I hadn't quite made the highest level for rep there, so I was collecting the items as loot while mining my ore and finishing a few deeds for other things. I actually made some pretty good progress on my rep level, but like with most things I eventually got bored and moved on to other things.
You know what I wish I could take from the game world and move into the real world? The Reputation updates and current standings with all the factions. In game I can open a panel and see exactly what reputation levels I have for any of some twenty or so groups. I know exactly what access I have to special areas and know if they will kill me or not when I try and cross that bridge over there. (No joke. Do NOT try and see Galadriel until you have Friend Standing with them. You WILL get the shaft, and it WILL have an arrowhead on it.)
Wouldn't it be nice to see exactly how many Rep points you have with your boss? What favors you might have access to, what ideas s/he might be open to? Or with the In-Laws, are you Kindred, or Outcast? Or just having that notification that "You've completed your weekly updates three hours early, and gained 35 Reputation with Supervisor!" I would even appreciate it if I got one that said "You have spilled toner all over a VP's desk, and lost 9000 Reputation on the Executive Floor." At that point I become Outcast, and the bowstrings seem to be drawing taut...
It's nice to know where you stand with people, but sadly it can be hard to discern that sometimes. One thing about your reputation is that you often won't know what it is until sometime after you've gained it. At work I know I have a reputation for horrible punnery, but that isn't hard to guess since I've always had that reputation. I have no problem with that reputation, either. But I would love to know what my reputation with my supervisor and manager are. And I would do most anything to protect what good reputation I have with them.
It's related to last weeks post on work ethic, I want it to be known that I have a good ethic, and I am reliable. It's not (just) an ego thing, it's the hope and promise of a better job.
About two years ago I was told to show a few new hires how I ran my register. I did not often get praise from my boss, (and he is a pretty good boss, honestly) I got some that day which I will hold forever in my lockbox of awesome praises. He said, "I want you to watch how Eric handles his tickets, because his paperwork is immaculate. I want you to model after him on paperwork. And answering the phone. Watch him do those two things, and learn to do them yourself."
Oh boy, was I on cloud nine... I know then that Boss liked my work, that he was impressed by my work, and that so long as I didn't really screw up (a huge personal fear of mine) I was secure in my job.
When I was interviewed for the job I now I have, I knew that I was doing well in at least one way, my boss (and my regional manager, and the assistant manager) all said I had good phone etiquette and presence. Much of the job is on the phone, so it was a pretty big plus. Add in three years of hands on store level experience with the technology, and the work ethic my boss bragged on, I should have known the job was in the bag, but I didn't because I am horribly paranoid.
That paranoia came back again the past two days, because I am sick. Probably the flu, but blech. I hate being sick. I also hate missing work. Not that I am a workaholic, but I don't want a reputation as a slacker. I know of too many other people who called in sick to work when I was in Alpine who either had the brown bottle flu or were just playing hooky. Boss had no official proof of such, but we would find out from people that so and so was doing XYZ on Thursday, when we were told that they were bed ridden by a migraine or what not. I tend to just bulldoze my way through and make things work. I went for over a month with a broken tooth and major pain with only one sick day (I took too much Ibuprofen one time, and lost reputation with my intestines... ooog) in the whole time. The day I had it extracted I went right back to work because I cannot stand to think that others see me as slacking. I could work, therefore I would. So when I was laid low by this flu or whatever it is, I surprised myself when I agreed to take yesterday off. Then again, I figured I would be of little help since I had no good sleep that night, and my voice was shot. Not something you want on a phone. And working around the office was contra-indicated by me possibly being contagious. So I went home. This morning was worse, and so I called my boss and told him the situation. He told me to stay home, maybe find a doctor.
At the doctors office I was asked if I wanted a sick note. Uh... Yeah! I want proof that I was not just looking for a 4 day weekend. (Down side of being an amateur actor, people get the idea you can fake being sick. ... Well... they're right, but still...)
I don't actually have a grand statement for the conclusion, and I blame this flu for that, but it seems to fit that we should always consider our reputation. We all know we have one (or more), and we may even know some of it, and we can even use it to our advantage. Maybe we should put more care into building and maintaining it.
And because I feel like it, a clip for you! Matt Smith was brought on to replace the much loved David Tennant as Doctor Who. In his first episode The Doctor had to prove his chops to the Evil Aliens of the Episode and Matt Smith had to prove himself as a suitable Doctor. For those of you unfamiliar with the shows, when The Doctor dies, his body Regenerates into a new Doctor. Same basic beliefs and values, but new person, new personality, new body. Matt Smith is the eleventh Doctor. In the clip we see footage of all the Doctors before him.
It's always good to a reputation to back you up.
It's also good to be able to back up your reputation...
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