2004-07-02 - 7:10 p.m.
Okay, so I've been working seven days now. That is, minus the two days taken up by last weekend.
It's been awesome! I feel productive, finally. It's not like I haven't felt productive during my entire housewife-life. There were times when I felt quite productive. Just not of late. Like since Offspring Experimental Unit #2 was born. I feel like I can't get anything accomplished, and when I do? It's fleeting.
At work, though? Oh happy joy!
Like I said, I started on phones, and that's a big part of what I still do. However, the office manager (my interviewer)was correct when she said things would be added swiftly. I learned how to process defunct files on my second day at work, and the next week everything really hit the fan.
I now do some research for clients with their cases. I also answer a few questions, usually after the attorneys in charge have given me the correct answers. I do a TON of "soothing" for clients. We handle, among other things, family law, and that's stressful no matter which end of the lawsuit you're on. I've also started handling some minor correspondence -- not transcribing, but free-hand.
And speaking of transcribing, I don't do tapes (pity, as I'm good at that, but maybe that'll come in time), but I do work on shifting handwritten documents into typewritten ones. In my original field I was quite good at this, as I knew the terminology and the general phrasing the partners and associates at the firm used, but here? Hee... yeah, right.
First of all, I don't know much yet about legal terminology. Secondly, I know precious little about the partners' and associates' prefered phrasings... probably because I know precious little about legal phrasing in general.
Thirdly, this all culminates when I get a manuscript from the primary attorney under whom I work. Someone ought to tell the man that cunneiform ceased to be a standardized form of written communication a few thousand years ago. It's so bad the man can't even read his own writing at times.
Hell, he knows the context, he wrote the damned thing, and he STILL can't read it! And yet he expects me to translate his scratchings?
Ye gods, oy vey, and holy crap.
Much as I may bitch, though, I know that eventually I will be able to translate them, once I'm more familiar with everything. It's stuff like that which keeps me going.
Well, that, and the fact that I just really like working. I'm hoping they'll put me on permanent status shortly. I was told I'd be on temp for about ten working days, so I still have a few to go and I'm fairly confident that I'll make the "cut." I'll just remain feeling a titch... uhm... off, until I have that security.
And the health insurance.
Until then, though, I'll console myself with the thought that they have given me my own e-mail address, and also that the lady in charge of IS has said that they're altering my user name and password to my own on this upcoming Tuesday.
0 comments so far
�
�
