Posts
I think maybe they are. I'm averaging an interview a week now. Granted, they are all with recruiters, (except 1) but technically, isn't that better than interviewing for a specific job with a specific company? It should mean it's getting my name out there for lots of jobs, as opposed to just one.
I've been spending my time with some classic hobbies. Besides the mid-afternoon unemployment nap (which really is the best thing about being jobless), I am learning the joys of reading again. I recently finished Three Cups of Tea. If you haven't read this book, it is a must. It is about an American who is actually doing some good in the middle east, specifically, by building schools for girls in Muslim-heavy Afghanistan and Pakistan. I know, it sounds super dry and dull, but it is really one of the better written books I have read in a long, long time. I can't recommend it enough. I am just now starting The Blind Side. Has anyone out there read this one? Other recent reads include The Time Traveler's Wife, Peace Like a River, and some nutritional books. If you have any books to recommend, PLEASE DO!!
Another past time getting some heavy love and attention is my garden. I used to do most of my gardening in pots. It's a great way to grow tomatoes! This year, I have 12 plants going strong that I have grown from seeds started in March. This year, however, we are adding an additional area behind our back fence. We should be able to get some real plants going there to supplement our dinners - spinach, lettuce, squashes (I've never grown pumpkins before!), maybe some cucumbers and herbs, too. A friend and I have started a seed exchange. Well, she sent me some. I need to send some to her, I guess, for it to be an official exchange!
So now you see the true boredom of my life now. I'm reduced to blogging about gardening and reading. How can someone get a hugely successful blog on cooking, but I can't even get a quarter of my friends, nor even a quarter of friends of my followers, to read this blog?
With a sigh of endured rejection, I depart... off to look at my fledgling plants and maybe read a bit in the sun while it's still here...
Eye Tee Girl
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Into every life...
... a little rain must fall. But that's ok, because it makes the good stuff seem better.
I had a job interview today! Yay! The first one in a month or so. It made me feel good, worthwhile, maybe even a contributing member of society again! Well, it wasn't an interview, per se, but it was a meeting with a recruiter who had a specific position in mind for me. I found the opportunity on Craig's List, so huge thank you's to all the people who kept nagging me to look on CL. Anyway, the position is with Microsoft, I'm not sure that it's a perfect fit, but it sounds promising, regardless. I must keep in mind, however, not to jump at the first job that comes my way if it doesn't feel right. I did that for the last 2 jobs I had, and well, we know how the last one turned out. But at least I know going in who Microsoft is, general expectations, and that likely, they are licensed to do business in the State of Washington. By the end of our conversation, my recruiter said he would put me up for a phone screen, and we'd see where it went from there. I'm excited, and scared, and don't want to get my hopes up, so they can't be dashed. But... I will anyway, of course!
In this economy, is it getting easier to tell people you don't have a job? It still feels like an embarrassment, like there is a stigma to it. It's not right, but it's there. Yet, so many of us are going through it! If you meet someone new, the conversation always winds its way to "And what do YOU do?" And invariably, you tell people what you used to do. Then qualify it, with something like, "Or I used to, anyway. When I had a job." With the situation like it is, is it getting trendy to have bad credit? When people have spotless credit, I feel like other people look at them and think "Must be nice." I know I do, anyway. I don't have the option to have good credit at this point. A friend of mine was recently in a terrible situation. She had to foreclose her house, sell her car, and move in with family after losing a lucrative position with a business law firm. She immediately started interviewing, of course, and came upon an offer at a financial institution. I'm not saying names, but the company's name might rhyme with kumkwat. So she dutifully did all the post hire paperwork, things like background check and credit check. Yes, they ran a credit check. On someone without a job. Oddly enough, it came back with a bad score, at which point, they rescinded their offer. When I heard this story, my blood boiled! The very type of company that very nearly brought this country to its knees is now refusing jobs to the very people they have screwed over! How on earth are we supposed to get out of these vicious credit cycles if companies are allowed to run credit checks?! How is financial profiling any different than racial profiling? Or gender biasing? Something is seriously broken in this country.
Anyway, that's about it for my thoughts today. A job interview, sun shining through the window, and new promise for my future. I guess life isn't all that bad after all...
Eye Tee Girl
I had a job interview today! Yay! The first one in a month or so. It made me feel good, worthwhile, maybe even a contributing member of society again! Well, it wasn't an interview, per se, but it was a meeting with a recruiter who had a specific position in mind for me. I found the opportunity on Craig's List, so huge thank you's to all the people who kept nagging me to look on CL. Anyway, the position is with Microsoft, I'm not sure that it's a perfect fit, but it sounds promising, regardless. I must keep in mind, however, not to jump at the first job that comes my way if it doesn't feel right. I did that for the last 2 jobs I had, and well, we know how the last one turned out. But at least I know going in who Microsoft is, general expectations, and that likely, they are licensed to do business in the State of Washington. By the end of our conversation, my recruiter said he would put me up for a phone screen, and we'd see where it went from there. I'm excited, and scared, and don't want to get my hopes up, so they can't be dashed. But... I will anyway, of course!
In this economy, is it getting easier to tell people you don't have a job? It still feels like an embarrassment, like there is a stigma to it. It's not right, but it's there. Yet, so many of us are going through it! If you meet someone new, the conversation always winds its way to "And what do YOU do?" And invariably, you tell people what you used to do. Then qualify it, with something like, "Or I used to, anyway. When I had a job." With the situation like it is, is it getting trendy to have bad credit? When people have spotless credit, I feel like other people look at them and think "Must be nice." I know I do, anyway. I don't have the option to have good credit at this point. A friend of mine was recently in a terrible situation. She had to foreclose her house, sell her car, and move in with family after losing a lucrative position with a business law firm. She immediately started interviewing, of course, and came upon an offer at a financial institution. I'm not saying names, but the company's name might rhyme with kumkwat. So she dutifully did all the post hire paperwork, things like background check and credit check. Yes, they ran a credit check. On someone without a job. Oddly enough, it came back with a bad score, at which point, they rescinded their offer. When I heard this story, my blood boiled! The very type of company that very nearly brought this country to its knees is now refusing jobs to the very people they have screwed over! How on earth are we supposed to get out of these vicious credit cycles if companies are allowed to run credit checks?! How is financial profiling any different than racial profiling? Or gender biasing? Something is seriously broken in this country.
Anyway, that's about it for my thoughts today. A job interview, sun shining through the window, and new promise for my future. I guess life isn't all that bad after all...
Eye Tee Girl
Monday, April 26, 2010
Well, there's always the lemonade...
You know that saying about lemons and lemonade? Well, I have been handed a shit load of lemons, and I don't like lemonade. So, I guess with this surplus I have now, I need to set up a lemonade stand. Anyone buying?
To put it more literally, I have started helping friends with computer problems. I have one in the house right now I'm working on, and have another friend who needs three laptops worked on in the future. So there is promise of a brighter future. I guess this is a roundabout way of soliciting further - if anyone reading this needs help on their computers, let me know. Or if you have friends who need help... I can provide references! I'm really good! Especially at saving data on hard drives that are going belly up. And of course, if you know anyone hiring IT people right now... Hopefully, that goes unsaid.
The job search has been meager at best. Occasionally, I have a few promising leads, but they have all fizzled. It makes me wonder if I need to lower my pay requirements by almost half of what I should be making, or if I need to just stay strong through the dry spell and, well, sell more lemonade.
As for Acme, I have totaled up the money he owes me, and it's more than a thousand bucks. It never ceases to amaze me how crooked that guy is. I never really believed that people would have evil or meanness in their hearts, but he has changed that opinion. I know if someone asked him "Don't you care about this person? Don't you have guilt for what she's gone through? What you have personally done to contribute to her pain?" he would just blurt out "I don't care!!" in a mean voice with a sneer and shrug it off. It truly doesn't bother him one bit that he has lied, and that those lies hurt someone. He doesn't care that people rely on him as an employer, as their source of money. While his own credit flounders and flops in the mud, he continues to destroy others'. Yesterday, I had to drive near that office building, and I realized... I had broken into a cold sweat. Just being near that place affected me physically - elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, nausea. I went through that 10 times worse every morning I went into work. Why did I do that to myself?! For such a beast of a man? Nobody will ever have that control over me again.
As for Jen, I hear she is doing well. She is looking for sales work, preferably in the medical field. If any of you out there could help her get out of that place, please contact me, and I will put you in touch with her. I also hear the new guy who replaced me is pretty cool. I think I'll call him Greg. I don't know his name. I even heard that he found the blog pretty quickly and figured out immediately who it was about. So, Greg, if you are reading this, welcome! You are working for a gem of a guy.
Off to Craig's List, Monster, Dice, and WorkSource for now... I hope to blog more regularly again so my many fans (ha!) don't think I've disappeared into the sunset somewhere, happily ever after.
EyeTeeGirl
To put it more literally, I have started helping friends with computer problems. I have one in the house right now I'm working on, and have another friend who needs three laptops worked on in the future. So there is promise of a brighter future. I guess this is a roundabout way of soliciting further - if anyone reading this needs help on their computers, let me know. Or if you have friends who need help... I can provide references! I'm really good! Especially at saving data on hard drives that are going belly up. And of course, if you know anyone hiring IT people right now... Hopefully, that goes unsaid.
The job search has been meager at best. Occasionally, I have a few promising leads, but they have all fizzled. It makes me wonder if I need to lower my pay requirements by almost half of what I should be making, or if I need to just stay strong through the dry spell and, well, sell more lemonade.
As for Acme, I have totaled up the money he owes me, and it's more than a thousand bucks. It never ceases to amaze me how crooked that guy is. I never really believed that people would have evil or meanness in their hearts, but he has changed that opinion. I know if someone asked him "Don't you care about this person? Don't you have guilt for what she's gone through? What you have personally done to contribute to her pain?" he would just blurt out "I don't care!!" in a mean voice with a sneer and shrug it off. It truly doesn't bother him one bit that he has lied, and that those lies hurt someone. He doesn't care that people rely on him as an employer, as their source of money. While his own credit flounders and flops in the mud, he continues to destroy others'. Yesterday, I had to drive near that office building, and I realized... I had broken into a cold sweat. Just being near that place affected me physically - elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, nausea. I went through that 10 times worse every morning I went into work. Why did I do that to myself?! For such a beast of a man? Nobody will ever have that control over me again.
As for Jen, I hear she is doing well. She is looking for sales work, preferably in the medical field. If any of you out there could help her get out of that place, please contact me, and I will put you in touch with her. I also hear the new guy who replaced me is pretty cool. I think I'll call him Greg. I don't know his name. I even heard that he found the blog pretty quickly and figured out immediately who it was about. So, Greg, if you are reading this, welcome! You are working for a gem of a guy.
Off to Craig's List, Monster, Dice, and WorkSource for now... I hope to blog more regularly again so my many fans (ha!) don't think I've disappeared into the sunset somewhere, happily ever after.
EyeTeeGirl
Friday, March 5, 2010
Who IS this guy?
Seriously, who does he think he is?
The worst part is that, apparently, he can get away with all this ... crap ... he is putting me through.
Let's start with the insurance. For the history, see this entry: http://eyeteegirl.blogspot.com/2010/01/hes-unbelievable.html
Now that you're current, here is the latest. As you know, I filed a complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. It didn't do me a lick of good. Here's why. I applied for the medical insurance, it was indeed effective (because I bullied him), so I went to the doctor in January. I paid $200 on my January paychecks (and my February paycheck!) for my "insurance." After my employment was terminated February 1, Rod called the insurance company on February 7 and backdated my termination date with the insurance company, saying my term date was 12.31.09. So, of course, because the doctor's office didn't bill immediately (Who knew the billing window was so small?), I have now gotten an "ineligible for benefits" statement from the insurance. Of course, this means I will soon be getting a bill from the doctor - in the amount of $190.
So here's the kicker. (Yes, it gets worse) Because my insurance was actually effective for about 15 minutes, the Dept of L&I can't do anything - whether or not the deductions were authorized and regardless of the fact that he backdated, effectively wiping that 15 minutes of eligibility off the map. It became a civil matter the minute he actually activated my insurance. Can you hear my sigh of frustration? Can you see the tufts of hair that I'm pulling from my head in chunks? My feelings of helplessness are nearly overwhelming right now.
But wait, that's not all.
He still has not paid me for January 22nd. Because this is a new development, it cannot be included on my current complaint with L&I. It has to be filed as a new complaint. Considering it took a month for L&I to respond to the complaint I filed already, and considering that there are only 2 people responding to all King County complaints, it would be at least another month before they could look at that (valid) complaint.
At least, now that the L&I complaint has been "assessed" and will be "closed" (just writing that makes me want to cry at the futility of my situation), I now have a path open to file a small claims suit against him.
I just really, really wish I could nail him from the legal (government) side of things. But alas, the employee just doesn't have any rights in this state. And at least I have the satisfaction of knowing I will cost him money - likely more money at this point than he would have paid if he'd just been honest in the first place.
That is, if the law is on my side... who knows, I've been wrong with everyone else I've called so far... Here's my phone log from this week:
3/2/10
Receive ineligibility of benefits notification
3/3/10
30 minutes with Premera, trying to find out
a) Why I was ineligible (I was term'd 12.31.09 on 2.7.10)
b) How I can prove the term date was not, in fact, 12.31.09 (I can't)
c) How I can prove I paid for January benefits (Doesn't matter)
d) How I can report employer-side insurance fraud (I can't)
15 minutes with Insurance Commissioner
a) How do I report medical insurance fraud?
b) If this isn't insurance fraud, what is it?
c) Determined the Insurance Commissioner regulates the insurance companies, not the employer side of medical insurance.
d) Wrote down number for Attorney General's office for consumer affairs.
10 minutes with Attorney General's office
a) Had to explain why this is not, in fact, an Insurance Commissioner problem.
b) Found out that I could, in fact, file a complaint as a consumer, we guess, of insurance.
c) Letter would be sent to both insurance company and employer. We think.
20 minutes with Department of L&I to discover status of claim.
Spoke to an agent who explained their back log and got info about how to contact my agent.
3/4/10
Left voicemail for Agent investigating my L&I claim.
3/5/10
50 minutes with L&I
a) Withholding money without authorization for medical insurance that is never activated, they can help.
b) Withholding money without authorization for medical insurance that is activated, then taken away, becomes a civil matter, they can't help. (I did get an apology for "the system")
c) Received helpful information about small claims court and a phone number to file a civil suit.
