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It was an absolutely beautiful day today. Lots of sunshine and nice breeze. Food didn't suck either so overall, a good day. A few frustrations though that we'll get to in a minute. I've been doing pretty well for myself...now if only I could motivate myself further and raise my grades a bit. I want more than just one A this semester and I know I can get it if I just apply myself.
Frustrations:
**I have a labor position for the summer with the computer science department and so far the professor who hired me has given me little to no information about what I'll actually be doing!!! There are four other people working on this program and they have all been given more information than I have been. Now, she needed to hire me to apply for the grant that she needs to get to pay us a different salary...translation: she needed a woman to go on the paperwork. And now, I am really being made to feel that's the only reason I was selected. I'm the only woman in the program and the other guys have expressed to other people their opinions that the only reason I'm there is because I'm a woman. Realistically, no I do not have as much experience as them. BUT...that does not mean that I'm less capable or less intelligent and I'm really pissed off that they are acting as if I'm just going to sit back in a corner, let them do what ever they want and just nod because I know nothing. *sighs* Obviously I don't suck at this or I wouldn't have the top grade in my class and I wouldn't be getting such good grades on my homework. I really just want to tell them to fuck off because I know that I can do whatever I want given the proper resources and the time. I'm going to be doing this for 10 weeks and it's not like they've ever done this before either. *sighs*
**At work, they finally listened to me and upgraded the Mac that I've been stuck on for the last two semesters. So it now has OSX and more RAM. It runs like a dream comparatively and is making me much more efficient in my work output. Today, the "techie" boss was complaining about the upgrade because he doesn't know how to use the new operating system. Does he try to learn? NO. All he does is bitch about how he doesn't know exactly how things work. He only deals with Macs when dealing with me because the computers he uses for his work are both Windows machines. And he's getting frustrated that I know more about using the computer then he does...but after all, the man didn't know the difference between RAM and ROM so I don't know what I'm expecting.
**My brother is getting rec leave from Afghanistan for almost three weeks in the month of November. For one thing, this is awesome because he'll be back for his birthday. Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic that he's getting to come home to visit. My frustration lies in the fact that my mother has decided to have the family Christmas in November for when he is home. I get a total of five days off in November to celebrate Thanksgiving and he leaves the day before Thanksgiving to go back. So basically, not only am I probably not going to be able to see my brother unless I skip classes (which I will might do despite the negative effects it would have on my grades because I *do* want to see him) I may miss Christmas this year. It's a two-day drive there and then a two-day drive back. 18 hours each way. I just wish that for once my mother would have thought of me. So she'll end up with a Christmas missing my dad and me instead of my dad and my brother.*sighs*
And that's enough bitching for now. *takes a deep breath* Now on to the homework that is never ending.
Frustrations:
**I have a labor position for the summer with the computer science department and so far the professor who hired me has given me little to no information about what I'll actually be doing!!! There are four other people working on this program and they have all been given more information than I have been. Now, she needed to hire me to apply for the grant that she needs to get to pay us a different salary...translation: she needed a woman to go on the paperwork. And now, I am really being made to feel that's the only reason I was selected. I'm the only woman in the program and the other guys have expressed to other people their opinions that the only reason I'm there is because I'm a woman. Realistically, no I do not have as much experience as them. BUT...that does not mean that I'm less capable or less intelligent and I'm really pissed off that they are acting as if I'm just going to sit back in a corner, let them do what ever they want and just nod because I know nothing. *sighs* Obviously I don't suck at this or I wouldn't have the top grade in my class and I wouldn't be getting such good grades on my homework. I really just want to tell them to fuck off because I know that I can do whatever I want given the proper resources and the time. I'm going to be doing this for 10 weeks and it's not like they've ever done this before either. *sighs*
**At work, they finally listened to me and upgraded the Mac that I've been stuck on for the last two semesters. So it now has OSX and more RAM. It runs like a dream comparatively and is making me much more efficient in my work output. Today, the "techie" boss was complaining about the upgrade because he doesn't know how to use the new operating system. Does he try to learn? NO. All he does is bitch about how he doesn't know exactly how things work. He only deals with Macs when dealing with me because the computers he uses for his work are both Windows machines. And he's getting frustrated that I know more about using the computer then he does...but after all, the man didn't know the difference between RAM and ROM so I don't know what I'm expecting.
**My brother is getting rec leave from Afghanistan for almost three weeks in the month of November. For one thing, this is awesome because he'll be back for his birthday. Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic that he's getting to come home to visit. My frustration lies in the fact that my mother has decided to have the family Christmas in November for when he is home. I get a total of five days off in November to celebrate Thanksgiving and he leaves the day before Thanksgiving to go back. So basically, not only am I probably not going to be able to see my brother unless I skip classes (which I will might do despite the negative effects it would have on my grades because I *do* want to see him) I may miss Christmas this year. It's a two-day drive there and then a two-day drive back. 18 hours each way. I just wish that for once my mother would have thought of me. So she'll end up with a Christmas missing my dad and me instead of my dad and my brother.*sighs*
And that's enough bitching for now. *takes a deep breath* Now on to the homework that is never ending.
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-05 03:11 am (UTC)From:IT quotas etc
Date: 2005-04-06 05:37 am (UTC)From:I have lumps in different places than all the boy programmers. When I was job-seeking, this appeared to get me a few interviews, and maybe a couple of second interviews. It may have gotten me my current job. I don't want to know one way or another. Of course the company's HR department was involved, and they are unpredictable at best. My fellow programmers don't have a problem with me being female, except they tell slightly different stories. Of the non-programmers, there are suits or managers of various types, other IT folk like QA or sysadmins, and end users on support calls. Of the set in management, some are cool, most are neutral, and only two or three that I deal with have a hangup with women or women in IT. Two of those three I think it's cultural. QA and sysadmins, mostly they're okay. The few exceptions it appears to be their own personal brain damage, not anything specific to women in IT.
The end users I deal with in support are by far the largest group that thinks the same knowledge or same advice is somehow better if it comes from a male. I've had support calls in which the user thinks I am merely reading from a script. Or that want to talk to someone else, usually my manager. Only twice in the last few years have I handed the phone to the nearest guy with the instructions of "tell this user what I've already said." Frequently (more often than once per week during support season) my word will be questioned by the end user when I provide a solution. Some of my coworkers resolve the same issue, and their advice is followed without question. This is not always luck of the draw; we've occasionally talked to the same user having a problem. It often seems like I have to work harder in order to get people to listen to me and believe I know what I'm talking about.
Since I don't know what the others are paid, I can't say how my salary compares. It's enough for me.
If it's only 3 months, it might just be an excercise in how to survive silly prejudices at work. You may be more fond of confrontation than I am. In that case, pick out an offender and say "From your attitude and actions/words x,y and z, the impression I receive is that you think I am merely a placeholder. Please explain how I am mistaken." Or some variant on that. Not much longer than that though or you might talk yourself into a hole. At this point, it can be fun to watch the other person squirm and stumble around looking for words. The victim/offender occasionally even changes. Doing this is something I have often considered, but seldom have the guts to try. It's your choice - and I'm not sure which option is the less foolish.
End of long rambly post.
Re: IT quotas etc
Date: 2005-04-06 02:44 pm (UTC)From: