It may well be the shoes...
May. 15th, 2015 04:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisI rarely wear shoes and when I do, it's not for long. My feet never feel bad or painful when I'm in any of my goto shoes. And they don't hurt when I take them off. The problem develops after I have them off and on for several days in a row. So I can't tell if a shoe change makes a difference. Except for today when both feet hurt like crazy but feel a little better with the Skechers on so I've been wearing them all day. No barefeet. It's an interesting experiment.
I was able to walk over to Uwajimaya and back not easily but it wasn't horrible either. I've made a concerted effort to get up and walk even a little every once in a while. I am helped by the fact that I'm expecting a package via USPS and the mail carrier is, so far, MIA. I get up and go down and check every hour or so.
I spent a long time on Zappos reading and looking and selecting but not buying. I really think the smart money is to go to a professional and get a professional opinion before I do anything else.
I have sushi for dinner. Nice.
---
On one of my trips down to the mail, I ran into a neighbor who lives down the hall. I know he's in finance but I'm not sure where. He thinks I still work at Microsoft. He asks me about it every time we meet. I tell him I'm retired. It's a dance we do. Today he told me about the new Microsoft vendor policy. I came in and looked it up. It's not new. They put it into place last July. But it is wild.
In the olden days... when I worked at Microsoft as a full time regular employee, we hired contingent staff - temp workers - to do stuff. Lot's o' stuff. Over time the temp workers got all bent out of shape because they didn't have the same benefits and full time regular employees. They raised a massive stink about it. They said they did the same work so they should get the same pay and benefits. (For the record, they did some of the same work but under massively relaxed conditions - they were not responsible for lots o' shit that full time regular employees were.)
So, Microsoft decided to make the difference more distinct. They said that temp workers had to quit after a year and were not allowed back until they had been gone 100 days. This pissed 'em off pretty much but, it was a good deal if they planned ahead for $ to cover their 100 day break.
Meanwhile I had left Microsoft and done other things and then we back as a vendor - different than a temp worker in lots of ways and I was not under the 1 year/100 day structure.
The temp workers continued to bitch and the laws got stiffer and finally, last Summer, Microsoft revised the rules again. Now, all non full time regular employees - temp, vendor, international visitors, and other contractors, (including students, I believe) can work 18 months and then are shut out for 6 months.
I can see how it makes sense but whew what a bitch to manage. Being a first line manager at Microsoft was always a thankless task. Now it must be a nightmare.
Funny, until my neighbor mentioned it, I hadn't heard anyone bitch about it at all. Could be cause I'm so out of the loop but also could be cause temp workers have figured out that bitching doesn't make the situation better...
Meanwhile, there is a very large and pretty active Microsoft Alumnae Association. I joined for several years back in the day because it was not too expensive and I got about a 95% discount on software. But, then, I didn't want or need the software and I didn't really care about their other stuff so I did not renew. They still reach out and invite me back now and again. Yesterday I got such an email. This time they have decreased the dues and are throwing in free Microsoft Office. Yeah, still no. But thanks for asking. I do want one of the new Microsoft foldable keyboards but the dues don't include discounts on any hardware products.
I was able to walk over to Uwajimaya and back not easily but it wasn't horrible either. I've made a concerted effort to get up and walk even a little every once in a while. I am helped by the fact that I'm expecting a package via USPS and the mail carrier is, so far, MIA. I get up and go down and check every hour or so.
I spent a long time on Zappos reading and looking and selecting but not buying. I really think the smart money is to go to a professional and get a professional opinion before I do anything else.
I have sushi for dinner. Nice.
---
On one of my trips down to the mail, I ran into a neighbor who lives down the hall. I know he's in finance but I'm not sure where. He thinks I still work at Microsoft. He asks me about it every time we meet. I tell him I'm retired. It's a dance we do. Today he told me about the new Microsoft vendor policy. I came in and looked it up. It's not new. They put it into place last July. But it is wild.
In the olden days... when I worked at Microsoft as a full time regular employee, we hired contingent staff - temp workers - to do stuff. Lot's o' stuff. Over time the temp workers got all bent out of shape because they didn't have the same benefits and full time regular employees. They raised a massive stink about it. They said they did the same work so they should get the same pay and benefits. (For the record, they did some of the same work but under massively relaxed conditions - they were not responsible for lots o' shit that full time regular employees were.)
So, Microsoft decided to make the difference more distinct. They said that temp workers had to quit after a year and were not allowed back until they had been gone 100 days. This pissed 'em off pretty much but, it was a good deal if they planned ahead for $ to cover their 100 day break.
Meanwhile I had left Microsoft and done other things and then we back as a vendor - different than a temp worker in lots of ways and I was not under the 1 year/100 day structure.
The temp workers continued to bitch and the laws got stiffer and finally, last Summer, Microsoft revised the rules again. Now, all non full time regular employees - temp, vendor, international visitors, and other contractors, (including students, I believe) can work 18 months and then are shut out for 6 months.
I can see how it makes sense but whew what a bitch to manage. Being a first line manager at Microsoft was always a thankless task. Now it must be a nightmare.
Funny, until my neighbor mentioned it, I hadn't heard anyone bitch about it at all. Could be cause I'm so out of the loop but also could be cause temp workers have figured out that bitching doesn't make the situation better...
Meanwhile, there is a very large and pretty active Microsoft Alumnae Association. I joined for several years back in the day because it was not too expensive and I got about a 95% discount on software. But, then, I didn't want or need the software and I didn't really care about their other stuff so I did not renew. They still reach out and invite me back now and again. Yesterday I got such an email. This time they have decreased the dues and are throwing in free Microsoft Office. Yeah, still no. But thanks for asking. I do want one of the new Microsoft foldable keyboards but the dues don't include discounts on any hardware products.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-16 12:49 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-16 02:03 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-16 02:35 am (UTC)Oh that keyboard is so cool!
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-16 02:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-16 03:04 am (UTC)I worked in one of those loopholes for 3 years straight, no break, as a vendor!
The 18 month/6 months off ensures that while some may come back after 6 months, they are NOT permanent employees with a long vacation :)
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-16 03:15 am (UTC)