10 more minutes with L&I
Agent called back to let me know I should also contact Department of Human Rights and the Seattle Civil Rights Commission. Received those phone numbers. Received personal, off the record advice, a wish of good luck, and gained a friend. Maybe even a blog follower!
Oh, dear readers, I thought I had such a tight case with the Department of L&I. I'm not sure how much more energy I can garner for filing all these new complaints - especially in light of my failures so far. I guess court is inevitable at this point, and my sense of justice will kick in after a few hours, and I will rebound, I suppose. I will keep doggedly filing complaints until I finally nail his bigoted, sexist, cheating, lying ass to the wall.
Sorry for the downer today, everyone, but have a terrific weekend, celebrating the fact that you don't have to work for Rod! I know I will!!!!
Eye Tee Girl
The worst part is that, apparently, he can get away with all this ... crap ... he is putting me through.
Let's start with the insurance. For the history, see this entry: http://eyeteegirl.blogspot.com/2010/01/hes-unbelievable.html
Now that you're current, here is the latest. As you know, I filed a complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. It didn't do me a lick of good. Here's why. I applied for the medical insurance, it was indeed effective (because I bullied him), so I went to the doctor in January. I paid $200 on my January paychecks (and my February paycheck!) for my "insurance." After my employment was terminated February 1, Rod called the insurance company on February 7 and backdated my termination date with the insurance company, saying my term date was 12.31.09. So, of course, because the doctor's office didn't bill immediately (Who knew the billing window was so small?), I have now gotten an "ineligible for benefits" statement from the insurance. Of course, this means I will soon be getting a bill from the doctor - in the amount of $190.
So here's the kicker. (Yes, it gets worse) Because my insurance was actually effective for about 15 minutes, the Dept of L&I can't do anything - whether or not the deductions were authorized and regardless of the fact that he backdated, effectively wiping that 15 minutes of eligibility off the map. It became a civil matter the minute he actually activated my insurance. Can you hear my sigh of frustration? Can you see the tufts of hair that I'm pulling from my head in chunks? My feelings of helplessness are nearly overwhelming right now.
But wait, that's not all.
He still has not paid me for January 22nd. Because this is a new development, it cannot be included on my current complaint with L&I. It has to be filed as a new complaint. Considering it took a month for L&I to respond to the complaint I filed already, and considering that there are only 2 people responding to all King County complaints, it would be at least another month before they could look at that (valid) complaint.
At least, now that the L&I complaint has been "assessed" and will be "closed" (just writing that makes me want to cry at the futility of my situation), I now have a path open to file a small claims suit against him.
I just really, really wish I could nail him from the legal (government) side of things. But alas, the employee just doesn't have any rights in this state. And at least I have the satisfaction of knowing I will cost him money - likely more money at this point than he would have paid if he'd just been honest in the first place.
That is, if the law is on my side... who knows, I've been wrong with everyone else I've called so far... Here's my phone log from this week:
3/2/10
Receive ineligibility of benefits notification
3/3/10
30 minutes with Premera, trying to find out
a) Why I was ineligible (I was term'd 12.31.09 on 2.7.10)
b) How I can prove the term date was not, in fact, 12.31.09 (I can't)
c) How I can prove I paid for January benefits (Doesn't matter)
d) How I can report employer-side insurance fraud (I can't)
15 minutes with Insurance Commissioner
a) How do I report medical insurance fraud?
b) If this isn't insurance fraud, what is it?
c) Determined the Insurance Commissioner regulates the insurance companies, not the employer side of medical insurance.
d) Wrote down number for Attorney General's office for consumer affairs.
10 minutes with Attorney General's office
a) Had to explain why this is not, in fact, an Insurance Commissioner problem.
b) Found out that I could, in fact, file a complaint as a consumer, we guess, of insurance.
c) Letter would be sent to both insurance company and employer. We think.
20 minutes with Department of L&I to discover status of claim.
Spoke to an agent who explained their back log and got info about how to contact my agent.
3/4/10
Left voicemail for Agent investigating my L&I claim.
3/5/10
50 minutes with L&I
a) Withholding money without authorization for medical insurance that is never activated, they can help.
b) Withholding money without authorization for medical insurance that is activated, then taken away, becomes a civil matter, they can't help. (I did get an apology for "the system")
c) Received helpful information about small claims court and a phone number to file a civil suit.
10 more minutes with L&I
Agent called back to let me know I should also contact Department of Human Rights and the Seattle Civil Rights Commission. Received those phone numbers. Received personal, off the record advice, a wish of good luck, and gained a friend. Maybe even a blog follower!
Oh, dear readers, I thought I had such a tight case with the Department of L&I. I'm not sure how much more energy I can garner for filing all these new complaints - especially in light of my failures so far. I guess court is inevitable at this point, and my sense of justice will kick in after a few hours, and I will rebound, I suppose. I will keep doggedly filing complaints until I finally nail his bigoted, sexist, cheating, lying ass to the wall.
Sorry for the downer today, everyone, but have a terrific weekend, celebrating the fact that you don't have to work for Rod! I know I will!!!!
Eye Tee Girl
Monday, February 22, 2010
Money Don't Grow on Trees...
I have decided to give up calling Rod. I've been calling every other day and still have not received my money for working more than 10 hours on January 22. It has been a full month. I have filed a complaint with the Department of Labor and Industries already with several complaints. Hopefully, I can add this and will get my money as a result of that. If not, I guess I will have to take him to small claims court.
This makes times tight.
Along with the money he has illegally withheld for insurance (have I told that story yet? I can't remember, I've told so many!) with each paycheck, the raise that never actually happened, and now withholding legitimate pay - it just isn't fun being me right now. Also, because of recent lack of work woes due to the Boeing RIF and my contract being canceled when I worked in data security at Regence Blue Shield, my unemployment is about $400 less than it used to be. I am having to worry about cars, basic bills, heat for the house, and even food. My poor dog still hasn't been back to the vet to see what's wrong with his legs, and they both need shots. The worries are starting to keep me up at night, especially considering the hospital situation.
I would like to post a follow up about Jen. I think it is an understatement to say that she wasn't pleased with my last post. However, I have made it a policy to be completely honest with you my readers, and telling that story would not have been possible without detailing my frustration and feelings of betrayal. I hope Jen understands why I had to type up her involvement, as unflattering as it was.
But the sunshine beckons now, and if there's one thing I can get out of unemployment, it's getting out and enjoying a beautiful day. My dogs are bored, I'm restless, and we could all use a little exercise. I will post some pictures from our walk a bit later!
Eye Tee Girl
This makes times tight.
Along with the money he has illegally withheld for insurance (have I told that story yet? I can't remember, I've told so many!) with each paycheck, the raise that never actually happened, and now withholding legitimate pay - it just isn't fun being me right now. Also, because of recent lack of work woes due to the Boeing RIF and my contract being canceled when I worked in data security at Regence Blue Shield, my unemployment is about $400 less than it used to be. I am having to worry about cars, basic bills, heat for the house, and even food. My poor dog still hasn't been back to the vet to see what's wrong with his legs, and they both need shots. The worries are starting to keep me up at night, especially considering the hospital situation.
I would like to post a follow up about Jen. I think it is an understatement to say that she wasn't pleased with my last post. However, I have made it a policy to be completely honest with you my readers, and telling that story would not have been possible without detailing my frustration and feelings of betrayal. I hope Jen understands why I had to type up her involvement, as unflattering as it was.
But the sunshine beckons now, and if there's one thing I can get out of unemployment, it's getting out and enjoying a beautiful day. My dogs are bored, I'm restless, and we could all use a little exercise. I will post some pictures from our walk a bit later!
Eye Tee Girl
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A Day Late and a Dollar Short
It doesn't really surprise you, does it? The title of the blog? I can only shake my head. Thankfully, I have this blog and I take good notes.
I got paid, finally, on Thursday. It had a note on the check itself, initialed "RA" that said "Final check." Well, I guess that answers that question! At least now, I can stop calling in sick (the hospital is keeping us very busy.) Included with the paycheck was a photocopy of a handwritten note that, word for word, said:
Katie12/1 Payral
$1000 ÷ 10 days =
$100 / day
Missed 4 days x$100=$400
1/18, 1/22, 1/25, 1/29
$400-$100 health=$500
$1000-400=$700
/600
(I did change the numbers and names but the math, scratch outs, and misspellings are all true.) As my grampa would say with his Irish smirk: "What a maroon!" (Then, I think he would go kick Rod's ass. Literally.)
Now, I'll help you out, Dear Readers, since nobody helped me out. I was at work 1/22. How long will it take you to figure it out? The proof is out there for the whole world to see in this blog.
I was in a hurry. But I know I was not absent on the 22nd (funny, some things you just, well, know.) So I texted Jen before gathering proof : "Please leave a message for Rod that I called. He docked me for pay on the 22nd, but I was there" Now, I was busy - another emergency was calling me to the hospital, but I needed this message delivered and I needed to cash this check. Unfortunately, Jen was not helpful. "I don't think you were here sorry... You didn't send any emails out either.." Well, this made me roll my eyes. I didn't really ask her opinion, I asked her to deliver a message that I called. It was frustrating for me as she knows how tough it's been for me lately. It also felt like a shift in our relationship had just taken place. It now felt as though Jen was no longer on "my team."
Anyway, I cashed the check and rushed to the hospital. I got a few minutes of down time while waiting for Durwood to show up, so I went to my blog. Sure enough, I found the post from 1/25 titled "Busy as a Bee" that talked all about my day on Friday. If you recall, it was the day that Goldmine went down (which is why I sent no emails that day) and it is also the day that I started working on the PeachTree problem. That was one long day. Happy that I was right, I walked into the hospital, texting Jen quickly before I lost signal: "Fri 22nd was day Goldmine went down. I was totally there. Please shoot Rod the message for me!" The text I got back "I left. Let him know tomorrow." I took this to mean, in my haste, that she would let him know the following day. Persevering, the next morning, I asked Jen if she had delivered my message for me. She told me she wasn't willing to. "Please handle with him.. it is no fun to be in the middle.. I know you understand. ;)"
Fucking great. No, frankly, Jen, I don't understand. All she had to do was to leave a written message that I called for him and needed pay for the 22nd. It's up to him to work it out with me. I do know Rod, and I know he most likely wouldn't have said a word to Jen. But now, I was left in the situation of having to call Friday evening (I certainly wasn't going to call with the intent of speaking with Rod) and not only did I have to wait for Rod to leave, but because Jen wouldn't deliver a simple message, I now had to wait until after Jen left, as well. This meant Rod wouldn't be getting any message until Monday. Whatever. I texted Jen back to let me know when she left.
She didn't.
So, I finally just called around 7 on Friday night telling Rod what the situation was. Of course, today being Tuesday, I still haven't heard a word back, so if I don't get a check in tomorrow's mail, I will wait till after 7 and once again leave a voicemail.
Anyway, on a lighter side, the good news is, that for the first time since starting work at Acme, I have been able to make my car payment and house payment on time. Thanks be to the reliability of unemployment and direct deposit! Who'd'a thunk it?!
In the meantime... does anyone need any work done on their computers in the home or office? The combination of fighting Rod for the money he owes me and the hospital situation has now left me with a huge cold sore... so I could use some work!
Eye Tee Girl
I got paid, finally, on Thursday. It had a note on the check itself, initialed "RA" that said "Final check." Well, I guess that answers that question! At least now, I can stop calling in sick (the hospital is keeping us very busy.) Included with the paycheck was a photocopy of a handwritten note that, word for word, said:
Katie
$1000 ÷ 10 days =
$100 / day
Missed 4 days x$100=$400
1/18, 1/22, 1/25, 1/29
$1000-4
/600
(I did change the numbers and names but the math, scratch outs, and misspellings are all true.) As my grampa would say with his Irish smirk: "What a maroon!" (Then, I think he would go kick Rod's ass. Literally.)
Now, I'll help you out, Dear Readers, since nobody helped me out. I was at work 1/22. How long will it take you to figure it out? The proof is out there for the whole world to see in this blog.
I was in a hurry. But I know I was not absent on the 22nd (funny, some things you just, well, know.) So I texted Jen before gathering proof : "Please leave a message for Rod that I called. He docked me for pay on the 22nd, but I was there" Now, I was busy - another emergency was calling me to the hospital, but I needed this message delivered and I needed to cash this check. Unfortunately, Jen was not helpful. "I don't think you were here sorry... You didn't send any emails out either.." Well, this made me roll my eyes. I didn't really ask her opinion, I asked her to deliver a message that I called. It was frustrating for me as she knows how tough it's been for me lately. It also felt like a shift in our relationship had just taken place. It now felt as though Jen was no longer on "my team."
Anyway, I cashed the check and rushed to the hospital. I got a few minutes of down time while waiting for Durwood to show up, so I went to my blog. Sure enough, I found the post from 1/25 titled "Busy as a Bee" that talked all about my day on Friday. If you recall, it was the day that Goldmine went down (which is why I sent no emails that day) and it is also the day that I started working on the PeachTree problem. That was one long day. Happy that I was right, I walked into the hospital, texting Jen quickly before I lost signal: "Fri 22nd was day Goldmine went down. I was totally there. Please shoot Rod the message for me!" The text I got back "I left. Let him know tomorrow." I took this to mean, in my haste, that she would let him know the following day. Persevering, the next morning, I asked Jen if she had delivered my message for me. She told me she wasn't willing to. "Please handle with him.. it is no fun to be in the middle.. I know you understand. ;)"
Fucking great. No, frankly, Jen, I don't understand. All she had to do was to leave a written message that I called for him and needed pay for the 22nd. It's up to him to work it out with me. I do know Rod, and I know he most likely wouldn't have said a word to Jen. But now, I was left in the situation of having to call Friday evening (I certainly wasn't going to call with the intent of speaking with Rod) and not only did I have to wait for Rod to leave, but because Jen wouldn't deliver a simple message, I now had to wait until after Jen left, as well. This meant Rod wouldn't be getting any message until Monday. Whatever. I texted Jen back to let me know when she left.
She didn't.
So, I finally just called around 7 on Friday night telling Rod what the situation was. Of course, today being Tuesday, I still haven't heard a word back, so if I don't get a check in tomorrow's mail, I will wait till after 7 and once again leave a voicemail.
Anyway, on a lighter side, the good news is, that for the first time since starting work at Acme, I have been able to make my car payment and house payment on time. Thanks be to the reliability of unemployment and direct deposit! Who'd'a thunk it?!
