Job stuff..O-M-G...(okay though)

[Catty1]

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=138151

Jeez...as a counsellor told me about a roommate I had decades ago, "Candace, you aren't gonna win with this one."

New job is ok - learning curve - if I don't pass probation in 3 months, I can look elsewhere, there are jobs around.

I have been trying to do some tasks with Realtor Gal. Yes, I messed up the database pretty bad as I didn't get a good book on it til January - and didn't get to really READ it till yesterday; I was treating it more like a hard-copy "help" menu.

My friend Irene was over to see about taking over the day-to-day stuff. During the day, RG saw the results of a mistake I had made on the DB - which I was in the middle of correcting - and she flipped. With tears in her eyes, she asked WHY this was happening, and "why are you doing this to me?", and DEMANDING that I look her in the eye, etc. I actually yelled back at her.

ANYWAY...got the job corrected as far as possible later on, and made backups on 3 cds, and took one home.

I found out I had not done the backup correctly, it was read-only.

Anyway...she emailed yesterday that she is having continuous meltdowns about the database.

I sent several emails, describing how to send a correct backup.

No response - so I called her. And she went on AGAIN about the SAME stuff - I FINALLY cut in enough to say, "Read your emails and get back to me. I need HELP, not nattering!"

I am calling her nearby computer help neighbour - she just emailed me again. Said she couldn't understand the database mess and was tired of the abuse.

I replied, told her I understood about the abuse , and that I wanted peace too.

I put in capital letters about needing the right database now, that I had read the book, and to PLEASE send it. I would talk her through it, or her computer neighbour.

I want the DB to work, cause I want to do my work right. But I am SO done with her!

Thanks for listening. PLEASE PRAY for this woman - she truly is so sick and unhappy!!!!

[Craftlady]

Sorry to say, I would be disturbed to if someone kept asking me to send something to them and then have them talk me through it or a computer tech neighbor to fix the problem that they didnt cause in the first place.

Take responsibility for the error, bend over backwards to make it right.
IMO, You should go over to the office and FIX the problem there in person. Once everything is right and fixed show her how it works.

[lizbud]

Sorry to say, I would be disturbed to if someone kept asking me to send something to them and then have them talk me through it or a computer tech neighbor to fix the problem that they didnt cause in the first place.

Take responsibility for the error, bend over backwards to make it right.
IMO, You should go over to the office and FIX the problem there in person. Once everything is right and fixed show her how it works.

I agree. Very good advice.

[Taz_Zoee]

Candace, as for your back up copy being read-only....couldn't you save it on your computer then fix it? Not sure what program it is, but I believe this works with like word and excel (who knows what else it'd work with). Just an idea.

[shais_mom]

I agree. It sounds as tho you are making your (honest) mistake HER fault.
She's tightly wound. Do you have any idea what may be going on in her personal life? And I'm sure your attitude isn't helping her either.
Mistakes happen, there's no question that you made an honest mistake and were trying to fix it. Own it and move on and learn from it.
You don't sounds as tho you like the position much anyway.

New job is ok - learning curve - if I don't pass probation in 3 months, I can look elsewhere, there are jobs around.

[NoahsMommy]

Candace, as for your back up copy being read-only....couldn't you save it on your computer then fix it? Not sure what program it is, but I believe this works with like word and excel (who knows what else it'd work with). Just an idea.

This is what I do when I mistakingly save something as "Read Only". You just do a "Save As" and save it to your own computer. Then you can do what you want. I'm sure it would work for Access. Anything you save to your own pc makes it yours to work with, as long as you have the program the file is in.

This lady doesn't sound like someone I'd want to work with, not even for a little bit or a quick project. That's just MHO, you need to do what works for you.

Good luck! Let us know how it works out.

[Catty1]

Guys, I am MORE than willing to fix my mistake - created a new lovely-looking database today here at home. I have told her I am NOT charging for the work in the next few days - my final invoice has been sent.RG insisted on trying to fix the old one at her office, and peppered me with emails as to "why can't I fix this? Why can't I type in the grey spaces?" She and I had TRIED that on 3 different occasions...and her emails were exactly what she was almost on the desk about the other day.

I replied with answers, and kept getting the same questions - meanwhile I kept working on the new setup.

In the past few months, I've heard her screech on the phone at UPS because of customs charges on packages (there are so many eBay emails on her computer it is nuts...and her business isn't even back up and running yet at all). I've heard her yell at her husband, and not even listen (the same in-the-face rant I got the other day...Irene thought she was going to haul off and deck me).

