Overlooked

Let's start this off on a light note:



Although I do not always agree with Coach McGuirk, I do in this instance.

There are those times when I wanted to just kick someone in the royal behind.

I usually just walk away...

...like that time I was at a FedEx Kinko's.

A nice lady behind the counter decided to tell the person next to me about a graphic that... well... I managed.

The young woman who accompanied me knew nothing about it.

I spoke to lady behind the counter and informed her that I designed the graphic.

"Well, mom needs to know how to do this, too."

Wow.

The young woman next to me was only 4 years older than me.

I was 33 at the time.

I thought in my mind, "If this woman doesn't stop talking to me like this, I'll have to set her straight."

I kept my mouth shut.

Fortunately, the woman next to me spoke up kindly and said something along the lines of "it's okay for her to know, too."

Today, I had a situation that made me feel like I was back in that copy center.

I put in a request to have an OS software error fixed on a workstation with locked admin privileges.

As a PC Technician, I knew to include some screenshots as well as a clear description as to why the problem was even being sent to them.

That request disappeared.

I later found it... closed.

After a few weeks, I went ahead and reopened it after being fed up of being repeatedly told to "reboot it, it's got a program to wipe it out (blah blah blah)" excuse.

The reason why the error IS and was a problem is because - once the problem occurred - no one could send any emails to the user. Nor could they save anything. Nor could they even use the computer to send me a simple screenshot, after a while.

Of course, all these issues happen while using the computer in the middle of a phone call.

The user is then made to wait 5 to 10 minutes (yeah) for the next computer (if available) to boot up, allow the tech to log in, open up a web browser or program, then continue with resolving the user's issue.

The reason why my issue was discarded... "it's not that big of a deal."

Really?

So, it's okay now for people to just take what I say, don't even bother to ask me for clarification, then just make me look like the needless complainer??

What about acknowledging the fact that I have a PC Technician certification? Or maybe the years of experience with building, configuring, and fixing computers?? Or better yet, the fact that I went to a technological university for three years to gain a computer science degree?!?!

(*taking a deep breath*)

But, you know... it's not about me. It's about them.

The problem, you see, is that my gift is that people can totally ignore me.

They see me, then just say "Oh, this little darling person isn't going to do anything."

Then, when I raise my voice, I'm a (blank-blank-blankety-blank).

So, instead of just cursing and being outrageous while I explained, for the fourth time, why the problem was an issue... I just stood there.

I drank my soda.

I walked away.

A fellow colleague heard what happened, gently patted me on the back, and promised that I could vent later, if needed.

I went ahead and finished my explanation of how I was going to, at first, get an Excel VBA certification, but seeing that it didn't exist, I decided to go for either Visual Studio or ASP.NET since I wanted to get certified in those anyway.

Secretly, I hoped that others heard.

I spoke loudly about how I already knew enough HTML, but needed to brush up on my CSS and Javascript and was already simultaneously training myself in SQL.

I continued to say that the only reason I did VBA in the first place was just to finish modifying an Access database that I had created for work.

On the inside, I felt torn.

On one hand, I was being told by someone that I know what I'm doing and that I may be one of the smartest people they know.

Yet mere seconds ago, I felt like I was no less significant than the dust on the walls.

I'll end my rant by saying that a nice latte seemed to calm my nerves.

I finished explaining to my colleague that I found it funny that my training worksheet (used to keep track of my attended or planned workshops) kept growing literally overnight.

I did feel better... even if it was for a few minutes.

Although I wanted to try my hand at modifying the Center's website with my newly gained skills, I gave it up.

Maybe I'll do something for myself.

And on that note, look for a new blog sometime in the near future.

Maybe if I stay anonymous, I can keep from being overlooked.