Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Working girl

Woah, tired.

Nice place where I am working. I am learning all about mining, and next I will learn about Credit Suisse. I am typing up the interviews that this investor relations co holds with the investment companies in their annual audit. Yes, say you invest some money, well they might put it into copper or iron ore (the two main players) mines in Chile or South Africa, but you may never know - all you do is pay them your monthly premium and in ten years you collect money that might have been grown in mines or wind fields.

Today I observed a teleconference between London, New York and San Diego. They were talking about investment and guff, but as I have got fuzzy on just telling you what they were talking about, you can imagine what an interloper I felt.
There is a reason why I have spent years avoiding the finance sector, and it ain't just coz I hate suits.

Actually, the two I have now fit mighty well and I did, admittedly, feel smart.

**********

St Paul's Cathedral is RIGHT outside my window. I am on the 7th (US 6th) floor so I can only imagine it is the size of St Paul's, rather than my height, that makes the people down there look tiny.

This company buys lunch in. I am not kidding. On Monday, they even reimbursed me for the lunch I had to go out and buy. In mid-afternoon, a menu from a different deli or cafe comes around and you choose what you want; it goes into a spreadsheet and then some guy comes and delivers a brown bag next day around 12.30 with your name on it to your desk.

It's odd, having to eat what you ordered the day before - meaning, so often you go out for lunch and you stand in front of the sandwich stand humming and hawing- but if on Monday you ordered a bacon and brie baguette with strawberry and banana smoothie, then that is what you just have to eat on Tuesday!

So tomorrow I am having a potato salad with chili jam, mayo, cheese, and ham.

**********

The interviewer couldn't believe how much mumbling and obscure words I could decipher from those interviewees. Hey, my life revolves around words...

For the interviews, I must extend they're to they are, it's to it is, and so on...and I have just noticed how difficult it is for me to now use contractions as I type this blog.

I took a piccie of the view from my window this morning first thing.

Nite nite.

15 comments:

The Moody Minstrel said...

Olivia's Adventures in Big Business, chapter one! ;-)

You certainly make it sound like an adventure, anyway!

Wouldn't the U.K. 7th floor be the U.S. 8th? I mean your "first floor" is our "second". (That always screws me up! I got pretty confused in Australia a couple of times, and it was worse when I was in London! I kept going down to the first floor and then running around in a panic because I couldn't find the exits!)

Ordering your lunch the day before would be weird. You have to try to predict what sort of mood you'll probably be in at the time.

"Oh, my god...what a DAY!! I mean, I just... Ooooh, I'm SOOO stressed out!! I mean, that guy in...OOOH!!! I could just...AAAAHHH!!! Oh, no...here it comes... Stomach revolt! Acid attack!!! NOOOOO!!! I think I'm gonna d..."

*knock knock*
"Here's your pastrami, liverwurst, onion, and red cheddar on rye with extra garlic and horseradish, ma'am. Have a nice day!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

Olivia said...

People think I have a much more interesting life than I really do, just because of the way I describe it.

Well, there are interesting elements to it, but it is not exciting, let's put it that way.

Thankfully, my stomach has been fine - and even with all the concentrating and staring at the screen, I have not had a headache.

My gosh, pastrami and rye, that is SO New York. Can't find pastrami here, and sandwiches on rye are unheard of, in fact rye bread is scarce.

Rye is yummy, soft and fresh with butter.

Anonymous said...

"chili jam"

Now that's frankly wrong. Chili is lovely, I do enjoy spicy food. And jam is yum with nicely buttered hot toast. But chili jam. No no no. It's not even worthy of description as a paradox or oxymoron. It's plain wrong. Please cease and desist from further use.


Sounds like you are having fun working in the worlds international financial centre. Not the biggest, maybe not the best, but the most cosmopolitan, international and wonderful. And yes, argument pickers, I have worked all over the world. But God bless London and all who sail in her ! Play national anthem and fade to grey (not the visage song)...

Anonymous said...

and one last thing (for now)
working girl is slang for prostitute. Now, I don't think that's what you are doing...

Anonymous said...

awwww welcome back to the working world!

I was leaving Houston yesterday morning waiting in morning traffic and looking at the suits with their name tags blowing in the wind as they entered the tall buildings, and I thought, "I NEVER want to work in a job like that again." I remember having to dress up everyday and having to put on my ID card "necklace" begrudgingly. I did not like working in such a superficial environment where you saw the same people everyday and did the same thing everyday with a little variation here and there. I guess that makes me want to be a professor more and more. I thought I watned to be an editor for a textbook company, but then I realized that I will end up going through the same rituals I detest so much.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not putting down YOUR job haha. We are different in that regard. Remember we did the colors personality thing? haha Remember how I was so against it "boxing" us all up into one or two categories? hehe Weren't you yellow??? I think so. So, these job environments are perfect for you! I was green and my second color was blue. Almost every personality test (like Myers-Briggs, Strong's Interest Inventory, or even online quizzes) I do, indicates that I should be a professor/teacher or counselor. haha Interesting how I knew that since I was a kid.