In the meantime... does anyone need any work done on their computers in the home or office? The combination of fighting Rod for the money he owes me and the hospital situation has now left me with a huge cold sore... so I could use some work!
Eye Tee Girl
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Still no pay...
It's bad enough being over-worked and under-paid, but hey, at least then, you are getting paid. Even worse is getting abuse heaped on top of lies and not getting paid at all. Payday should have been Feb 1, and here it is, the 10th, and I still have not been paid. I'm not sure why.
My (soon to be) father-in-law had a massive stroke affecting the dominant side of his brain. I guess that's a fancy way of saying "it's just a matter of time, now." He has been laying in the hospital since Jan 31, barely reacting to any stimuli, with, at times, over 12 different tubes providing liquid life. This isn't including the wires and tubes monitoring his heart and mechanically keeping his lungs pumping oxygen into a body weakened - not just by age - but by his body's cruel betrayal, sending a clot to plug up the main artery that feeds the entire left side of his brain. This is not an easy time for our family. We are going to the hospital for hours a day, sometimes more than 12 hours a day, to watch him, to meet with family, to discuss the situation with doctors. I haven't had time for Facebook, for blogging, for any time at work. I've been focused on DNR orders, physician reports, brain mappings, and blood pressure monitors. I certainly haven't had time or options to do anything online. Even this is being typed up while at the hospital and will be uploaded whenever we go home again - when I have an hour or two that isn't directly related to the hospital. That could be days from now. In neuro ICU, it would seem, they don't want any type of wireless signals that could affect the IV units. All texting, cell phone conversations, and wireless "stuff" needs to be done "beyond the double steel doors, please."
I have told Jen what's going on, I have asked her to tell Rod, I have left multiple messages for him, all telling him what is going on. But still, no word, and no paycheck. I filed for unemployment when he reduced my hours, and I certainly don't consider myself employed if he's not paying me... so we'll see where this latest chapter in my book of life takes me.
On the bright side - I haven't been abused, called names, or had to hear random bursts of anger - either at me or at co-workers. As for the new guy, I have no idea how things are going. I do know, however, from Rod's complete refusal to deal with Dave, and using me as the "middle man," that I will likely never hear from Rod again. I can't say this is a bad thing. ;) I can only hope my final correspondence from Acme will be a paycheck, adorned with Rod's very own John Hancock.
I hope all is well for everyone reading this, I miss the catharsis of writing to all of you everyday!
Eye Tee Girl
My (soon to be) father-in-law had a massive stroke affecting the dominant side of his brain. I guess that's a fancy way of saying "it's just a matter of time, now." He has been laying in the hospital since Jan 31, barely reacting to any stimuli, with, at times, over 12 different tubes providing liquid life. This isn't including the wires and tubes monitoring his heart and mechanically keeping his lungs pumping oxygen into a body weakened - not just by age - but by his body's cruel betrayal, sending a clot to plug up the main artery that feeds the entire left side of his brain. This is not an easy time for our family. We are going to the hospital for hours a day, sometimes more than 12 hours a day, to watch him, to meet with family, to discuss the situation with doctors. I haven't had time for Facebook, for blogging, for any time at work. I've been focused on DNR orders, physician reports, brain mappings, and blood pressure monitors. I certainly haven't had time or options to do anything online. Even this is being typed up while at the hospital and will be uploaded whenever we go home again - when I have an hour or two that isn't directly related to the hospital. That could be days from now. In neuro ICU, it would seem, they don't want any type of wireless signals that could affect the IV units. All texting, cell phone conversations, and wireless "stuff" needs to be done "beyond the double steel doors, please."
I have told Jen what's going on, I have asked her to tell Rod, I have left multiple messages for him, all telling him what is going on. But still, no word, and no paycheck. I filed for unemployment when he reduced my hours, and I certainly don't consider myself employed if he's not paying me... so we'll see where this latest chapter in my book of life takes me.
On the bright side - I haven't been abused, called names, or had to hear random bursts of anger - either at me or at co-workers. As for the new guy, I have no idea how things are going. I do know, however, from Rod's complete refusal to deal with Dave, and using me as the "middle man," that I will likely never hear from Rod again. I can't say this is a bad thing. ;) I can only hope my final correspondence from Acme will be a paycheck, adorned with Rod's very own John Hancock.
I hope all is well for everyone reading this, I miss the catharsis of writing to all of you everyday!
Eye Tee Girl
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
No blogs for a while
We have a family member in the hospital right now who is very, very ill. Almost all my spare time is being spent there for the time being. I will blog when I have more stories, but for now, I will be brief and update you all - I still have not been paid. Payday was Feb 1. We will see!
Eye Tee Girl
Eye Tee Girl
Monday, February 1, 2010
All in a Day's Work...
Hello, everyone! Sorry for my prolonged silence, but it's been an odd 4 or 5 days.
I'll start at the beginning.
Last Monday, I guess it would be January 25, you may recall I teased Rod that while he could make me come over to his cubicle, he couldn't make me open my eyes to look at his desktop. The lack of control over my eyelids seemed to flip him out and he then insisted he would handle the PeachTree issue himself (which I ended up having to fix anyway). After I closed out my blog, Rod told me that he was switching me to 3 days a week. This was completely expected. Back in November, Jen and I had already found paperwork documenting his plan to reduce hours worked for his bottom line savings. In addition, with hiring the new developer, I knew he couldn't afford me and the dev, so obviously, I'm the one taking it in the shorts. Little does he know what a gift this really is! So, he said I would be working M, W, F effective immediately. On Wednesday when I came in, I changed it to T, W, Th. There's no way in Oslow that I'm working 3 days a week and not getting long weekends out of it!
On Wednesday night, just as I was about to leave, someone called in on a wrong number, looking for computer help. Jen took the call, and I asked her to transfer it. I informed the person that it is not at all what Acme does, but that I work on the side and could help him. He needed some basic work done on a machine, install some memory, install a new Windows, and Office, that type of thing. I told him what I charge, and presto! I had some moonlighting work to do! So I picked up the machine that night and got to work on it as soon as I got home.
So, last week was a three day week. When I came in on Thursday, Rod seemed somewhat pleasant, asking me basic, normal questions. He told me he had hired the dev. A few other normal things. I had gotten in early so I could finish up the work on my new customer's machine. I was very proud of myself, bustling around working on it. Rod didn't notice any of the set up, of course. Not that the monitor that was powered up, not the network cables re-routed, not a computer sitting in a usually empty cubicle, nothing seemed out of the ordinary I guess. Oh well...
And then, normal went out the door. You knew it couldn't last. Didn't you?
Rod wanted to go over one of our applications and a demo document I was creating. Because I hadn't yet finished the document, I had not covered everything that should be demo'd. Rod asked "So, you will be able to demo everything for this customer?" I could sense the trap. Like a wily jungle cat, I crept forward carefully, one paw at a time... "I'm not sure I understand your question. I've demo'd the product before, and you said you loved my work. Are you asking if I can demo the product? Or if I know how everything works?" In retrospect, I should have said "yes," and left it at that. But no, I have a nasty habit of actually telling the truth. Damn me for an honest person! Anyway, that opened a whole can of worms. Did I not know everything? Are there things I don't know about Acme Product App? Yes, there are things I don't know, I informed him. He wanted me to then go find some comprehensive list of things the product does that was hidden out on the network and print it out for him. Sigh. I did. Next, he started flapping it in my face. He wanted me to highlight in yellow everything I didn't know. He threw it on the desk at me, and walked away. He then wanted to have a full on meeting to discuss everything I didn't know. I don't know if you know Rod well enough yet, but this would have been a meeting of full blown, Spanish Inquisition type torture!!
So, I tried honesty. So much for being the wily jungle cat stalking her prey! I was toast. "I don't really want to do all that. Can we just talk over what you want me to demo, and we can use this list as a guide?" Now, it's important to note, I was focusing on keeping my tone calm, neutral, and easy going. I was not being argumentative or yelling. Immediately, Rod exploded out of his cubicle and came charging at me with his fist waving at me in the air. I was actually afraid of him, for the first time. His face was contorted with rage, hate, and red with anger. "NOOOOO! You WILL HIGHLIGHT in YELLOW what you DON'T KNOW and THEN we will HAVE A MEEEEETING!!" I said "whoa, whoa, whoa! Can't we just talk about this?!" His rage continued, and intensified. "NOOOOOO! LEEEEAAVE! NOW! GET OUT! TAKE THE REST OF THE DAY OFF!!! LEEEEEEEEEAVE!"
So much for playing it cool and calm. I said "Okay," and began collecting my things. Within 25 seconds, Rod stomped back over to my cubicle. "ARE YOU LEAVING?!" I said pertly, "Yes, I have to get my things together first." I added "nimrod" with my inside voice so he couldn't hear me. :)
This meant I would now have to just finish out my work for my new customer on location. When that thought struck me, I grinned in delight. Fully aware that everyone (well, Rod and Jen) could hear me, I picked up my phone and dialed a number. "Hello, John? Turns out I got out of work early today! Uh huh. So yeah, I'll be over in about 5 or 10 minutes to finish up that computer work for you. Does that sound good?" It was one of the happiest moments of my life, sticking it to Rod that he had not punished me in the least, but had instead opened a door for me. Sometimes, life is grand!
So off I trotted to John's. I worked at his bustling travel agency for more than half the day. I was ecstatic! I was doing the work I love, I was doing it well, people were saying thank you, and I do believe a few personal conversations even broke out. Nobody got yelled at, nobody got mad, and not even once did I get cussed at. Well, John did say "shit," but only after knocking over a stack of papers, so it was perfectly normal. Blessedly, happily, perfectly...
Normal.
Eye Tee Girl
I'll start at the beginning.
Last Monday, I guess it would be January 25, you may recall I teased Rod that while he could make me come over to his cubicle, he couldn't make me open my eyes to look at his desktop. The lack of control over my eyelids seemed to flip him out and he then insisted he would handle the PeachTree issue himself (which I ended up having to fix anyway). After I closed out my blog, Rod told me that he was switching me to 3 days a week. This was completely expected. Back in November, Jen and I had already found paperwork documenting his plan to reduce hours worked for his bottom line savings. In addition, with hiring the new developer, I knew he couldn't afford me and the dev, so obviously, I'm the one taking it in the shorts. Little does he know what a gift this really is! So, he said I would be working M, W, F effective immediately. On Wednesday when I came in, I changed it to T, W, Th. There's no way in Oslow that I'm working 3 days a week and not getting long weekends out of it!
On Wednesday night, just as I was about to leave, someone called in on a wrong number, looking for computer help. Jen took the call, and I asked her to transfer it. I informed the person that it is not at all what Acme does, but that I work on the side and could help him. He needed some basic work done on a machine, install some memory, install a new Windows, and Office, that type of thing. I told him what I charge, and presto! I had some moonlighting work to do! So I picked up the machine that night and got to work on it as soon as I got home.
So, last week was a three day week. When I came in on Thursday, Rod seemed somewhat pleasant, asking me basic, normal questions. He told me he had hired the dev. A few other normal things. I had gotten in early so I could finish up the work on my new customer's machine. I was very proud of myself, bustling around working on it. Rod didn't notice any of the set up, of course. Not that the monitor that was powered up, not the network cables re-routed, not a computer sitting in a usually empty cubicle, nothing seemed out of the ordinary I guess. Oh well...
And then, normal went out the door. You knew it couldn't last. Didn't you?
Rod wanted to go over one of our applications and a demo document I was creating. Because I hadn't yet finished the document, I had not covered everything that should be demo'd. Rod asked "So, you will be able to demo everything for this customer?" I could sense the trap. Like a wily jungle cat, I crept forward carefully, one paw at a time... "I'm not sure I understand your question. I've demo'd the product before, and you said you loved my work. Are you asking if I can demo the product? Or if I know how everything works?" In retrospect, I should have said "yes," and left it at that. But no, I have a nasty habit of actually telling the truth. Damn me for an honest person! Anyway, that opened a whole can of worms. Did I not know everything? Are there things I don't know about Acme Product App? Yes, there are things I don't know, I informed him. He wanted me to then go find some comprehensive list of things the product does that was hidden out on the network and print it out for him. Sigh. I did. Next, he started flapping it in my face. He wanted me to highlight in yellow everything I didn't know. He threw it on the desk at me, and walked away. He then wanted to have a full on meeting to discuss everything I didn't know. I don't know if you know Rod well enough yet, but this would have been a meeting of full blown, Spanish Inquisition type torture!!
So, I tried honesty. So much for being the wily jungle cat stalking her prey! I was toast. "I don't really want to do all that. Can we just talk over what you want me to demo, and we can use this list as a guide?" Now, it's important to note, I was focusing on keeping my tone calm, neutral, and easy going. I was not being argumentative or yelling. Immediately, Rod exploded out of his cubicle and came charging at me with his fist waving at me in the air. I was actually afraid of him, for the first time. His face was contorted with rage, hate, and red with anger. "NOOOOO! You WILL HIGHLIGHT in YELLOW what you DON'T KNOW and THEN we will HAVE A MEEEEETING!!" I said "whoa, whoa, whoa! Can't we just talk about this?!" His rage continued, and intensified. "NOOOOOO! LEEEEAAVE! NOW! GET OUT! TAKE THE REST OF THE DAY OFF!!! LEEEEEEEEEAVE!"
So much for playing it cool and calm. I said "Okay," and began collecting my things. Within 25 seconds, Rod stomped back over to my cubicle. "ARE YOU LEAVING?!" I said pertly, "Yes, I have to get my things together first." I added "nimrod" with my inside voice so he couldn't hear me. :)
This meant I would now have to just finish out my work for my new customer on location. When that thought struck me, I grinned in delight. Fully aware that everyone (well, Rod and Jen) could hear me, I picked up my phone and dialed a number. "Hello, John? Turns out I got out of work early today! Uh huh. So yeah, I'll be over in about 5 or 10 minutes to finish up that computer work for you. Does that sound good?" It was one of the happiest moments of my life, sticking it to Rod that he had not punished me in the least, but had instead opened a door for me. Sometimes, life is grand!
So off I trotted to John's. I worked at his bustling travel agency for more than half the day. I was ecstatic! I was doing the work I love, I was doing it well, people were saying thank you, and I do believe a few personal conversations even broke out. Nobody got yelled at, nobody got mad, and not even once did I get cussed at. Well, John did say "shit," but only after knocking over a stack of papers, so it was perfectly normal. Blessedly, happily, perfectly...
