I'm sitting under my desk right now crying. I have NEVER in my working life lost it at work, thank goodness I have my own office.
So at this point I CANNOT go to the Tevis unless my manager cuts his vacation short.
I've had this vacation approved since the beginning of the year.
I have 2 sponsors and well over a thousand dollars invested in this ride.
This is likely my last chance to ride Tevis before going to vet school.
I have made so many personal sacrifices for this job and have never said no, whether it was flying across the country on short notice or volunteering to reschedule vacations when needed.
I have a crew travelling many many miles and hours.
I just got off the phone with my manager, whom was probably still in bed when I called him and asked him to call his boss with a game plan that will allow me to have Thursday and Friday off.
It doesn't help that I'm operating on nill hours of sleep, having put in some crazy hours and shifts trying to get this issue resolved so that I can go.
My manager said he will "think on it" and call me back "later". Somehow, by the time he calls I will have pulled myself together, accept with grace and dignitiy whatever the decision is, and somehow come up with the $$ to make restitution to my sponsors if the decision is that I cannot go.
I then I will cry. A lot. Maybe even spend the night in my horse's pen crying and looking up at that Tevis moon.
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Hang in there until you know and don't give up hope.
ReplyDeletePa
(Delurking to express my righteous indignation at this situation)
ReplyDeleteHow does it come down to your manager cutting his vacation short v. you not taking yours? You've put in your vacation time well in advance and your employer has an obligation to respect that. Fight for it. Or just go. They can't fire you for taking your pre-approved vacation time.
Keeping fingers crossed that it'll work out for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you are moving as high up the ladder as you are able to on this.
ReplyDeleteFor your own sanity, you have to assume you take your vacation for now.
Hang in there and wait to gather all the facts. I am hoping this is just an eleventh hour hiccup.
ReplyDeleteStay strong, Mel.
Ambivalent Academic - I hear your sentiment, I really do. Unfortunately I'm at a level that I have an obligation to stay if there is a certain type of issue (I'm in quality control management in the food processing industry). I could certaintly go and take my vacation as "approved", but it would probably result in the very least a suspension and the loss of at least 2 vet school recommendations.
ReplyDeleteIt's at the VP level right now. Ironically, my co-workers and production staff support me in going and we do have a plan to address any issues while I am gone, (inlcuding me being available by e-mail and phone while in Auburn on thursday) however I also understand the ultimate responsibility is mine and that is the nature of this job and the industry. If I was the VP, I wouldn't let me take those days off either.
Thanks everyone for your support. I'm no longer blankly staring at my computer and I'm contemplating gonig home and getting a pair of slacks for my meeting with the VP this afternoon (I'm in jeans because I figured that by 8am I would be home in bed....).
ReplyDeleteI sure am learning a lot this week about humility, grace, and accepting dissapointment with dignity!
BTW - Ambivalent Academic - welcome to the blog! I'm so happy to "meet" another reader.
Okay, Mel, here's a strategy for you:
ReplyDeleteWash your face.
Drink a bottle of water.
Before you meet with the VP, remember the most uplifting finishline of your life. You overcame adversity, and you had wings at the end.
Got it?
Keep that smile on your face when you approach the VP.
And if the VP is male, mention the word "teamwork."
Keep us posted.
If worse comes to worse, would it be possible to have a member of your crew drive your rig with Farely up to Robie Park on Thurs or Friday? I live close enough, I've always just gone straight from home and Friday and never gone to Auburn first. Then you could work Thurs (and maybe even Fri) and just drive yourself up after work...?
ReplyDelete~C - I thought about that, one of my co-workers even offered to do just that. The issue is I cant be incognito at ALL on Friday, throughout the weekend and Monday unless my manager and the VP come to some sort of agreement. One of my co-workers (and friend) has contacted my manager as well and is trying to get the wheels rolling in my direction.....It's nice to have the support of everyone I work with.
ReplyDeleteI'll know for sure in a couple of hours what my availability is going to be and I can start scheming if there is ANY way I can make this work.
And really - I shouldn't be overly dramatic - there IS a good possibility that I'll be able to ride Tevis next year, but honestly that fact doesn't make me feel any better RIGHT NOW.
OK - off to wash my face and behave with poise and dignity. Yes AareneX, he is male and my plan is to tell him that I have full confidnece in my co-workers and management team to handle the senarios in my absense and I have prepared all the doucments necessarily that might be needed for any issues that will arrive in the next 2 days and over the weekend. AND I will be available until Friday 9am and then again starting Sunday morning. I just need 36 hours of grace time......
Ugh. Sorry for assuming incorrectly about your position's flexibility. Sending all kinds of positive thoughts your way. I LOVE reading this blog and am pulling for a great ride and great finish for you and Farley. I'm so glad that you have a lot of support from friends, family and co-workers in sorting this out. Good luck!!!
ReplyDeleteOK - update everyone -
ReplyDeleteI have a 4pm meeting to convince the VP that in my absence everything will go as smooth as glass. And that my co-worker is absolutely capapble of handling anything that comes up.
Off to cancel my dressage lesson. It didn't seem like a good time to bring up that on Wednesday's I have a 5:15pm lesson and could we POSSIBLY reschule the meeting earlier.....
Yeah...I got the lecture today that the higher you go the less secure your vacations etc. are. Which I know and I prepared to do the right thing, BUT if there's a way to ethically do this, I'M GOING TO GO TO TEVIS.
How about..."I have made financial commitments based on my verbal contract with the company about vacation time. I understand that my position is such that you may have to reschedule my vacation, and I will await my financial re-compensation for my rescheduling my vacation."
ReplyDeleteBill