Anyway, my original intention of posting a comment was to wish you good luck on the job. Sounds like they are treating you well.

Leilouta said...

A few weeks ago our boss arranged an emergency meeting at noon. We had lunch delivered to us with desert and drinks while the boss announced that we could start working from home if we felt like it. I did, and I love it.

Olivia said...

Anonanon - You ate cow spinal chord and you're complaining about chili jam???
I'm going to eat chili jam if I want to because you can't stop me, so ner nerner ner ner!

And why should the term "working girl" be monopolised by the street-walking minority, when all these females work so hard in the workforce.



Memoria - what, I have to call you Alesbica now? Did you start a blog?

Rather than editor of said textbook company, you might be happier as a writer...working at home, and maybe popping into the office for random meetings...

I remember, I was yellow, you were green (like my Dad) and everyone else in the room was blue. Psych majors!

To tell you the truth, I am not yellow any more. I feel more comfortable in more relaxed, informal environments.



Leilouta - welcome back! Do you work from work every day now?
At least those noises don't have to drive you crazy.

Leilouta said...

:)

sanity index said...

Ah, that's the description of a steady, routine office job. Nothing wrong with that at all - great to have a steady paycheck!

I love free lunches.

-merserene

Anonymous said...

Olivia, you may be right! and I am trying to start that new book now. So, if that turns out okay, then I will probably try to do that. I would still want to teach from time to time, though. I love talking about Spanish and Portuguese grammar all day haha. How nerdy is that? haha.

You can call me Memoria or alésbica...no me importa. I saw our Psi Chi picture on your picture blog. I also noticed you didnt write down our names, but you wrote out the names of other people on your other pics, even your other uni friends. What is that about? hahaha jk with ya.

Btw, what happened the comment you supposedly posted on my blog? I received an email indicating that you left a comment, but I couldnt find it. Yeah, I started a blog as you can see...I love the layouts for these blogs...blogspot blogs look more intelligent and highclass than myspace and xanga. hehe.

Olivia said...

Mers - yes, a steady job with a paycheck. That is a good thing, mostly.

Memoria - by the way, I LOVE your profile pic!
You've gone all glam on us!

Yes, Blogspot is populated by more deep thinkers. Xanga and Myspace are very much the preserve of teenagers or adults who don't mind.

Um Naief said...

yummmm, i love rye bread. i've only seen it in one place here and i snatched it up. haven't seen it again.

ordering food the day before could be hard for me. it's so difficult for me to decide on lunch, i can only imagine trying to decide for the next day!

the floors get to me as well. i'm constantly getting lost in elevators. here, the 2nd floor is the 1st floor... so, like moody, i'm always getting off on the wrong floor and going into a panic because i don't know where i am. i think i'm starting to get elevator anxiety!! ;)

the job sounds interesting. where you pulling out phrases from the teleconference? didn't quite get that. it sounds like you have a fabulous view.. which really makes for a nice working environment. very nice that you get free food!! no matter if you have to order ahead of time.

The Moody Minstrel said...

why should the term "working girl" be monopolised by the street-walking minority, when all these females work so hard in the workforce.

Similarly, why should the term "ho" be monopolized by the street-walking minority, when it puts both Santa Claus and farmers in such awkward position?

"Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!"
"AAAAHHH!!! Mama!!! Some creepy pimp just came down our chimney!!!"

Meanwhile, at the hardware store:
"Mornin', Jed! What'll it be today?"
"I need a new hoe, Ted."
"A ho? Well, what in tarnation y'all doin' here, then? I reckon y'all know where the "shack" is!"
"No, Ted! I mean I need a new hoe for gardenin'!"
"Why Jed! I never knew y'all to be quite so kinky!"

Olivia said...

Tooners - funny thing, yesterday afternoon passing a sandwich shop, what did I see but a pastrami on rye sandwich???

That teleconference might as well have been conducted in Klingon!
I am to attend the next one but I haven't the foggiest what they're talking about.


Minstrel - LOL, I had no idea you were such a master of dialogue! Thanks for the much-needed giggle.

Um Naief said...

boy, that was funny Moody!!! you make me laugh. :)

but isn't it the truth! anytime i hear the word 'ho', i immediately think of the night time professional girls... and i grew up on a farm.

did you know they have a new word out for the men that are 'ho's'?? but i swear... once again, i can't remember the dang name of it! maybe it's 'heho'... i'll have to look it up and get back to ya guys.