She had a stroke in Sept, she is unwell, and the meds can have personality side effects...but however unmeant the symptoms are, it is REALLY hard to go into her home office and work. She's on blood thinners, she lives on coffee...she did quit smoking, which is good.

I just think she wasn't ready to go back to work yet, and started back too soon...and I started working there.

It's not just the database that freaks her out...it doesn't help, and I can fix that part. But there are other issues...

I'm not the healthiest myself in the emotional department, and it's a toxic house to work in.

I told her I would be in Tuesday. (bad storm right now, wind chills down to -41, which is the same in F and C). I want to work at home again tomorrow and get this finished, so I don't have much to do on Tuesday to get things running.

She spent all day trying to fix the impossible that we both had tried before...I was just creating a new one from an older version. I emailed her to relax and leave it.

And...I had faxed my letter of resignation on January 19. TONIGHT she found it.

Sorry...am kind of stressed here too...I KNOW I messed up the database.

Hopefully when she sees the sample of the new one, it looks so much better, that she will relax.

BTW database folks...the only kind of database backup that will open is a Remote Database...and unless you have ACT! installed on your computer, it won't open. Not like Access....

[Catty1]

I finished my work for the day, and sent the DB to RG with the following email:

"Attached is an RDB file - a remote database that you can open on your computer.

To open:

1. Save the attachment to the desktop.

2. Open ACT.

3. Choose File/Restore/Database - then select Unpack and Restore, click OK.

4. Click the Browse button to find TPDRAFT.rdb - the attachment you saved to the desktop. Double click on it.

5. The database will be restored. When it is finished, go to File/Open Database, and select TPDRAFT.

You'll see the new structure. It's cleaner. Names are going where they belong. I didn't complete many entries, but the few you can see have space for Spouse and 2nd Contact.

Also, on the far right is ID/Status. I will classify these more accurately when I get the Top Producer records.

Some of the field titles are in bold, some aren't. Let me know which you prefer.

I'll send another email and call it a night.

Regards,
Candace"

She experimented with some labels, and wrote only this:

"19 are incorrect on the 1st 2 pages of labels. Many missing city,"

I replied, in desperation, knowing it was pointless:

"RG, that's why it is [called] tpDRAFT. It's a DRAFT! My email told you that I had done only a few entries. I wanted you mainly to see the new LAYOUT!!

Please slow down and read ALL the words in the emails I send, ok?

nite"

I can hardly wait to be done...I want to finish the task well.

I don't know...I guess you have to be here...she does not, can not HEAR someone else in any circumstance.

Sorry...I have lost more free time trying to catch up at home where I have some peace...

[Laura's Babies]

You are doing your best and sounds like you are working it all out. That is all you can do....your best!

Some people are just to toxic to be around and she sure sounds like one of them. If she has quit smoking, that is a big part of her short nerves right now. I dosen't help any but you can understand it. (at least I can)

Just do your best Catty! I am not program savy when it comes to computers and I probably would have messed it up far worse than you did and I find the instructions that come with some of them more confusing than the program.

[Catty1]

Originally posted by Laura's Babies:

I find the instructions that come with some of them more confusing than the program.

You got THAT right!

Buying the ACT! by Sage for Dummies was the best thing I ever did! lol

[Laura's Babies]

Those are the books I ned.... "Books for Dummies"....

When I got my new cell phone, I got the book out and tried to find out how to do things... NONE of the things it said to do were on my phone.. I think it was the wrong book or far more complicated that it needed to be. In working with new programs for the computer, I find everyone changes the names of things without giving any clue as to what the new names are or adds a lot of un-needed steps in what use to be a simple process... They tell you to do this, this, this and that, assuming you know HOW to do those things when you don't... Arrgggggg!

[Medusa]

Well, being as computer illiterate as I am, all I can say is to decree that "all is in divine order". It will all work out, either w/you finding other employment or her calming down and the two of you being able to communicate better w/each other. "This too shall pass".

[Catty1]

I have found other employment, Mary. Job sharing, which will give me a good enough wage. I thought I could stick around and do a BIT for her. Not bloody likely.

Today is quieter. I have a list of what to do in what order tomorrow to get everything humming.

And she sent me pics of all four of her kitties on the bed. Always a good sign, kitty pics!