Adam vs Forces Karmic

For many, many years I didn't do any work. I was at work, I went to work everyday, but I seemed to have picked up a crazy knack of being desperately required by this corporate monstrosities, who then would have not much for me to do. So, for years I entertained myself with so many e-mails, blogs, internets, generally mucking around and charging entirely too much for it. While I continually feel like a fraud, and knowing karma hates unappreciated good fortune, I've made sure my little artiste is fed, housed and supplying the world with so many musics. Being a contractor though, equals little job security and so in an effort to save up some money to create myself an emergency buffer, I asked Cara to work again. At the same time I set up my own contracting company and so plans for the buffer were all set.

Officially titled 'The Buffer Plan', it did and continues to work very well. Lady Karma, though, wasn't real happy with the change of plan. She's not my favourite, instead of a polite 'Ahem, excuse me for the interuption, but could you explain your plan so that I might ascertain whether so many punishments are required.' she got all uppity and took matters into her own hands.

AP started more like normal than usual. I didn't have a computer for the first week, the first couple of months I did approximately 10 minutes of work a day. I kid you not, sometimes not even 10 minutes.

Then, The Project started.

The Project was being managed by another company, who had won the contract by offering a fixed price contract and under cutting everyone else. A fixed price contract means that you get paid for finishing the project (or developing the product) regardless of how long it takes you. If you do it quickly and cheaply, you make so many monies, if it takes you a long time, you end up working superhard and losing money for your trouble. A gamble for such, especially since this was the company's first venture into a project of this nature. I wasn't contracting to AP, I was contracting to the company, and they got me in to fulfill a role I often just fall in to... The Golden Child, the One Who Can Do No Wrong. The peeps at AP seemed to take quite a liking to me, especially since I was quite different from the previous people who had done my job. The peeps though, took an instant dislike to The Company once The Project started. The Company resolved this situation by being demanding and bringing on highly incompetent staff (possibly to replace me with a cheaper version) and 'fixing' the project plan to make it look better. this 'fixing' was pretty smart, it involved asking me how long a task would take, taking my estimate and halving it. To motivate everyone, the company then told us that AP quartered it and we had to produce the goods. Activities were skipped because they didn't look rad on the project plan and I was caught in The Position Of Ackwardity. I liked the peeps at AP and wanted to do a good job for them, but The Company was requiring very, very long hours and weekends to try and meet it's deadlines. I don't think I'm afraid of hardwork, I was actually excited by it going in, but because The Company was truly crap, I started to resent having to bail them out time and time again by working the hours craziness.

The Company clearly tipped the scales too far into crud and Lady Karma felt I learnt my lesson.

After 6 months, today is the last day that The Company works at AP. They have effectively been fired and AP have asked that I continue on to actually do the job required. I am relieved no end.

AP is determined to manage me properly and adjust the project plans to ensure I am only required to work 40 hours a week, I indeed get to live again and work like a normal. Not too much, not too little.