Normal.
Eye Tee Girl
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Unbelievable... that's what he is
I was asked once, if I could only use one word to describe Rod, what would it be. My answer? Unbelievable. I hear the stories I tell, and I almost don't believe them myself. Nobody behaves as this man does. Not, seriously, anyway. And yet he does, day in, and day out. All of my stories are true! And the sad part is, you don't even see or read about the worst stories, because, frankly, they are just too embarrassing for me to admit, as a modern woman, I put up with his bologna (and I'm not talking about the Oscar Mayer kind).
Where should I start today? Remember, he was going to fix his own problem in Peachtree, his own self? HA!! HA HA! Of course, from reading the last post, you know he got nooooowhere. Hee hee. It's no surprise, really. Not only is he vastly underqualified to make his own support calls, but he lies, as well, to the poor people at tech support. Really, he doesn't stand a chance at getting his problems resolved. Poor, poor Rod. For instance, with PeachTree, he told them that the "Administrator" (presumably me, I guess, unless he speaks of himself in the third person) changed the "password" and now he can't "log on." Imagine the tech's confusion, considering that there is no "administrator" of PeachTree, there is no "Logon" prompt, and seeing as though there is no logon prompt, there is not a "password" that the afore-mentioned, non-existent "administrator" could change. I was gasping as much as laughing in complete disbelief at what he was making up.
But wait, it gets better today.
He was speaking to a vendor and said he wanted an "Acro-... Anacron... Anachronism. ANACHRONISM!" Oh, brother. From Merriam Webster (dot com), we get this definition: : a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other - I don't really think that is what he meant. I think he meant Acronym, but I could be wrong. Regardless, he reminded me of Nemo, when he was trying to say where he lives: "I live in a... in an anem... I live in an anemone!!" I laughed out loud. I couldn't help myself! Somedays are worth the pain, after all!
At one point, Rod asked me to set up a GoTo Meeting for a client to go into. "Katie, will you get that up and running?" I looked at the clock. "Eight minutes early? Sure, no problem!" And off I went to get it going. It probably takes 2 full minutes for everything to open and get ready, that's fine, no problem. Twenty seconds later, "Katie! It's PROMpting me to LOG ON..." Sigh. "Yeah, Rod, hang on a sec, I'm still setting it up! I'll let you know when it's ready for you to join" "grrmble ahhhERMMM" "Yes, Katie, but are you setting it up RIGHT NOW?!" Oh, bother. "Yes, Rod, I am setting it up RIGHT NOW! I promise, right now." It worked! Pacification! "Ok, Rod, go for it!" He was happy! A miracle!
"Katie!! Can you see my screen now?" "Yes, Rod, I can. You are on our home page?" He confirmed. "Yep, I see it." A few seconds went by. "So, Katie, can you see it now?" I felt like I was in a cell phone ad: "Can you hear me now?" "Yes, I can still see it. I'm not looking at it, for now, until the vendor signs in, but yes..." He muttered again. "I'm conFUSED! Can you SEE it or NOT?!" "Yes, Rod, I can see it, however, my eyes are not constantly focused on the monitor right now, I am working on some other stuff." I could hear his snort of disbelief that the product was working as expected, but ignored it. At least he didn't want to fight about this one and come up with some way to force me to focus my eyes physically where he wanted them. Really, he takes control to a whole new level.
Out of the blue, I heard Rod ask Jen, "So, Jen, when was the last time you did the whole, y'know, ROUTINE?" Jen: "I'm sorry? What?" "You know, your hair, shampoo, blow dry, how often?" Jen was really confused. "What?" Then Rod said, "Well, it looks like you just rolled out of bed today, I was just wondering how often you do your hair." Oh... my... God. Really?! ROD is accusing someone of not fixing their hair??? And rolling out of bed? I must not be hearing right. I gagged. As soon as he left the room, I went over and said "WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?" As is par for the course, I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Jen was ashen. "Rod said I look like I just rolled out of bed..." Poor girl. You have to understand something (She'll hate me for this) but Jen isn't your average girl. Jen looks nice. Everyday. Really. Nice. Her idea of "dressed grubby" is my idea of how to dress for going out on the town. For someone to ask her if she did her hair today is insulting to me... not to mention Jen. Horrifyingly unbelievable. There, how about 2 words to describe Rod? Why am I still here again? I remember a soft white muzzle giving me kisses as I left today and then I sigh, and go back to work... Promises made, promises to keep.
As a call was running over in time, and was about to run into another call, I had to go to the bathroom. I tried twice to excuse myself, each time Rod stopped me from leaving the call. I'm not sure why I had to stay on the call only to schedule the next call, but Rod made me. I was squirming! Finally, I got to go! When I came back, it was going on noon. Since my day starts at 7, it's tough for me to wait much past noon for eating time. This is why it's written on the white board : Katie's Lunch, 12:30 - 1:30. But somehow, someone booked me up through to 1. So, as my tummy was complaining more and more, and the refusal to allow me to empty my bladder still fresh in my mind, I whined. I admit it fully. "Oh, MAN! I can't go to the bathroom, and now you aren't letting me eat?! What kinda place do I work at?!" Jen laughed at me and said "Get back to work!" I thought it was funny, too. I quipped back, "Well, just get the shackles out, then, and chain me to my desk!" Too late. I realized far too late what I had just opened. Of course, Rod couldn't be quiet. "Oh, say, are we talking about BONDAGE?!" Big long sigh. Well, no, we weren't, but now we are. "Well, that's not where I was taking the conversation, but I'm not surprised you did!" Well, he just thought that was the funniest thing he had heard. He laughed and laughed. Jen and I just squirmed due to the rising ick factor. Ick Factor +8.
Curse Count: Shit, 6 :: Shit, on phone with tech support, 1 :: GD on phone with tech support, 2
And now lastly, Rod felt the need to let us know: He's in LOOOOOOOVE. Well, goody for you, Rod, goody for you. Tell me this. Does she know any of the other 4 girls you are dating?
I will see you tomorrow, dear readers.
Eye Tee Girl
Where should I start today? Remember, he was going to fix his own problem in Peachtree, his own self? HA!! HA HA! Of course, from reading the last post, you know he got nooooowhere. Hee hee. It's no surprise, really. Not only is he vastly underqualified to make his own support calls, but he lies, as well, to the poor people at tech support. Really, he doesn't stand a chance at getting his problems resolved. Poor, poor Rod. For instance, with PeachTree, he told them that the "Administrator" (presumably me, I guess, unless he speaks of himself in the third person) changed the "password" and now he can't "log on." Imagine the tech's confusion, considering that there is no "administrator" of PeachTree, there is no "Logon" prompt, and seeing as though there is no logon prompt, there is not a "password" that the afore-mentioned, non-existent "administrator" could change. I was gasping as much as laughing in complete disbelief at what he was making up.
But wait, it gets better today.
He was speaking to a vendor and said he wanted an "Acro-... Anacron... Anachronism. ANACHRONISM!" Oh, brother. From Merriam Webster (dot com), we get this definition: : a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other - I don't really think that is what he meant. I think he meant Acronym, but I could be wrong. Regardless, he reminded me of Nemo, when he was trying to say where he lives: "I live in a... in an anem... I live in an anemone!!" I laughed out loud. I couldn't help myself! Somedays are worth the pain, after all!
At one point, Rod asked me to set up a GoTo Meeting for a client to go into. "Katie, will you get that up and running?" I looked at the clock. "Eight minutes early? Sure, no problem!" And off I went to get it going. It probably takes 2 full minutes for everything to open and get ready, that's fine, no problem. Twenty seconds later, "Katie! It's PROMpting me to LOG ON..." Sigh. "Yeah, Rod, hang on a sec, I'm still setting it up! I'll let you know when it's ready for you to join" "grrmble ahhhERMMM" "Yes, Katie, but are you setting it up RIGHT NOW?!" Oh, bother. "Yes, Rod, I am setting it up RIGHT NOW! I promise, right now." It worked! Pacification! "Ok, Rod, go for it!" He was happy! A miracle!
"Katie!! Can you see my screen now?" "Yes, Rod, I can. You are on our home page?" He confirmed. "Yep, I see it." A few seconds went by. "So, Katie, can you see it now?" I felt like I was in a cell phone ad: "Can you hear me now?" "Yes, I can still see it. I'm not looking at it, for now, until the vendor signs in, but yes..." He muttered again. "I'm conFUSED! Can you SEE it or NOT?!" "Yes, Rod, I can see it, however, my eyes are not constantly focused on the monitor right now, I am working on some other stuff." I could hear his snort of disbelief that the product was working as expected, but ignored it. At least he didn't want to fight about this one and come up with some way to force me to focus my eyes physically where he wanted them. Really, he takes control to a whole new level.
Out of the blue, I heard Rod ask Jen, "So, Jen, when was the last time you did the whole, y'know, ROUTINE?" Jen: "I'm sorry? What?" "You know, your hair, shampoo, blow dry, how often?" Jen was really confused. "What?" Then Rod said, "Well, it looks like you just rolled out of bed today, I was just wondering how often you do your hair." Oh... my... God. Really?! ROD is accusing someone of not fixing their hair??? And rolling out of bed? I must not be hearing right. I gagged. As soon as he left the room, I went over and said "WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?" As is par for the course, I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Jen was ashen. "Rod said I look like I just rolled out of bed..." Poor girl. You have to understand something (She'll hate me for this) but Jen isn't your average girl. Jen looks nice. Everyday. Really. Nice. Her idea of "dressed grubby" is my idea of how to dress for going out on the town. For someone to ask her if she did her hair today is insulting to me... not to mention Jen. Horrifyingly unbelievable. There, how about 2 words to describe Rod? Why am I still here again? I remember a soft white muzzle giving me kisses as I left today and then I sigh, and go back to work... Promises made, promises to keep.
As a call was running over in time, and was about to run into another call, I had to go to the bathroom. I tried twice to excuse myself, each time Rod stopped me from leaving the call. I'm not sure why I had to stay on the call only to schedule the next call, but Rod made me. I was squirming! Finally, I got to go! When I came back, it was going on noon. Since my day starts at 7, it's tough for me to wait much past noon for eating time. This is why it's written on the white board : Katie's Lunch, 12:30 - 1:30. But somehow, someone booked me up through to 1. So, as my tummy was complaining more and more, and the refusal to allow me to empty my bladder still fresh in my mind, I whined. I admit it fully. "Oh, MAN! I can't go to the bathroom, and now you aren't letting me eat?! What kinda place do I work at?!" Jen laughed at me and said "Get back to work!" I thought it was funny, too. I quipped back, "Well, just get the shackles out, then, and chain me to my desk!" Too late. I realized far too late what I had just opened. Of course, Rod couldn't be quiet. "Oh, say, are we talking about BONDAGE?!" Big long sigh. Well, no, we weren't, but now we are. "Well, that's not where I was taking the conversation, but I'm not surprised you did!" Well, he just thought that was the funniest thing he had heard. He laughed and laughed. Jen and I just squirmed due to the rising ick factor. Ick Factor +8.
Curse Count: Shit, 6 :: Shit, on phone with tech support, 1 :: GD on phone with tech support, 2
And now lastly, Rod felt the need to let us know: He's in LOOOOOOOVE. Well, goody for you, Rod, goody for you. Tell me this. Does she know any of the other 4 girls you are dating?
I will see you tomorrow, dear readers.
Eye Tee Girl
After I left on Monday...
Here are the texts I received:
3:24 PM
J : He's on the phone with PeachTree now; they aren't getting anywhere. ;)
Me: Sorry he's still there...
J : I just wish he would leave and I am not looking forward to the days of not having you here.
Later
J : I think he is really pissed right now that he is having to deal with PeachTree... And I am now on the call. Now I am annoyed...
I started laughing when I read that one.
Me: What's going on? I'll try to help.
J: No idea. I think you should come back.
4:13 pm
J: Rod just left. Nothing was solved.
Me: Sorry nothing got fixed. Maybe Rod was hasty to cut back my hours and attempt resolving own issues?
J: No worries, he is gone now.
J: I don't think he wants to fire you. He was just being a jerk.
This made me laugh again. Of course he wants to get rid of me. He hates me as much as I hate him!
Tuesday morning, ETG is still sound asleep at 9am, and happily so.
9:16am
J: Miss you!! I am not doing anything this weekend but focus on my job search!! ;)
Me: Yawn, stretch. Mmm time to go watch some Regis!
9:31am
Me: Glad to know I am missed. Peachtree fixed yet?
For some reason, it does my heart good to know that he couldn't get it working without me and then has to go a whole day without me while it doesn't work. Tee hee.
J: No, he has a call scheduled for you tomorrow with them.
10:15am, I am out running in the woods, feeling wonderful. My phone buzzes.
J: We are lying to a customer at the Department of Energy. Great!!
Me: Awesome! About what?
J: Approved for compliance regulations.
Me: Oh God, how can you wonder why I don't wanna work for him? Frickin crook!
J: I know...
So you can see, we all love Rod, and Acme is the epitome of high class working establishments. I have sent off a few emails to some of our vendors so they know my status and have a way to reach me on my off days... or maybe when they don't hear from me at all anymore!
Lastly, as a note to my concerned readers, I have applied for unemployment. The notification should be hitting Rod's desk tomorrow or the next day. I am eligible with hours reduced, just not for the full amount. At this point, anything helps! And let's not forget that it will affect his bottom line! The best way possible to get back at him...
Until later,
Eye Tee Girl
3:24 PM
J : He's on the phone with PeachTree now; they aren't getting anywhere. ;)
Me: Sorry he's still there...
J : I just wish he would leave and I am not looking forward to the days of not having you here.
Later
J : I think he is really pissed right now that he is having to deal with PeachTree... And I am now on the call. Now I am annoyed...
I started laughing when I read that one.
Me: What's going on? I'll try to help.
J: No idea. I think you should come back.
4:13 pm
J: Rod just left. Nothing was solved.
Me: Sorry nothing got fixed. Maybe Rod was hasty to cut back my hours and attempt resolving own issues?
J: No worries, he is gone now.
J: I don't think he wants to fire you. He was just being a jerk.
This made me laugh again. Of course he wants to get rid of me. He hates me as much as I hate him!
Tuesday morning, ETG is still sound asleep at 9am, and happily so.
