Computer Problems and Other Bullshit in Book Four: Ichi-no-Tani 2017

Not surprisingly; several e-mails and phone calls last night from my bosses. Because 7 pm here is 8 am in China.

Got in to work this morning; booted up my laptop. There had been updates last night. DID NOT lose my work because my back up system is working. HOWEVER… after 20 minutes, the boot up process still said “Please wait while we apply updates.... 2% complete”
FUCK.
All told; it took TWO HOURS for my laptop to boot up. TWO HOURS.

Which was made even worse because I got a text from China that I had to write and finish a Sales and Purchase Agreement within the hour. So I’m at White Boss’ computer trying to put this agreement together USING MY PHONE. It takes me exactly until the deadline to get it done. Fucking A.

Then, because China China China China China… I have to communicate with my bosses through WeChat… the Chinese Version of What’sApp. Except, even now that my laptop is up… my WeChat isn’t working. FUCK! And why isn’t my WeChat working? Because I work for cheap fucking cheap cheaps. They make me use my personal phone instead of giving me an office number. They make me use my personal laptop instead of giving me a computer. They do not pay for internet in this office. THEY DO NOT PAY FOR INTERNET IN THIS OFFICE! They borrow the internet from one of the other firms here. So… yeah. That means an internet which was purchased by a firm in contemplation of 3 users is now being used by 8. So I am having internet issues. Chinese Assistant’s work around? Use your data. That’s what he does. EXCUSE ME?! I get paid shit. I have no health insurance. I don’t have a “company car” and am required to drive all around the state. I AM NOT GOING TO USE MY LIMITED DATA PLAN FOR OFFICE NEEDS! For fuck sake.

While I was using White Boss’ computer… something became… apparent. White Boss has no friends. He has made friends (a bit) with his neighbors. But all of the “facebook alerts” (I don’t know why he has those automatic on his desktop) were people from Iowa’s Chinese Association. And it got me thinking. These two are in China right now. They are staying up until 1 or 2 am every night so that they can get “more work” crammed in. It was almost 1AM China Time and Chinese Boss was still sending texts asking for more work and more forms to be sent to her. AND TOMORROW IS SATURDAY! (Even in China). These people have nothing outside of work. And that is how they want it. That is the life they have chosen for themselves and it is the life they are ardently working to preserve and continue. I can think of nothing so hollow. I can’t even begin to imagine wanting that life. And the absolute truth? Bosses prefer employees to follow their lead. If The Boss sacrifices everything for The Firm; so should The Staff.

Have I mentioned I have a desperate need to leave? I get it. I’ve only been looking for 1 month. But three things. (1) I have a deadline on vacating. I need to get out of here by Bosses’ return from China or shortly thereafter. Because when they get back? All of this just gets worse. (2) I’ve only been looking for 1 month. And the jobs aren’t rotating. It isn’t “Here’s a list of new jobs this week.” It is “Huh, these are the same jobs I applied to already.” (3) Iowa is in trouble in this respect in a big way. The Media Outlets and the politicians have already been discussing it as a crisis: Brain Drain. Iowa significantly lacks jobs for the College Educated now. It is a state-wide crisis. And I get to enjoy it. Fun!

Officially, I’m skipping NoJoMo today. The question is How Did a Random Stranger Make an Impact on You… and I have no answer to that.