘bright ideas’ – I just don’t have time for silly fluffy things in my week and a half left! The guy is in cloud cuckoo land, really.

The nice bit of today was taking a 2½ hour lunch by mistake (I was kept waiting for a looooong time!) and realising that it really didn’t matter. Also being asked to explain all sorts of bits and pieces before I go – nice to feel appreciated at the end :)