9:16am
J: Miss you!! I am not doing anything this weekend but focus on my job search!! ;)
Me: Yawn, stretch. Mmm time to go watch some Regis!
9:31am
Me: Glad to know I am missed. Peachtree fixed yet?
For some reason, it does my heart good to know that he couldn't get it working without me and then has to go a whole day without me while it doesn't work. Tee hee.
J: No, he has a call scheduled for you tomorrow with them.
10:15am, I am out running in the woods, feeling wonderful. My phone buzzes.
J: We are lying to a customer at the Department of Energy. Great!!
Me: Awesome! About what?
J: Approved for compliance regulations.
Me: Oh God, how can you wonder why I don't wanna work for him? Frickin crook!
J: I know...
So you can see, we all love Rod, and Acme is the epitome of high class working establishments. I have sent off a few emails to some of our vendors so they know my status and have a way to reach me on my off days... or maybe when they don't hear from me at all anymore!
Lastly, as a note to my concerned readers, I have applied for unemployment. The notification should be hitting Rod's desk tomorrow or the next day. I am eligible with hours reduced, just not for the full amount. At this point, anything helps! And let's not forget that it will affect his bottom line! The best way possible to get back at him...
Until later,
Eye Tee Girl
Monday, January 25, 2010
A case of the Mondays!
I have come to the conclusion that the only day I can actually enjoy is Saturday. Fridays are ruined because I have to go into work, but they are at least better than a Monday, because I know Saturday is coming up. And Sundays are ruined the minute I remember I have to go back to work "tomorrow." So here I sit, pouty and cranky that I have another full week of work ahead of me again. I definitely have a case of the Mondays.
Today I tried four times (four times) to tell Rod that his Peachtree still isn't working and that I will need extended time at his desktop. Could he please let me know when he is leaving for the day and I will work on it then. Two sentences. Verbally speaking, it's practically one if you don't pause between the sentences! But no. I couldn't get it out. He interrupted me each and every time. One time to ask how long "extended period of time is, 30 minutes?" Another time to say "Do you have to work on my machine?" (this after telling him it appeared to be a mapping problem, so yes, by definition, I would have to work on his machine.) Finally, the fifth time, I at least got out the first part of the thought, but not the second. As I so often do, I settled on "good enough," this time.
Rod waffles on what reports he wants me to run. When I run them, they are usually sorted by date and cover either a) everything I've done or b) everything I'm planning to do. I figure I don't need to do a filter, it's easy enough to look at the top of the report to see the most recent stuff, and if he wants to see older stuff, then I don't need to run any extra reports. This minimizes Rod exposure time and reduces ick factor daily totals.
I admit, today, I forgot to run said reports. Friday was so busy, I literally was running out the door to catch my ride, and didn't have time to run them. This morning when I got in, I completely forgot. So Rod had to print out the document (for the 5th time) that detailed which reports I am supposed to run for him daily, and which ones on Monday only. (This document is already on my cubicle wall). He had one report underlined. So I ran that one. I thought that was all he wanted. Again, my mistake. He then said "is that ALL the reports you are supposed to run for me?" He asked it in kindergarten teacher tone. Like I'm 5. "I don't know, Rod, is it? I thought that was why you underlined this." Then he put his finger on the document and pointed to the line that says: "Please genertate [sic] every Monday, or when asked, the following:" "Ok, Rod. Can you explain why you underlined this one, then? I got confused, I guess." Come to think of it, he never did really answer me, just kept pointing at the line and somehow indicated (without using full sentences) that I was to print out "all 4." (There are 6 listed.)
So I printed them out.
And when he picked them up from the printer, he wanted to go over them. Sigh.
So he asked about the first one. "Is this sorted by date?" "Um, it should be, yes." I couldn't physically see it, he was too far away, but as I said, I print them by date, so I had no reason to suspect otherwise. "NOT 'SHOULD BE!' Either it IS or it ISN'T" Who does he think he is? Yoda? Do or Do not, try there is none? WtF? Anyway, I finished by saying, "Well, I don't know, look at it. Is it sorted by date?" Really, wasn't that the simplest solution, anyway? For him to look at the report in his hand? Whatever.
Then he looked at the next one. "Mmmkay. And this... " I could tell he was trying to figure out what it was, completed tasks, present tasks, overdue tasks, or future tasks. He can never figure this out, even though all he would have to do is look for and compare "Planned completion date," or "Completion date." But I think the logic is too much - it just wouldn't occur to him. So then, it came: the inevitable: "So this... Is this sorted by date?" I answered: "I assume so, yes." Oh, boy. "There IS NO ASSUME!!! IS IT OR ISN'T IT?" Because he was yelling at me, I yelled right back. "I DON'T KNOW! I CAN'T SEE IT! IS IT OR ISN'T IT?" Then, he threw (yes, threw) the papers at me. I said something like "Wow the respect is underwhelming here, isn't it?" For the record, I never did tell him if it was sorted by date.
Rod informed me today that he was interviewing a dev later in the day. Great, say I. This will mean that I can leave that much sooner when he terminates me! Jen moans every time I say that, but I can't help but feel a sense of relief in my future. Anyway, 30 minutes or so before the interview, I figured I would be friendly and break the silence. "So, Rod! Whatcha gonna tell the new guy about working here?!" I meant it as a friendly inquiry to spur a nice conversation. What I got back was "IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" So I replied "Alrighty then, no friendly conversation!" Wow. That one really took me aback! Honestly. I was trying to be nice, to make conversation, I don't think I asked for anything inappropriate. I would have asked that of any employer, I think, about an upcoming interview. Hell, I've been a part of interviews! This strong comeback reminding me to mind my own bee's wax told me exactly what he is interviewing this person to do. Replace me. Awesome! That is some wicked good news, and will make getting unemployment that much easier. Anyway, a few minutes of peace went by, whereupon Rod started muttering something about "You KNOW, I just don't see the POINT of PERSonal converSAtion in the OFFice." I interrupted him before his non-apology got too painful for everyone. "Forget I even said anything, Rod. I was just trying to be friendly, obviously a foreign concept for you." Whatever.
Now, once more, I don't mind people making stinkies in the bathroom. We all have to do it sooner or later. But, again, Rod, the can of aerosol lemon spray, the fan, and an open door help eliminate those nasty odors. The worst part is hearing him make the stinkies and then (prepare yourselves) not hearing him washing his hands. Or spraying the lemon spray. And then closing the door to lock the smell in tightly. Lovely. Jen, you go in first.
So then the new guy showed up for his interview. Rod offered to take him to lunch, to which New Guy replied "oh I have to let my wife know." There was a curious silence, and then NG said "She gave me a ride and is hanging out in the parking lot until the interview is over." Well, Rod jumped right on that... and invited wifey along... to coffee. Lunch was no longer on the table, apparently. Two people is too many for dollar-sign-driven Rod! To make matters worse, it would appear that she drove the three of them. In her car. That just seemed sooo tacky, Jen and I thought.
And just now, the best news EVAR! Rod wanted to show me links on his desktop for PeachTree. I confirmed, they are on your desk top? Yes, they are. Okay, then, I don't think I need you to show them to me, I can find them when I work on your machine a bit later today." Here, he felt the need to flex his employer muscles, or something... "No, I WILL SHOW YOU where they ARE!" I jokingly said, with a friendly, teasing tone, "I can always close my eyes!" I thought I was hilarious, Jen laughed... Rod... not so much. "FINE THEN! I WILL JUST DO THIS MYSELF!"
Fine, Rod, do it yourself. Let me know how that works out for you. Send me a postcard, 'cause in the meantime, I have some walking to do whenever you deign to return. I hope you understand if I don't hurry back.
Eye Tee Girl
Today I tried four times (four times) to tell Rod that his Peachtree still isn't working and that I will need extended time at his desktop. Could he please let me know when he is leaving for the day and I will work on it then. Two sentences. Verbally speaking, it's practically one if you don't pause between the sentences! But no. I couldn't get it out. He interrupted me each and every time. One time to ask how long "extended period of time is, 30 minutes?" Another time to say "Do you have to work on my machine?" (this after telling him it appeared to be a mapping problem, so yes, by definition, I would have to work on his machine.) Finally, the fifth time, I at least got out the first part of the thought, but not the second. As I so often do, I settled on "good enough," this time.
Rod waffles on what reports he wants me to run. When I run them, they are usually sorted by date and cover either a) everything I've done or b) everything I'm planning to do. I figure I don't need to do a filter, it's easy enough to look at the top of the report to see the most recent stuff, and if he wants to see older stuff, then I don't need to run any extra reports. This minimizes Rod exposure time and reduces ick factor daily totals.
I admit, today, I forgot to run said reports. Friday was so busy, I literally was running out the door to catch my ride, and didn't have time to run them. This morning when I got in, I completely forgot. So Rod had to print out the document (for the 5th time) that detailed which reports I am supposed to run for him daily, and which ones on Monday only. (This document is already on my cubicle wall). He had one report underlined. So I ran that one. I thought that was all he wanted. Again, my mistake. He then said "is that ALL the reports you are supposed to run for me?" He asked it in kindergarten teacher tone. Like I'm 5. "I don't know, Rod, is it? I thought that was why you underlined this." Then he put his finger on the document and pointed to the line that says: "Please genertate [sic] every Monday, or when asked, the following:" "Ok, Rod. Can you explain why you underlined this one, then? I got confused, I guess." Come to think of it, he never did really answer me, just kept pointing at the line and somehow indicated (without using full sentences) that I was to print out "all 4." (There are 6 listed.)
So I printed them out.
And when he picked them up from the printer, he wanted to go over them. Sigh.
So he asked about the first one. "Is this sorted by date?" "Um, it should be, yes." I couldn't physically see it, he was too far away, but as I said, I print them by date, so I had no reason to suspect otherwise. "NOT 'SHOULD BE!' Either it IS or it ISN'T" Who does he think he is? Yoda? Do or Do not, try there is none? WtF? Anyway, I finished by saying, "Well, I don't know, look at it. Is it sorted by date?" Really, wasn't that the simplest solution, anyway? For him to look at the report in his hand? Whatever.
Then he looked at the next one. "Mmmkay. And this... " I could tell he was trying to figure out what it was, completed tasks, present tasks, overdue tasks, or future tasks. He can never figure this out, even though all he would have to do is look for and compare "Planned completion date," or "Completion date." But I think the logic is too much - it just wouldn't occur to him. So then, it came: the inevitable: "So this... Is this sorted by date?" I answered: "I assume so, yes." Oh, boy. "There IS NO ASSUME!!! IS IT OR ISN'T IT?" Because he was yelling at me, I yelled right back. "I DON'T KNOW! I CAN'T SEE IT! IS IT OR ISN'T IT?" Then, he threw (yes, threw) the papers at me. I said something like "Wow the respect is underwhelming here, isn't it?" For the record, I never did tell him if it was sorted by date.
Rod informed me today that he was interviewing a dev later in the day. Great, say I. This will mean that I can leave that much sooner when he terminates me! Jen moans every time I say that, but I can't help but feel a sense of relief in my future. Anyway, 30 minutes or so before the interview, I figured I would be friendly and break the silence. "So, Rod! Whatcha gonna tell the new guy about working here?!" I meant it as a friendly inquiry to spur a nice conversation. What I got back was "IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" So I replied "Alrighty then, no friendly conversation!" Wow. That one really took me aback! Honestly. I was trying to be nice, to make conversation, I don't think I asked for anything inappropriate. I would have asked that of any employer, I think, about an upcoming interview. Hell, I've been a part of interviews! This strong comeback reminding me to mind my own bee's wax told me exactly what he is interviewing this person to do. Replace me. Awesome! That is some wicked good news, and will make getting unemployment that much easier. Anyway, a few minutes of peace went by, whereupon Rod started muttering something about "You KNOW, I just don't see the POINT of PERSonal converSAtion in the OFFice." I interrupted him before his non-apology got too painful for everyone. "Forget I even said anything, Rod. I was just trying to be friendly, obviously a foreign concept for you." Whatever.
Now, once more, I don't mind people making stinkies in the bathroom. We all have to do it sooner or later. But, again, Rod, the can of aerosol lemon spray, the fan, and an open door help eliminate those nasty odors. The worst part is hearing him make the stinkies and then (prepare yourselves) not hearing him washing his hands. Or spraying the lemon spray. And then closing the door to lock the smell in tightly. Lovely. Jen, you go in first.
So then the new guy showed up for his interview. Rod offered to take him to lunch, to which New Guy replied "oh I have to let my wife know." There was a curious silence, and then NG said "She gave me a ride and is hanging out in the parking lot until the interview is over." Well, Rod jumped right on that... and invited wifey along... to coffee. Lunch was no longer on the table, apparently. Two people is too many for dollar-sign-driven Rod! To make matters worse, it would appear that she drove the three of them. In her car. That just seemed sooo tacky, Jen and I thought.
And just now, the best news EVAR! Rod wanted to show me links on his desktop for PeachTree. I confirmed, they are on your desk top? Yes, they are. Okay, then, I don't think I need you to show them to me, I can find them when I work on your machine a bit later today." Here, he felt the need to flex his employer muscles, or something... "No, I WILL SHOW YOU where they ARE!" I jokingly said, with a friendly, teasing tone, "I can always close my eyes!" I thought I was hilarious, Jen laughed... Rod... not so much. "FINE THEN! I WILL JUST DO THIS MYSELF!"
Fine, Rod, do it yourself. Let me know how that works out for you. Send me a postcard, 'cause in the meantime, I have some walking to do whenever you deign to return. I hope you understand if I don't hurry back.
