Lie to me...

I've been lied to. I don't think it was intentional, in fact it may have just been a desperate (and innocent) attempt by my coworkers to ease my mind.

Last fall when I applied for this position I noticed the job description was basically a photocopy of our institution's general description for this job title. That should have been my first sign that something was odd. But, I missed it or better yet, shrugged it off as nothing.

Then came my first interview. They told me the position was new and would be located in a newly renovated office with people who were all fairly new to our organization who would be working to start several new programs and initiatives on campus. I didn't completely shrug the oddness of that off but instead choose to rename the position as an "exciting opportunity".

At my second interview they showed me my office. It was a struggle to open the door because the room was full of boxes...of what I'll lovingly call "crap". Instead of hearing warning bells I pictured myself in my own office...with it's very own door AND window. The vision apparently clouded my thought process and I left feeling fabulous about my new job.

On my first day, before I had computer access or even knew what my phone number was, I hit the ground running and started working. By that time it was starting to sink in..." What have I gotten myself into?", I wondered.

Then, the job duties and assignments began rolling in. I had back-to-back meetings and training sessions...and through it all I was overjoyed at the thought of having my own office...with a window.

After awhile it became obvious that my "exciting opportunity" was also very much a "new stressful job". My coworkers, being the dears that they are, assured me that summer months are slow and are a good time to work on large projects. So, I put several things off until June and went on my merry way.

Here's where the lie part comes in. Summer sucks.

Summer is not slow. It is not a time to work on over-due projects nor is it a time to plan on being less stressed. It is, in fact, the opposite of that.

Yes I still love my job and my office with a window but I am beginning to believe that, along with Miami (sorry folks), during the summer my office is a portal to hell.