Five things friday

One exercise I somewhat enjoy are these 'Five Things Friday' posts. When there's too much to say and not enough time, or too many things to say... it helps to just jot down the basics. So, here are some things today:

1. My nephew is a ninja warrior

My sister's son posted on social media last night that he finally got called to be on the American Ninja Warrior TV show. He's been at this ninja stuff for years, and was actually supposed to be on the show in 2020 until covid cut the field down. Apparently he will compete this Spring and the shows will hopefully air in the summer.

2. Baby, it's cold outside

The temps were in single digits (fahrenheit) this morning. Brrrr. We have this crazy exercise class where I work that meets outside year-round on M-W-F from 6-7 AM. They've been doing it ever since we re-opened following the covid shutdown of Spring 2020. Just recently they started having it inside on Fridays, but with the numbers spiking due to Omicron they decided to move Fridays back outside starting today. One poor soul didn't get the memo, and she showed up this morning not at all dressed for 9F. She decided to brave it anyway in her leggings and pink fleece jacket. I loaned her my gloves since they do a lot of burpees and such. Man... those people are either dedicated, or nuts. The funny thing is, it's actually the most consistently popular class we have! There were half a dozen of them this morning.

3. Working with 20-year-olds

It dawned on me yesterday that there are now six of us employed at my workplace: Me, and five 20-year-olds. And we have no supervisor or "boss" on-site. And I'm not real sure who our boss is supposed to be, but the two most likely are also in their 20s (one might be in her 30s). I have nothing against young people, but some are honestly a little too immature to work without any supervision. Naturally, since I am waaaaaay older than the rest, they usually turn to me with most problems... even though I am equal on the part-time peon scale with them, and I know for a fact that at least one of them gets paid more than I do! The two off-site supervisors are actually paid probably close to TWICE what I make! It's starting to move beyond clown-car-chaos to near dumpster-fire mode. Yet no one understands why I'm so frustrated.

4. Responsibility without authority

THIS is what #3 is about to me. I've been going to write about the 'responsibility without authority' struggle for some time but it's difficult to put into words. This article 'Accountability Without Authority: How To Drive Employees Crazy' comes pretty close. Especially this little snippet:

"The manager becomes a total pain in the rear - if he/she continues to take his/her mission seriously. That's the unfairness of it: only pseudo-managers who take their tasks seriously are most affected by the NAG syndrome..."

Since I am the "pseuod-manager" - because I'm the one who has most of the day-to-day responsibility (and experience) at the place, but no actual authority - and I continue to take my job seriously, most everyone who does have some authority (but takes little-to-no responsibility) thinks I'm nothing but a grumpy old man who just complains all the time. Which I probably am, but I don't want to be! Yeah, it's fun. Not.

5. 10k today

Anyway, I am hoping it warms up a little today (maybe all the way to 20F) so I can go for my daily run outside and not die of frostbite. Last week I decided I'd like to try to do at least a 10k on Fridays. I'd also like to start doing some speed interval work one day a week too. This past week it was Tuesday. And, I'm thinking of signing up for a half marathon in April. I've never done one that early before, but I'd like to do an event with this group (I think).

So, that's all for this Friday. Number 5 is how I've been dealing with numbers 3-4 lately. I shudder to think what I'd do without it.

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“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” -Galatians 6:7-8