Eye Tee Girl
Busy as a Bee
Friday was a very busy day for ETG. First, our Goldmine went down. It was throwing SQL errors. I was trying to chase down the cause of the disconnect - It happened right after some MS updates hit the server (which isn't supposed to happen, but it did anyway) and forced it to reboot. The source of the problem could have been very basic to very complex. In trying to chase the source, I kept coming across "Make sure the password is correct." Before I could really research that issue, Rod was in my face, telling me very helpful things to do. "You need to reboot the server. That will fix it." Now, considering I had already been troubleshooting this problem for an hour while Rod was nestled in bed dreaming of sugar plums, I wasn't too fond of his "Let me tell you how to do your job" theories. "I am on my third reboot right now. Do you really want me to reboot it again?" He just muttered something cranky and left. Some time went by, perhaps 3 minutes. "So, KATIE, aherruMMMM! When are you going to call MICROsoft to fix this problem?" "Well, Rod, I don't know. I am not convinced that the problem is with Microsoft, so I am hesitant to call them until I can find out what the problem is." Rod let some more time go by, perhaps 4 minutes. "So, hackUMMM! Katie! When will this problem be FIXED?" I let out a big sigh. Why must I be so misunderstood?! "I don't know, Rod." That, of course, was not good enough. "Well, I need a TIME that it will --" "9:38 pm, Rod, it will be fixed by 9:38 TONIGHT." Well, of course, that just pissed him off. "You are NOT being SENSITIVE to the NEEDS of the SALES TEAM!" He was actually irate. I think I saw spittle fly from his lips. Literally! I really do think he spittled! "Well, Rod, are you being sensitive to the needs of the IT Team? I need to be left alone to work on this. The more you interrupt and ask questions, the--" "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THE IT TEAM!" I laughed at him. He spittled again. This was getting fun. "Well, then the IT Team doesn't care about the needs of the Sales Team." I know it was petty, but I mean really, who says something like "I don't care about your team" and then wants you to respect their needs? He walked into that one, if you ask me.
Some more time went by. Perhaps 6 minutes elapsed. Rod informed me he was calling Microsoft. "Ok," I said. "What do you plan on telling them?" Well, that got him quiet. "Well, aren't YOU going to be on the call?" I was patient. "No, Rod, I have no idea what the problem is yet. I keep getting interrupted." There was silence for perhaps 2 minutes. "Well, I'm calling them ANYway and I exPECT you to PARTIcipate in the CALL." Fine, whatever, as long as it would shut him up. So I informed him, "Fine, but I'm not going to sit on the phone while you navigate the system and argue that you won't work with someone in the Philipines, or in India, or anywhere but the US. That alone takes you an hour or more, and frankly, that's what I dread about calls to Microsoft when you decide to take charge." Now this is where things got interesting. Rod turned it around on me. "You aren't willing to speak to someone in India?" he asked. I said, "Ohhh no you don't! I have no problem with it. You are the one who argues in circles with people until you get someone in the US." He paused. "OH, yes, well that's TRUE, I don't LIKE people in INDIA." I just ignored that comment and tried to return to work.
But, of course, Rod made that impossible. He continued to pepper me with questions, such as the version we are running of this or that, which service pack, what our license number is... Essentially, the only time I got to troubleshoot the password problem was before Rod got here.
The call that Rod set up ending up taking hours. I knew we were chasing red herrings, but I wasn't ever given a real opportunity to troubleshoot the problem myself, and in peace. Finally, I ended up asking Rod if we could conference in Goldmine support. In about 2 minutes, I got the information I needed about database storage locations and found out the problem was, indeed, a credentials issue. I fixed it, and presto, Goldmine started working. Lovely, 6 hours wasted, but at least I got GM back up! So off to lunch I go... and upon my return, I discover....
That Rod's install of Peachtree isn't working. Great. So I ask him to leave his PW in case I need to login and as soon as he left, I had to go work on his work station. Ick factor +4. I had to smell his smell while I worked. Ick factor +5. Three hours later, working with PT tech support, we still can't figure out why it's not working, I have to leave, and Rod is checked out for the weekend. Lovely thing to look forward to come in to on Monday... And not even time to blog!
On a lighter note, Rod spoke to some devs on Friday about working here. I heard him talk about the medical benefits that they would receive here (ha!), that there are 5 employees here (haha!!) and that we are a development company (hahahaha!) It brought back memories of my own interview here when he lied about the same things to me - the size of the company and employer covered medical and dental insurance. What a crock! But, who am I to tell the truth to the next new guy? Luckily, he'll end up replacing me anyway, and then I don't have to be here any longer.
I can hardly wait!
(hopefully another blog to come later today)
Eye Tee Girl
Some more time went by. Perhaps 6 minutes elapsed. Rod informed me he was calling Microsoft. "Ok," I said. "What do you plan on telling them?" Well, that got him quiet. "Well, aren't YOU going to be on the call?" I was patient. "No, Rod, I have no idea what the problem is yet. I keep getting interrupted." There was silence for perhaps 2 minutes. "Well, I'm calling them ANYway and I exPECT you to PARTIcipate in the CALL." Fine, whatever, as long as it would shut him up. So I informed him, "Fine, but I'm not going to sit on the phone while you navigate the system and argue that you won't work with someone in the Philipines, or in India, or anywhere but the US. That alone takes you an hour or more, and frankly, that's what I dread about calls to Microsoft when you decide to take charge." Now this is where things got interesting. Rod turned it around on me. "You aren't willing to speak to someone in India?" he asked. I said, "Ohhh no you don't! I have no problem with it. You are the one who argues in circles with people until you get someone in the US." He paused. "OH, yes, well that's TRUE, I don't LIKE people in INDIA." I just ignored that comment and tried to return to work.
But, of course, Rod made that impossible. He continued to pepper me with questions, such as the version we are running of this or that, which service pack, what our license number is... Essentially, the only time I got to troubleshoot the password problem was before Rod got here.
The call that Rod set up ending up taking hours. I knew we were chasing red herrings, but I wasn't ever given a real opportunity to troubleshoot the problem myself, and in peace. Finally, I ended up asking Rod if we could conference in Goldmine support. In about 2 minutes, I got the information I needed about database storage locations and found out the problem was, indeed, a credentials issue. I fixed it, and presto, Goldmine started working. Lovely, 6 hours wasted, but at least I got GM back up! So off to lunch I go... and upon my return, I discover....
That Rod's install of Peachtree isn't working. Great. So I ask him to leave his PW in case I need to login and as soon as he left, I had to go work on his work station. Ick factor +4. I had to smell his smell while I worked. Ick factor +5. Three hours later, working with PT tech support, we still can't figure out why it's not working, I have to leave, and Rod is checked out for the weekend. Lovely thing to look forward to come in to on Monday... And not even time to blog!
On a lighter note, Rod spoke to some devs on Friday about working here. I heard him talk about the medical benefits that they would receive here (ha!), that there are 5 employees here (haha!!) and that we are a development company (hahahaha!) It brought back memories of my own interview here when he lied about the same things to me - the size of the company and employer covered medical and dental insurance. What a crock! But, who am I to tell the truth to the next new guy? Luckily, he'll end up replacing me anyway, and then I don't have to be here any longer.
I can hardly wait!
(hopefully another blog to come later today)
Eye Tee Girl
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Hell hath no fury...
Check that. Hell hath no misery like working at Acme. Specifically, working for Rod.
He's just so... so... mean.
And he doesn't really ever have a good reason for it.
He called Dave worthless and useless today. What kind of human really thinks of another human as worthless and useless? I was shocked at the hatred in his tone, on his face, and in his gestures. I wouldn't even call Rod useless or worthless. It kills a piece of me inside when he says stuff like that, and I just cannot be quiet. This time, I said, "Hey, you want me to treat you with respect. You can't go around talking about people like that! Why am I supposed to think you speak any differently about me when I'm not around?" He was silent. But not because he realized my point. He was silent because I had just pissed him off some more and I suppose he had to "regain" his composure. HA! But I no longer care. Screw him. He screws anything that moves, either with his ka-ka or with his corrupt business practices. Why should I treat him differently than he treats anyone else? He doesn't deserve my kindness any longer!
Ok, enough of the bitter rantings. Here are some funny stories from the day.
Shit bomb, 6 :: Fuck bomb, 2 :: GDI, 1 (And all but 1 S Bomb and 1 F Bomb were dropped before 10 am!)
Rod wanted me to work on a mini project for him. Fine. I have no problem doing it. What is as irritating as it is mirthful is that in the space of 15 minutes and back to back, he told me 4 times what to do. All 4 times, he listed the same main tasks. Then he went to his desk to write it down. Then he brought his pad over and read them to me. Again. Control issues? OCD? ADHD? I mean, what the hell?
So this project involved that I work on his machine. I had to save a file. The default path that came up was on the network: G:\Employees\Rod\WomansName\xxx
Well, shit bugger. You can't see something like that on someone's machine and ignore it. With a smirk, I said, "Hey Jen, c'mere." "What? I'm in the middle of something." "No, really, you need to c'mere." She came up behind me and said "What." I showed her. She looked at me, I looked at her. She said, "Well...? OPEN THEM!" I was hesitant. "Nudie pictures of Rod? UGH!" "So?" she said. That's all it took. So I used the thumbnail view, and sure enough... Porn, and lots of it. We even found one that we are convinced was Rod, himself, or ... part of himself, anyway. Ick factor: Infinity +1. I will be saving all these files somewhere - unfortunately, I need to keep them as evidence of the sexual harassment here. Having files like this, in public, is proof of his complete disregard for us.
While I was working on his computer, the scroll wheel stuck, so I looked down at it. I wish now I hadn't. It was visibly oily, and there was a chunk of... well... something... on it. Ugh. Nasty. Ick factor: +9
I told Rod at one point today that I have never, ever been managed as closely as he manages me. Not even when I was 16 at McDonald's! His quip was "Y'know, attorneys and accountants have to account for all of their time!" Well, I wasn't talking about accounting for my time, but I didn't point that out. I settled on the obvious. "Well, I'm not an attorney or an accountant, so you prove nothing." He didn't really have much to say after that.
Rod must have been very excited this morning when he found an order for 1000 servers. He was so chipper to tell Jen about it! "Hey, did you know we got this big order?!" Jen replied, "You mean that one for 1,000 servers?" He sounded so deflated: "um.. Yeah, I ahhherrrUMMMM I guess." Jen was cool as a cucumber, "Yeah, they've paid and everything. A long time ago! This is really old!" Of course, Mr Argumentative couldn't leave it alone. Instead, he said "Oh, well, hmmph. It must've been in the wrong FOLder." Whatever.
Anyway, I'm just so done with this place. Porn on the network, constant criticism, lies, no morals, bad-mouthing... It's a wonder I haven't walked out on his sorry ass.
Ahhh, yes, the end of another great day looms before me! I must finish my farming on Facebook and bid all of you a grand good bye for the day.
Eye Tee Girl.
He's just so... so... mean.
And he doesn't really ever have a good reason for it.
He called Dave worthless and useless today. What kind of human really thinks of another human as worthless and useless? I was shocked at the hatred in his tone, on his face, and in his gestures. I wouldn't even call Rod useless or worthless. It kills a piece of me inside when he says stuff like that, and I just cannot be quiet. This time, I said, "Hey, you want me to treat you with respect. You can't go around talking about people like that! Why am I supposed to think you speak any differently about me when I'm not around?" He was silent. But not because he realized my point. He was silent because I had just pissed him off some more and I suppose he had to "regain" his composure. HA! But I no longer care. Screw him. He screws anything that moves, either with his ka-ka or with his corrupt business practices. Why should I treat him differently than he treats anyone else? He doesn't deserve my kindness any longer!
Ok, enough of the bitter rantings. Here are some funny stories from the day.
Shit bomb, 6 :: Fuck bomb, 2 :: GDI, 1 (And all but 1 S Bomb and 1 F Bomb were dropped before 10 am!)
Rod wanted me to work on a mini project for him. Fine. I have no problem doing it. What is as irritating as it is mirthful is that in the space of 15 minutes and back to back, he told me 4 times what to do. All 4 times, he listed the same main tasks. Then he went to his desk to write it down. Then he brought his pad over and read them to me. Again. Control issues? OCD? ADHD? I mean, what the hell?
So this project involved that I work on his machine. I had to save a file. The default path that came up was on the network: G:\Employees\Rod\WomansName\xxx
Well, shit bugger. You can't see something like that on someone's machine and ignore it. With a smirk, I said, "Hey Jen, c'mere." "What? I'm in the middle of something." "No, really, you need to c'mere." She came up behind me and said "What." I showed her. She looked at me, I looked at her. She said, "Well...? OPEN THEM!" I was hesitant. "Nudie pictures of Rod? UGH!" "So?" she said. That's all it took. So I used the thumbnail view, and sure enough... Porn, and lots of it. We even found one that we are convinced was Rod, himself, or ... part of himself, anyway. Ick factor: Infinity +1. I will be saving all these files somewhere - unfortunately, I need to keep them as evidence of the sexual harassment here. Having files like this, in public, is proof of his complete disregard for us.
While I was working on his computer, the scroll wheel stuck, so I looked down at it. I wish now I hadn't. It was visibly oily, and there was a chunk of... well... something... on it. Ugh. Nasty. Ick factor: +9
I told Rod at one point today that I have never, ever been managed as closely as he manages me. Not even when I was 16 at McDonald's! His quip was "Y'know, attorneys and accountants have to account for all of their time!" Well, I wasn't talking about accounting for my time, but I didn't point that out. I settled on the obvious. "Well, I'm not an attorney or an accountant, so you prove nothing." He didn't really have much to say after that.
Rod must have been very excited this morning when he found an order for 1000 servers. He was so chipper to tell Jen about it! "Hey, did you know we got this big order?!" Jen replied, "You mean that one for 1,000 servers?" He sounded so deflated: "um.. Yeah, I ahhherrrUMMMM I guess." Jen was cool as a cucumber, "Yeah, they've paid and everything. A long time ago! This is really old!" Of course, Mr Argumentative couldn't leave it alone. Instead, he said "Oh, well, hmmph. It must've been in the wrong FOLder." Whatever.
Anyway, I'm just so done with this place. Porn on the network, constant criticism, lies, no morals, bad-mouthing... It's a wonder I haven't walked out on his sorry ass.
Ahhh, yes, the end of another great day looms before me! I must finish my farming on Facebook and bid all of you a grand good bye for the day.
Eye Tee Girl.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Arguably the best argument ever argued!
I think, perhaps, Rod quite literally lives to argue. To correct. To advance himself. Of course, it never works, and in the process, he just makes an ass out of himself, but like I said... I think he lives for it.
On a call with a customer: "Well, it's cloudy and grey here...[it was actually sunny] What's the weather like there in Toronto?" A long period of silence passed. Then the customer said, "Um, who's in Toronto?" Rod reminded him. "YOU are!" "No, I'm in Wisconsin." Rod argued. "No, you are in Ontario! That's in Toronto, right?" Wrong again, Rod. Toronto is in Ontario. But close! And I think the customer likely knows where he is located... So I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Rod 0, Customer 2. Criminy! He is just so embarrassing!
