Job Creation - Blegh!

So last night was quiet ... again. I went to Yoga - yippee, that's the third time this week! It's an achievement, okay? If you doubt that even for a second, you remain completely unaware of my sheer lack of gym-enthusiasm in previous months. But I'm turning things around and putting buckets of effort in ... and waiting patiently for the yoga to kick in and provide me with a fabulous bod in return for the hours I spend sweating and bending away. Needless to say, it hasn't happened yet :P How long, people, how long?

Anyway, after Yoga, Loulou and I headed off for sushi at the usual, Sakura. I was still nursing my craving for prawn maki that went entirely unquenched on Monday evening. I made sure I fixed that problem ... 5 plates of prawn maki later and I was sated. Loulou out did herself and had about 10 plates (not of the prawn maki tho, she's more a fashion sandwich sorta girl). The record has recently apparently been usurped from Koeties (a massive 19 plates) and handed over in a ceremonial manner to TheBrad's baby brother who managed a whopping 31 plates in 2 hours. Well, this is what I hear ... I wasn't there to witness either of the record breaking attempts. Me, I generally max out at around 8, and that's good enough for me :)

Anyway, sushi was followed by the last episode of Grey's Season One ... the one where Addison arrives. And then CSI on the telly. And then a little reading ... and the dawning of the knowledge that in order to have actually finished Hannibal Rising before watching the movie this evening, I would've had to take the day off! Which clearly I didn't because here I am with you :)

And now I have to vent about something that has been annoying me for some time. And I know there are people out there (probably they're not reading this, anyway ... but if you are) who will disagree and the like, but this is my spot for my views and here they come:

I live in South Africa, a well known point, I'm sure. I always have and what really annoys me is the random job-creation that we are becoming famous for.

It's no secret, I work at a fairly large corporate. And we've just gone thru the process of building additional offices. I now split my time between the two sites.

So here's how it goes at the original Primary Site. I scan my garage access card to get my car into one of their Parking Garages. And then I have to scan my personal access card to get thru the main door, one person at a time, like at the banks. Then my bag and laptop and whatever else I might choose to bring to work goes thru a scanner, like at an airport. Just to make sure I don't have my handy pistol with me, since I will be dealing with Project Managers during the day. And that's pretty much it for security, but it get's the job done.

Now, as far as I'm concerned, they did many things wrong when designing this Second Site. The building is essentially far more atttractive than the older one, with more glass and what not. But they've gone with "Barely There" Security. What were they thinking? It's turned out to be ridiculous. And it's turned into a Security Person nightmare ... for me! I scan my personal access card to get into the office complex where they (the 5 security guards for as many booms - Job Creation Point 1) check that I do in fact have a little sticker on my windscreen - that's right folks, merely having an access card that makes the boom go up and let you in isn't enough for these people! Then I drive to the parking garage and scan yet again. The theory is that the little sticker on my windscreen will tell the wandering security guard (no idea how many of these there are - Job Creation Point 2) whether I am actually allowed to park in this specific garage. Again, notice my utter shock and horror that the mere fact that my access card will open the boom to the parking garage and allow me entry is not enough to proof of that fact.

Then I have to go up in a lift, but only to the ground floor at reception. Since my access card that allows me entrance to the office complex and to the parking garage cannot possibly be enough to prove that I am allowed into the building. Once at reception, I have to go thru a ridiculous human boom type thing - again with the very same access card. Only to be greeted by 5 more security guards who just stand around there watching these gates to ensure that only one person goes thru at a time (Job Creation Point 3). And then they all proceed to greet me. This annoys me. Perhaps it's rude of me, but I have no interest in engaging with someone who is probably just being paid to greet me. It's annoying. And as I said there are 5 of them! All I want to do is get to my friggin desk thru all these ridiculous security measures.

And no, it's not that they are mere security guards that I do not want to greet them. I actually have quite a nice morning conversation with the security guard at our Primary Site and I even find myself mildly disappointed when someone else is there instead of him. But to them, the army of security guards at the entrance to Second Site, I say nothing. Occasionally I grunt hello ... which just encourages them, and more join in. I am at a loss as to how to handle this situation, I wish I could just say: "Shut the f**k up you anonymous person who is just being paid to greet me and doesn't otherwise care about my day?". It is far to early in the morning for me to deal with things like that, and I am far too polite.

And this is not the only spot of Job Creation that irritates me ... ever been to Rosebank Mall? Yes, the place where they have the usual machines controlling the parking entry and exit. But here they have a prime example of Job Creation (Point 4), they have added a second boom. So off you go and finish your shopping, pay for your parking get into your car and head for the exit. Then you wait while Job Creation (probably his real name) manually lifts the first boom. Only once thru this point, can you input your ticket and let the computer open the second boom for you. Hello? Is it just me who finds this all terribly frustrating ?

And then there are those fabulous instances of Job Creation (Point 5), the Parking Guards. Now, I know it's not just me who finds this lot an absolute waste of time. Although people seem to allow the situation in Parking Lots around the country to perpetuate. Now, this isn't really a Job Creation concept that I understand ... the theory is that they will protect your car while you are at the shop / mall whatever with no form of defense. So they stand around with their yellow or orange vests (if they're lucky enough ... I'd like to find out who is handing these out!) and point you into parking bays. Now sometimes this can be useful, like at Cresta on a Saturday morning, but they'll do it just the same if there are 40 parking bays in plain sight. Even I can appreciate this service, but honestly, I can survive just as well without it.

They "protect" your car. Now, I've never heard of an actual case of a car guard saving a car from being stolen or anything, perhaps their mere presence is the deterrent, but I doubt it would be since someone stealing a car would no doubt be armed somehow and these car guard are not. So I see no threat to a determined car thief there. And they "protect" your car (and the other 100 cars closest to yours) with no incentive, only the hope that you'll give a sympathetic few rand when you get back and find your car right where you left it. They do it regardless because they don't know if you're gonna pay them or not. And then this lot, my guess is that none of them have ever driven a car themselves - else they'd no doubt be taxi drivers!) proceed to direct you out of your parking bay.

Now I know upfront that I'm no forking over any cash to these people for their "service". But I also make sure that I check all my mirrors as I reverse, I don't need their help reversing. I spent time and effort getting my license I plan to use it myself.

My absolute worst was the instance I saw a parking guard in a parking lot where you had to pay to park anyways (yes, Rosebank again). Hello, I'm paying to park here already, what on earth would I be paying you for. Admit it, you're just begging.

Now, the idea of security in parking lots I can get behind. But the Shopping Centre should be paying for this service to encourage people to come to their shop.

Anyway, I'm sure there are many more instances of Job Creation I can come up with, but that is enough for one morning. Perhaps this has been a little extreme, perhaps I've been reading a little too much Dr Marcus on 1000BrownMnMs ...

Have a fabulous Friday :)