Happy Trails!

So my good friend Keri is leaving the company after 10 loooooong years. She found a new job with a slightly smaller company, and is going to be earning $7,500.00 more per year to start, with several raises expected within the first year. They also offer employee incentives. She gets a 30% employee discount, and a $5.00 gift card whenever she spends $25.00. She is going to work at a huge hardware store, so her husband is going to cream his panties! I think I will take advantage of the deal as well! I can't blame her for leaving, they really treat her like the wicked stepchild around here. She has had to live with the stigma of being hired as the receptionist ten years ago, and going through a crapload of personal shit. The owners and the other office staff who were around have trouble treating her like the general accounting manager. She always had to report to her superior before any kind of disciplinary action with her employees. No other manager in this company is required to do that. They also lied to her about several promises. She gave her notice a few years back, and they got her to stay, then renigged on everything they had promised her. I'm surprised she stayed as long as she did. They even had the balls to ask for her cell phone number so they could call her with any questions. She said HELL NO! They haven't bothered to train anybody else to do her job, they are just going to pile it all on top of the controller, who is one snap away from a nervous breakdown as it is. This ought to be very interesting.

Keri was very kind to me from day one, and went out of her way to make me feel welcome. We go out to lunch all the time, and I am going to miss her. But she has been so negative lately, it has been really hard to keep the smile on my face. She has this very tough exterior she has built up, and she expects too much out of people sometimes. She goes into a situation with the additude "I dare you to piss me off". She feels attacked very easily, and gets very defensive. I am always surprised how we can both here the same information, and come away with totally different takes on it. That has come in helpful though, especially when we have trouble understanding a decision that's been made. We can help wach other see it from a differrent point of view.

I think that working for a woman will make a difference as well. Keri is very emotional, and puts her heart and soul into her work. Her current boss, the CFO, never understands why she takes things so "personaally". I don't know how he can make rude ass comments flow over him, but the rest of us get our feelings hurt when someone accuses you of not doing your job, or doing a bad job, or acting like an ass clown, right to your face.

My wish to her is that she goes into her new job aware of the strength she carries with her, and to walk softly and carry a big stick!!

We are taking her out for a few drinks to say farewell. I know I will still be hanging out with her though. She is way too interesting to stick on a shelf!