I was in a Microsoft training course - a good one - about troubleshooting upgrade issues when people start migrating from Office 2007 to 2010. I put it in the calendar, and since I never have had to tell Rod in the past of training sessions, I left it at that. Rod came up wanted to have a meeting right as the course was starting. By now, I'm sure you know that all meetings turn into arguments, they are never really "meetings," and we rarely discuss the issue that prompted the meeting. I told him "I'm in a training class." "What do you MEAN, TRAINING class?!" I ignored him - I was still trying to get the connection working, and I didn't stutter - my words were self-explanatory. Let him figure it out on his lonesome! Besides, he just wanted another argument and I wasn't in the mood. I could hear him clicking around - presumably at the calendar - while he muttered and murmured. Then, "What is this 'Em - Ess' Training thing?" I ignored him again. Then, bellowed, "KATIE! WHAT IS THIS 'EM ESS' TRAINING THING?!" I played dumb. "I'm sorry, what? I'm in a training class, I couldn't hear you." "WHAT IS THIS EM ESS THING?" The emphasis he was placing on the letters MS made it clear he didn't understand what "em ess" stood for. So... I helped him. I regretted it almost instantly. "It is a Microsoft Training course." "TRAINING YOU ON WHAT!!!" "Troubleshooting applications!" Now, I know that in reality, the least helpful thing I said was that last sentence, but it pacified him. And I also know I was playing hard to get - I didn't want to tell him what the course was about, so I compromised with a half-explanation. I'm not sure why. I think I'm just starting to enjoy how easy it is to wind him up. I think it's the Irish in me. Anyway, not long thereafter, Jen said, "Katie?" To which Rod very snidely replied, "She is BUSY for the next TWO HOURS!" Whatever. Go suck a rubberband or something else more useful than your harassment.
So while I was in the training course, the main debt collector called again. Because I was in my class and Jen was on the phone, Rod had to take his own collection call. Finally! Jen and I have been fielding these calls for, I dunno, two months? Jen, how long? Anyway, I couldn't hear everything, but I could clearly hear this line: "I am not prePAREd to make a payment!" He sounded like a 4 year old boy, hands on hips, stomping his feet. And then, "Contact me only by email, then!!" His voice lowered, so I had to ignore the class for a minute. After all, a blogger has certain responsibilities to her adoring public! "You are harassing me! I can't believe I have to send a letter to stop this harassment. But fine I will thanks goodbye." All one sentence. Might have been one word for as quickly as he said it!
As the second hour of my training began, Rod decided to try meeting with me again. "Can we have a meeting?" Sigh. "Rod, remember? I'm in training." My voice was plaintive. His face sneered at me and at the idea that I was in a training course. The nerve! Really. Why wouldn't he just go away? This really was important. I wasn't faking it. (Maybe he's not used to that from a woman?) (Oh SNAP) But no. He started talking, regardless of the headphones in my ears. Regardless of the Power Point slides moving on my screen. He said, "FINE! I want you to do ONE THING. And it BETTER be done toMORrow." "Ok, Rod, make it quick. What is it?" I removed the headphone from my left ear. Well, crap. That just opened the door for him. Consider that a lesson learned! "Well, FIRST! I want you to..." And here, he proceeded to talk about things that not only had we spoken about, but that had already been established in email! So I interrupted him. My class was still droning on in my right ear and I wanted to get back to it quickly. I asked him, "In light of expediency, could you be less repetitious, please?" Well, that just pissed him off. I could tell. Part of me grinned on the inside. That was easy! "I will SAY whatever I WANT to say, Goddammit!" Well, crap. There he went, cussin again. Now I had to decide... stay for the important class? Or leave on principle? I stayed. So I said right back: "Well, then, I will just choose to ignore you... and your cursing! This time." I turned my back on him quite deliberately and put my headphones back in. It was at this point that he stammered through a tongue thickened by hate and anger, "Well, consider this HOUR as YOUR time and TIME you will not be PAID for." Really? Now he's threatening my salary for doing what is in my job description? I mean, I get the whole "He's the boss of me" thing, but... really? "Okay, Rod, go ahead. This is important. More important than money." Well, he just kept going. He was on a roll! "I mean, I'm not going to pay for this BULLSHIT!" I replied quietly (I think), "Fine, Rod, consider me out of the office now. I'll be quiet, you be quiet. If you can't keep a clean tongue in your mouth, I don't need to be paid for the hour." You know? Really, at this point, I swear I wasn't trying to egg him on anymore. I was just missing more of my class. He was storming around the office now, I heard him whip around the corner as he said something to the effect that he paid my salary so he had the right to speak however he wanted. I pointed out that ... actually? he wasn't paying me anything right now, so ... I let the logic wash over him. He got really silent very quickly.
Rod confuses words. A lot. But he'll argue till he's blue in the face about it! For instance, has been having problems with his PIN at the bank. Apparently, it will work at the bank, and then when he gets to his computer, the password stops working. Now, I have been silently laughing about this one to myself for probably 2 months now. Obviously, he is trying to use his ATM PIN as his bank website logon password. Then he blows out his web logon by typing it in wrong 3 times. If his bank is like mine, it means not only is he locked out for 24 hours from the website, but he now also has to call the bank and get his web logon password reset and emailed to him. Then he'll be able to logon to his web page for a while, and then, oddly enough, his ATM PIN will stop working - because he's using his new password! So, in the last 2 months or so, he has had, I think, 4 PINs mailed to him and has called the bank 5 or more times to get his password reset. He thinks they are the same thing, used for both purposes. I feel like I am typing in circles. Does this make sense? Finally, today, I heard him on yet another call. "Ohhhhh. So, I have to have TWO DIFFERENT PASSWORDS? They are DIFFERENT?" I won't bore you with his opinion of having to memorize two passwords to do "the same thing," but suffice it to say, the poor person "helping" Rod got a tongue lashing.
Rod confuses other words as well. Insulation/Installation. Sure, practically the same thing. Others I think I've mentioned, console/counsel. As in, he sends people to look in the admin counsel all the time. If he asks me to deinstall something one more time... And now the latest. "Katie, do you think you are competent enough to do this install?" Oh brother. I just rolled my eyes. Confident. He wants to know if I am confident about doing the install. When I told him later it was insulting to ask if I was competent enough to do something, he said he never said that. I just said ok. Like pimples, some fights just aren't worth the time it takes to pick at.
So aside from digging up many, many skeletons about Rod lately, today was highly entertaining. As I uncover clear details about the level of his corruption, I hope to post them here.
Of course, I might just be too embarrassed to admit to what I find...
Eye Tee Girl
On a call with a customer: "Well, it's cloudy and grey here...[it was actually sunny] What's the weather like there in Toronto?" A long period of silence passed. Then the customer said, "Um, who's in Toronto?" Rod reminded him. "YOU are!" "No, I'm in Wisconsin." Rod argued. "No, you are in Ontario! That's in Toronto, right?" Wrong again, Rod. Toronto is in Ontario. But close! And I think the customer likely knows where he is located... So I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Rod 0, Customer 2. Criminy! He is just so embarrassing!
I was in a Microsoft training course - a good one - about troubleshooting upgrade issues when people start migrating from Office 2007 to 2010. I put it in the calendar, and since I never have had to tell Rod in the past of training sessions, I left it at that. Rod came up wanted to have a meeting right as the course was starting. By now, I'm sure you know that all meetings turn into arguments, they are never really "meetings," and we rarely discuss the issue that prompted the meeting. I told him "I'm in a training class." "What do you MEAN, TRAINING class?!" I ignored him - I was still trying to get the connection working, and I didn't stutter - my words were self-explanatory. Let him figure it out on his lonesome! Besides, he just wanted another argument and I wasn't in the mood. I could hear him clicking around - presumably at the calendar - while he muttered and murmured. Then, "What is this 'Em - Ess' Training thing?" I ignored him again. Then, bellowed, "KATIE! WHAT IS THIS 'EM ESS' TRAINING THING?!" I played dumb. "I'm sorry, what? I'm in a training class, I couldn't hear you." "WHAT IS THIS EM ESS THING?" The emphasis he was placing on the letters MS made it clear he didn't understand what "em ess" stood for. So... I helped him. I regretted it almost instantly. "It is a Microsoft Training course." "TRAINING YOU ON WHAT!!!" "Troubleshooting applications!" Now, I know that in reality, the least helpful thing I said was that last sentence, but it pacified him. And I also know I was playing hard to get - I didn't want to tell him what the course was about, so I compromised with a half-explanation. I'm not sure why. I think I'm just starting to enjoy how easy it is to wind him up. I think it's the Irish in me. Anyway, not long thereafter, Jen said, "Katie?" To which Rod very snidely replied, "She is BUSY for the next TWO HOURS!" Whatever. Go suck a rubberband or something else more useful than your harassment.
So while I was in the training course, the main debt collector called again. Because I was in my class and Jen was on the phone, Rod had to take his own collection call. Finally! Jen and I have been fielding these calls for, I dunno, two months? Jen, how long? Anyway, I couldn't hear everything, but I could clearly hear this line: "I am not prePAREd to make a payment!" He sounded like a 4 year old boy, hands on hips, stomping his feet. And then, "Contact me only by email, then!!" His voice lowered, so I had to ignore the class for a minute. After all, a blogger has certain responsibilities to her adoring public! "You are harassing me! I can't believe I have to send a letter to stop this harassment. But fine I will thanks goodbye." All one sentence. Might have been one word for as quickly as he said it!
As the second hour of my training began, Rod decided to try meeting with me again. "Can we have a meeting?" Sigh. "Rod, remember? I'm in training." My voice was plaintive. His face sneered at me and at the idea that I was in a training course. The nerve! Really. Why wouldn't he just go away? This really was important. I wasn't faking it. (Maybe he's not used to that from a woman?) (Oh SNAP) But no. He started talking, regardless of the headphones in my ears. Regardless of the Power Point slides moving on my screen. He said, "FINE! I want you to do ONE THING. And it BETTER be done toMORrow." "Ok, Rod, make it quick. What is it?" I removed the headphone from my left ear. Well, crap. That just opened the door for him. Consider that a lesson learned! "Well, FIRST! I want you to..." And here, he proceeded to talk about things that not only had we spoken about, but that had already been established in email! So I interrupted him. My class was still droning on in my right ear and I wanted to get back to it quickly. I asked him, "In light of expediency, could you be less repetitious, please?" Well, that just pissed him off. I could tell. Part of me grinned on the inside. That was easy! "I will SAY whatever I WANT to say, Goddammit!" Well, crap. There he went, cussin again. Now I had to decide... stay for the important class? Or leave on principle? I stayed. So I said right back: "Well, then, I will just choose to ignore you... and your cursing! This time." I turned my back on him quite deliberately and put my headphones back in. It was at this point that he stammered through a tongue thickened by hate and anger, "Well, consider this HOUR as YOUR time and TIME you will not be PAID for." Really? Now he's threatening my salary for doing what is in my job description? I mean, I get the whole "He's the boss of me" thing, but... really? "Okay, Rod, go ahead. This is important. More important than money." Well, he just kept going. He was on a roll! "I mean, I'm not going to pay for this BULLSHIT!" I replied quietly (I think), "Fine, Rod, consider me out of the office now. I'll be quiet, you be quiet. If you can't keep a clean tongue in your mouth, I don't need to be paid for the hour." You know? Really, at this point, I swear I wasn't trying to egg him on anymore. I was just missing more of my class. He was storming around the office now, I heard him whip around the corner as he said something to the effect that he paid my salary so he had the right to speak however he wanted. I pointed out that ... actually? he wasn't paying me anything right now, so ... I let the logic wash over him. He got really silent very quickly.
Rod confuses words. A lot. But he'll argue till he's blue in the face about it! For instance, has been having problems with his PIN at the bank. Apparently, it will work at the bank, and then when he gets to his computer, the password stops working. Now, I have been silently laughing about this one to myself for probably 2 months now. Obviously, he is trying to use his ATM PIN as his bank website logon password. Then he blows out his web logon by typing it in wrong 3 times. If his bank is like mine, it means not only is he locked out for 24 hours from the website, but he now also has to call the bank and get his web logon password reset and emailed to him. Then he'll be able to logon to his web page for a while, and then, oddly enough, his ATM PIN will stop working - because he's using his new password! So, in the last 2 months or so, he has had, I think, 4 PINs mailed to him and has called the bank 5 or more times to get his password reset. He thinks they are the same thing, used for both purposes. I feel like I am typing in circles. Does this make sense? Finally, today, I heard him on yet another call. "Ohhhhh. So, I have to have TWO DIFFERENT PASSWORDS? They are DIFFERENT?" I won't bore you with his opinion of having to memorize two passwords to do "the same thing," but suffice it to say, the poor person "helping" Rod got a tongue lashing.
Rod confuses other words as well. Insulation/Installation. Sure, practically the same thing. Others I think I've mentioned, console/counsel. As in, he sends people to look in the admin counsel all the time. If he asks me to deinstall something one more time... And now the latest. "Katie, do you think you are competent enough to do this install?" Oh brother. I just rolled my eyes. Confident. He wants to know if I am confident about doing the install. When I told him later it was insulting to ask if I was competent enough to do something, he said he never said that. I just said ok. Like pimples, some fights just aren't worth the time it takes to pick at.
So aside from digging up many, many skeletons about Rod lately, today was highly entertaining. As I uncover clear details about the level of his corruption, I hope to post them here.
Of course, I might just be too embarrassed to admit to what I find...
Eye Tee Girl
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Who needs money, anyway?
Well, I guess I do. That's why I'm here after all. Yesterday, I was out sick and asked my wonderful, loving partner to pick up my check. Imagine his shock when there was no paycheck here! That's weird, I told him... because I have gotten into the habit of asking up to two days in advance - just to verify pay day will actually happen. I'm sure you can see this one coming... That's right, we didn't get paid.
Payday was the 16th. All the companies I've ever worked for would work it like this: If payday falls on a Saturday, they pay you Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, they pay you Monday. A courtesy type thing, if you will.
But not Rod.
So on Friday, and perhaps earlier, I verified that payday would be Monday (I knew I didn't even have a shot at getting paid Friday). He agreed. Yes. Monday. I think I even mentioned something about MLK day. But the point is, he agreed. We would be getting paid Monday.
