The Graveyard Shift

So now I'm working midnights. For the next month I'm to split my duties between inspecting parts and supervising 4 guys running production.

It's a very slow shift. The nights seem to drag on forever sometimes and I feel guilty when I'm just standing around with nothing to do. I've been using the time to work on my book, (Page three is penciled and needs inking while here at work I've begun the rough sketches for page 4.) but I feel like I'm stealing from the company.

I mentioned this to my boss and he just blew it off saying that's how nightshift is, so I guess it's ok.

I find it amusing however to be supervising instead of supervised. I thank God that I'm simply back to work no matter what I'm doing.

Is the enemy of my enemy my friend?

I haven't written much about my return to work yet so I thought now would be a good time.

I returned to work on January 2, thinking that everything was ok. Boy was I wrong. I hadn't been at work for an hour yet when I found out that there had been arguments about whether to call me back or not. Bob my supervisor fighting for my return was no surprise to me really, we've worked together for five years now and he's taught me everything I know.

But a big surprise to me was that a certain supervisor that I've always had trouble with was also with Bob in the fight to return me to work. I've written about him before here somewhere, John.

Now if you had asked me who I would have thought would fight to keep me OUT of the shop I would have told you that he would have been at the forefront. He's always given me the impression that he didn't like me as a person or my abilities as an inspector. We have butted heads at many times in the past and nobody has ever driven me to the brink of loosing self-control like he has.

However, he argued FOR me when the debate began about whether to return me to work or not. He even insisted he didn't want one of the other inspectors to return he wanted ME specifically because he trusts me to do the work properly.

Wow! What a surprise eh?


But that's not all. A supervisor that I don't even work for was one of the most vehement opponents to my return. He's the IT manager here at our company and since I work on the factory floor I've had very little interaction with the man. His name is Mike.

I've no idea what he'd have against me returning unless it has to do with saving money somehow. I am one of the highest paid employees on the production floor, though that is not saying much here, they pay very little.

Also as far as I know my work performance has always been satisfactory to everyone here besides John's criticizms. So I don't know.

Either way I'm back to work. For the first two weeks it's been work as usual here, however at a much slower pace. There is little work and I'm told that often nowadays we only work four days a week.

Now the last and wierdest thing.


Last week my supervisor Bob came to me and said that because work is so slow I am in danger of being laid off again. He asked if I would be willing to step down from inspecting parts to running a machine making them. I said that I would although I didn't like it. (It's better than being laid off again!) He said that it would only be temporary and that as soon as things picked up again I'd return to my inspection position. He told me to expect to begin running a machine somewhere around the end of the month.

Then, the next day, Bob comes to me again and tells me that the supervisor on 3rd shift is taking an unexpected leave of absence. He then asked me if I'd be interested in filling this position for the month that the regular supervisor will be away.

(To be continued...)

My first post of the new year!

First off I hope that everyone had a great holiday season. As any of you who read my wife's blog already know, we went to Ohio and West Virginia for the holidays. It was lots of fun.

A lot has been going on and that's part of the reason I haven't posted. I got so busy that I just haven't spent much time on the computer lately.

First, I'm back to work! I returned to work on January 3rd. This was a great relief for Stacey and I as they were about to cancel our health insurance because I wasn't working. However, the situation at work is still sort of in limbo right now. Work is still slow and the other day I was asked would I be willing to run a machine instead of be an inspector if they kept my pay rate the same.

I told them that I was, but that I didn't like it because it feels like a step down from my current position as a Quality Inspector. Then, two day's ago, I was also asked would I be willing to fill in for the supervisor on the midnight shift for a month in February. Wierd huh? First asked to do a demoted position, immediately after offered a temporary promotion! Again I said yes, I would do it and now it's in God's hands. For the moment I'm still working as and inspector and that's just fine with me. Fortunately I like my job.

Page three of my book is almost complete and I'm beginning to ink it now. With the return to work I find it more difficult to work on my book. Now I'm so tired after work that I'm lucky to spend an hour and a half a day on it.

Finally today is my first day not SMOKING! I'm trying these new nicotine lozenges that a friend reccomended and so far they seem to be helping. The only problem is that I'm finding it hard to focus a little bit. Please keep me in prayer as I struggle to break free from this stronghold in my life.