* * *

They're gone. They're all gone. but is it a blessing or a curse? My brother laughingly said "you guys will be sitting there with a single light-bulb hanging from the ceiling!"

"You're probably right," I answered mournfully.

It seems that the June 1 deadline is not as absolute as I had once thought ... or at least hoped that it was.

But alas, just because it is on a big sign outside, that does not make it so. I can see another summer coming, and going right on by without my presence.

When I go back to that same-old-grind on Monday, I will be even more isolated than ever. Not even the cleaning crew will be there for me to talk to. All that will remain are the wires leading to modular phone-jacks hanging from the ceiling where desks used to be. Even the vending machines are gone!

All that remains in human terms is three dedicated employees tending the old boiler. All but forgotten lest we should falter.

"So when is your job done Greg?"

Now there's the big question; the question that has become a joke in and of itself among family and friends who have listened to my endless talk of the end which never comes. Yet my boss doesn't understand why I'm not happy.

Perhaps the light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel is not quite as near as I thought it was. Just another meaningless deadline; another carrot which shrivels away to nothing before I can reach the end of the stick.

In a story published in our local newspaper, The Wausau Daily Herald, it was stated last week that SNE's lease at One Wausau Center runs out September 1. (The paper is not yet on the web, so my knowledge of the report comes from others who have read it.)

The story also reported that they were moving from 35,000 square feet of office space to a much smaller 28,000 square feet. It would seem that they really are creating a boiler-room.

I get more information concerning my employment from the rumor-mill, and the local news than I do from any official source internally. Nobody seems to know what's going on; they're all just winging it. And if you do happen to get wind of what's really going on, by all means keep it to yourself.

I found the email address of a high-ranking officer in my employer's parent company. Friday morning I sent him a brief letter of introduction. I sure hope that he follows up on it. And I even more so hope that I can express myself effectively if he does.

Friday night the phone system was moved, leaving us in the data center with two lines; one voice, and one fax. The switch-over also affected the computer network, rendering my two PCs useless. My supervisor had to stay and do my work for me because I couldn't see any of the consoles which were working.

And it seems that my boss who doesn't talk to me for months at a time, and doesn't really say anything when he does talk to me, doesn't understand why I should be upset at all. I'd be happy to explain it to him if only he'd ask, and then sit down and really listen to me.

But since he hasn't asked, nor shown any concern, I think that the time has come to ask --maybe demand --that accommodations be made so that I can do my job effectively.

My vision has been dwindling and it's been getting more and more difficult to do my job. I need a workplace assessment to determine what accommodations can be made for me to continue in my present position. I have been putting it off with the idea that I could make it until my position was eliminated.

It's easy to put things off when there is no opportunity to discus it with the appropriate people. I have had no annual performance review for the last two years. In a professional environment, this review process would be the proper time and forum for the discussion of my concerns --not to mention the time when at least a cost of living increase is to be expected. This, and all other customary channels for recourse has been denied me. Don't worry about the horse going blind, just keep loading the wagon.

After about four years of thinking of my job as "temporary," I can no longer accept that as an excuse for not acting now. The word "temporary" like the word " deadline," has lost it's meaning. Enough is enough. It is time for this shoe to start squeaking -- or kicking some butt.

But at any rate, I am going to need a vacation soon if I am going to make it to September. Maybe I can even find another job so that I won't have to go back when the vacation is over.