Re: Lull standsill period - ideas please -- MIDRANGE-L

Soon after I am hired some new place, I ask permission from the boss first,to make sure I not stepping on any toes, then I make a tour of the entirecomputer_using staff, which includes people who use the computer reportsbut have no hands on the system, to have like an interview with each(length varies). I want to know, overall how happy or unhappy those peopleare with the computer services to date at the company, where they see arethe greatest needs for the future, what kinds of info they are frustratedat not having a better handle on. I make no promises. I tell everyonethat I am talking to everyone, to get a sense of overall corporate needs,before I prioritize how I will address those needs. Then after I am done,I study the results, then return to the boss with a plan of action totackle the people needs, in what priority sequence, and ask for his approval.

I also include in this, my own assessment of any needs the company may havewith respect to any slipping from standards of internal documentation, suchas computer contracts, good security, continuing education in effectivelyusing the systems in place, etc. In other words, there may be what Iconsider to be reasonable standards in an industry. Does the new job placemeasure up to them, or is it in need of some upgrades? Is there ample diskspace and other resources, or is something hurting? Are they getting goodperformance? Are some applications not as well integrated as I thinkreasonable?

The tour may need to be interrupted before completion, to deal with normalrun of the mill business, but I have a check list of the personnel roster,and I get back to that when I can.

I have not had a vacation in years, but I have had some days off, and somehalf days. Some days I work 20 hours. Sometimes several in a row. A fewdays I love this job, because the time demand pendulum swings the otherway. This is normal for our industry. You have to learn how to cope.

If your boss is aware of the normal ebb and flow of demands upon the timeof people in IT, then you can probably get similar arrangements where youare permitted to have a life outside of work from time to time.

If your boss has awareness of future demands on your time, perhaps wouldapprove you attending some relevant computer conference, to increase yourknow-how in the slack times. IBM has classes all over creation, in severalcities near you, wherever you are.

Have you had requests from co-workers that you had to set aside in the busytime, that now you have time to take another look at?

When you were working on some modifications, did you see some improvementsthat could be made, but no time then, but time now?

If you put good notes in the programs with respect to the enhancementpossibilities, you can now check back on that.

as a new person my work load is pretty lite to begin w., but now it has
come to nothing for 2 weeks, and I am going insane from it.

What do you during slow times? I am seeking to ideally implement some
utility that we don't have, but open to other ideas, please.

Thanks,
Steve