Now, I've heard stories from Jen. About Rod. They involve tax evasion, liens on accounts, and bounced checks. She has this whole ritual she goes through when she gets a check. She has even set up an account at Rod's bank to make the ritual goes smoothly. When we get paid, she cashes the check at the issuing bank, then she deposits the cash at her real bank. This way, she avoids a cashing fee, and any bounced check fees. She gave me the whole lowdown on how to do it. As a result, I am worried every single time I deposit a check. (I don't follow the ritual). (I should). I think she said that she and Dave went something like six weeks without getting paid. So, as Jen was detailing this whole story, I told her, "If he ever stiffs me for a check, that is the last day I work!"
Imagine my two-fold disappointment, dear, gentle readers, that he picked yesterday, the day I called in sick, to stiff me on my paycheck. I wasn't going to get paid, and I wasn't going to be able to walk out on him. Bummer!
So I got pissed, and I did my homework. This one isn't really as wishy washy as Rod wants us to believe. The rule reads that he "must pay on the regularly established payday." Now, there's no real punishment for it, but if (when!) I file a complaint, Washington State L&I takes over paying me for him if he doesn't heed their first warning.
I waited for Jen to come in this morning before asking in my best I'm-trying-not-to-kill-you voice: "So, Rod! Is there a reason we didn't get paid yesterday?" ahhereUUMM! "YES! That is because YESterday was a BANK holiday." I laughed out loud at that answer and said "Really? That's your reason?" I think I said something like "That's lame," but I don't remember for sure. His response, I'll never forget. "Well, it's good enough for me, so it has to be good enough for you."
Oh, no it doesn't, Rod. Something about "...and the horse you rode in on" is going through my mind right now.
Anyway, as I've been doing my research, I've been finding out all kinds of other stuff that is going on here that is illegal. I can't wait to list them all out for you! Finally, I have good blog stories on the days that are quiet here! Plus I want to verify that what I'm thinking is really true. It's surreal. I knew Rod was crooked, but what I've been uncovering takes it to new heights.
Here are some lighthearted, unrelated from our day:
Rod took us to lunch. Why? We have no idea. It was pleasant, I suppose. Lunch was free after all. (That was the only thing that got Jen and I to say yes!) The most interesting story Rod told involved his caulking skills. Apparently, Rod said, there is an art to caulking. This statement made my head pop up. Did he even realize the homonym here? Either way, I couldn't look at Jen, or I knew I would completely lose my composure! So, back to the story. There is an artform to caulking. Rod, it would seem, is not a good caulker. No. In fact, he had to hire someone to come into his home and do his caulking for him! Now, I grant you, I have the mind of a 12 year old when it comes to words that sound naughty, but aren't. Caulk has to be one of my favorites. This conversation had me in silent mirth, delicately wiping away at tears, pretending it was my sinus pain. The hilarity! He is bad at caulking! He needs someone to do his caulking for him! Oh, really, it was just too much.
Curse count for the day: Shit!, 3 :: GDI, 1 :: Fuck, 3 :: Bitch, 1 (when referring to a woman)
I hope you have enjoyed learning more about the sordid side of Acme. And Rod's poor caulking skills!
I bid you adieu!
Eye Tee Girl
Payday was the 16th. All the companies I've ever worked for would work it like this: If payday falls on a Saturday, they pay you Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, they pay you Monday. A courtesy type thing, if you will.
But not Rod.
So on Friday, and perhaps earlier, I verified that payday would be Monday (I knew I didn't even have a shot at getting paid Friday). He agreed. Yes. Monday. I think I even mentioned something about MLK day. But the point is, he agreed. We would be getting paid Monday.
Now, I've heard stories from Jen. About Rod. They involve tax evasion, liens on accounts, and bounced checks. She has this whole ritual she goes through when she gets a check. She has even set up an account at Rod's bank to make the ritual goes smoothly. When we get paid, she cashes the check at the issuing bank, then she deposits the cash at her real bank. This way, she avoids a cashing fee, and any bounced check fees. She gave me the whole lowdown on how to do it. As a result, I am worried every single time I deposit a check. (I don't follow the ritual). (I should). I think she said that she and Dave went something like six weeks without getting paid. So, as Jen was detailing this whole story, I told her, "If he ever stiffs me for a check, that is the last day I work!"
Imagine my two-fold disappointment, dear, gentle readers, that he picked yesterday, the day I called in sick, to stiff me on my paycheck. I wasn't going to get paid, and I wasn't going to be able to walk out on him. Bummer!
So I got pissed, and I did my homework. This one isn't really as wishy washy as Rod wants us to believe. The rule reads that he "must pay on the regularly established payday." Now, there's no real punishment for it, but if (when!) I file a complaint, Washington State L&I takes over paying me for him if he doesn't heed their first warning.
I waited for Jen to come in this morning before asking in my best I'm-trying-not-to-kill-you voice: "So, Rod! Is there a reason we didn't get paid yesterday?" ahhereUUMM! "YES! That is because YESterday was a BANK holiday." I laughed out loud at that answer and said "Really? That's your reason?" I think I said something like "That's lame," but I don't remember for sure. His response, I'll never forget. "Well, it's good enough for me, so it has to be good enough for you."
Oh, no it doesn't, Rod. Something about "...and the horse you rode in on" is going through my mind right now.
Anyway, as I've been doing my research, I've been finding out all kinds of other stuff that is going on here that is illegal. I can't wait to list them all out for you! Finally, I have good blog stories on the days that are quiet here! Plus I want to verify that what I'm thinking is really true. It's surreal. I knew Rod was crooked, but what I've been uncovering takes it to new heights.
Here are some lighthearted, unrelated from our day:
Rod took us to lunch. Why? We have no idea. It was pleasant, I suppose. Lunch was free after all. (That was the only thing that got Jen and I to say yes!) The most interesting story Rod told involved his caulking skills. Apparently, Rod said, there is an art to caulking. This statement made my head pop up. Did he even realize the homonym here? Either way, I couldn't look at Jen, or I knew I would completely lose my composure! So, back to the story. There is an artform to caulking. Rod, it would seem, is not a good caulker. No. In fact, he had to hire someone to come into his home and do his caulking for him! Now, I grant you, I have the mind of a 12 year old when it comes to words that sound naughty, but aren't. Caulk has to be one of my favorites. This conversation had me in silent mirth, delicately wiping away at tears, pretending it was my sinus pain. The hilarity! He is bad at caulking! He needs someone to do his caulking for him! Oh, really, it was just too much.
Curse count for the day: Shit!, 3 :: GDI, 1 :: Fuck, 3 :: Bitch, 1 (when referring to a woman)
I hope you have enjoyed learning more about the sordid side of Acme. And Rod's poor caulking skills!
I bid you adieu!
Eye Tee Girl
Friday, January 15, 2010
This One's for the Dog!
Aging sucks. I think we all know that. And while it may be better than the alternative, it sure seems like it must be awful.
Rod, at last count, had the following maladies:
Back pain
A shoulder growth
A rash on his leg
and now the latest, a toe infection. Ick factor +8
Now, if this were describing my body, the last thing I would ever do would be to look in a mirror. Do you think these things happen to ALL old people? Or just the evil ones? Rod makes weekly appointments for the doctor these days. I think he's on a first name basis with the person who answers the phone, even! Me, I visit a doctor once every 5 years (at best!) and then, only when something hurts or seems infectious. This guy has been 5 times just this year! Oy vey, I hope we have a good insurance plan! Anyway, at least this latest corporal failure means he is leaving early today and Jen and I will get a nice lunch out of it!
Rod thinks he doesn't micromanage. Isn't that a laugh? He even bragged about it in my interview! Later, his story changed a bit. He said "Do you know? People think I micromanage!" and then he snorted in disbelief. I snorted right back and said "Ya, I can believe it! You have me cc you on every single email I send. Every time you ask me to do something, I must advise you when it is complete. You literally demand to know what I am thinking, you insist on my agreement with you on policies, approaches, and sales techniques. Yes, Rod, you are a Micromanager!" He still scoffed. "Well, I don't think that makes me a micromanager! That's just ensuring that we are giving good customer service!" I just rolled my eyes. I try not to think ill of anyone, but this guy is just clueless. He actually kinda reminds me of Mr Bean - just off in his own world, and when something happens that he doesn't like, well, he just dumps it in someone else's world (like the scene with the oysters, when he dumps them in the ladies purse).
Oh, and hell to the no! Ick factor +143. Rod just went to some website, I guess. All I know is that I heard a mouse click and then cheesy synth music, and then a woman's breathy panting voice. Oh HELL no. God, get me out of here, this place is just nasty. I am getting a prophylactic suit for Monday. I am just so creeped out right now! Damn!
Anyway, as this week closes, I have been thinking harder about why I'm still here. Last night as I drove home in the rain, I just couldn't think of why I should come in another day. When I got home, I finally realized it. My two puppies greeted me happily, bouncing off each other to give me warm kisses and nuzzles. I have a husky and a HUGE white malamute. The husky bounded up again, and landed on the malamute, who yelped and jumped, cowering in pain. She had hit his tender back legs. Maybe I should tell the whole story...
Last December (08), when Seattle got hit with a nasty series of freak snow storms, the city got buried. I religiously walked my dogs (I had just been laid off from Boeing, I certainly had nothing better to do), and the snow didn't stop me. Actually, it encouraged me! I love the snow. So, my fiance and I took my husky and the most innocent, incorrigible, impossible black lab you have ever known for a walk. We took them to the park and I let them run free, the snowdog and the retriever! They had a blast, running through the snow, bounding back to us... repeat! We got home that night, and our lab started whimpering in apparent pain. When I got him to come to me, I knew immediately what was wrong, my heart sank, and I went cold. He had bloat. And it was late at night. And the streets were covered in snow. This was not good.
Being the animal lovers we are, we got him into our Suburban (he jumped right up, despite the agony he was in) and off we took for the nearest emergency vet - about 10 miles away. Off we sped! A terrifying 20 MPH on deserted, snow packed streets! The dog moaning and howling in misery, but licking me desperately, as though to say "make it stop, mama, I know you can!" I kept saying "Just hang on, buddy, the doctor will fix you up! Just hang on, ohh, I know it hurts!" Then I'd yell desperately, "HOW MUCH FURTHER?"
If any of you have had a dog with bloat, you probably know what happened next. We got him in the vet's, they drugged him up good, took xrays, and came to us with the news. It would be $5000 to fix him. FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS! We looked at each other, we looked at the doc. I asked, "Can we set up a payment plan? I mean, Christmas is next week, and I just got riffed from Boeing, and ... well, we just don't have that kind of money sitting in an account." It killed me that money was stopping me from saving my dog's life. What a crime. He said, no, they would not accept payments, but they would take credit cards! Because I had already been burdening our credit cards by being out of work, this just was not a feasible option. We had to make the choice to have our dog put down. A perfectly healthy, wonderfully innocent 5 year old lab died that night. Because of money.
It took a few weeks, but we made the choice to get another dog. On Jan 2, 2009, we went to the Seattle pound, just to "take a look." I kept repeating, "We are not getting a dog today! So keep that in mind!" So in we walked, my main squeeze and his two sons. The first dog on the right was the biggest dog I have ever seen. He had wonderfully soulful eyes, and while all the other dogs were yapping, jumping, or eating their poo, he just quietly watched us. Back and forth we walked, pointing at different dogs. "What about this one!" or "Here's another husky!" or "Wow, I didn't know dogs would lay in their own poop! GROSS!" But I couldn't stray far from that big, white, sad-lookin' dog with the woeful eyes on the right. So I finally said, "Babe, I really want this one." And I pointed. He looked at me with huge eyes. I figured the answer would be "No way in hell!" I was half way right. "No way! That's the one I like too!!" The boys were all over it. "I loved him right away." "No you didn't, idiot, I did." "Yes I did!" "Can we get him?" "I love him!" I couldn't believe that everyone else wanted this same big ass dog I did!
So we did all the right things, we asked to take him out in the yard out back, we played with him, we kissed him, we walked him, we chased him, we were already proud of him... We fell in love with him. We put him on reserve - it was getting late, and I wanted my dog to play with him in the yard before we made it final.
The excitement the next day was better than Christmas. We were going to give Big Ass White Dog a new forever home! We packed the husky in the truck along with four overly excited humans. Well, to shorten the story, my husky fell in love as quickly as we did, and we decided to proceed. Dreading the fees, I took out my checkbook and asked what the tally was. Again, the want of money was interfering with my ability to love an animal. It made me sad. But imagine my surprise as the story unfolded! This was actually the dog's 2nd time to the pound! He was dropped off as a puppy and adopted by some sort of drug family, they think, who wanted a big ass dog for protection. Then they returned him, we think because he just got too big! The result was that they had already paid all the neutering fees, placement fees, whatever other charges there are, and all I had to pay for was to re-instate his license. $5. The big ass, 1 year old dog was 5 bucks.
When we got him home, I noticed his gait was a bit off, so I got him to our usual vet. They checked him out, and said something was definitely wrong - hips, back, or knees, they couldn't tell, so they referred us to an expert place. Off we went to the next place, they couldn't really diagnose either, without xrays and medicines to see how he reacted. Xrays and medicine all cost money. And for a dog that big, it meant big money. So I promised him as we left, "One day soon, big bubba, I'm gonna get a job, and I'm gonna save up my money, and we are gonna get your legs fixed!"
The windshield wipers squealed and brought me back to the present. Here I am, keeping a promise I made to a dog, a solemn vow, and one I will not break. He doesn't know I made the promise, but I do. And one day, I will have the money to fix him. He will not have to live a life in pain. Everyday I put up with Rod, as trite as it is, for a few more dollars in the "Fix the dog" pot. It may seem stupid to put up with this for a promise to a dog, but it's enough to help me go in every day now, and put up with a little more crap, until I land somewhere else.
It's not a lot, but it's enough.
Happy puppy trails, everyone! It's Friday!
Eye Tee Girl
Rod, at last count, had the following maladies:
Back pain
A shoulder growth
A rash on his leg
and now the latest, a toe infection. Ick factor +8
Now, if this were describing my body, the last thing I would ever do would be to look in a mirror. Do you think these things happen to ALL old people? Or just the evil ones? Rod makes weekly appointments for the doctor these days. I think he's on a first name basis with the person who answers the phone, even! Me, I visit a doctor once every 5 years (at best!) and then, only when something hurts or seems infectious. This guy has been 5 times just this year! Oy vey, I hope we have a good insurance plan! Anyway, at least this latest corporal failure means he is leaving early today and Jen and I will get a nice lunch out of it!
Rod thinks he doesn't micromanage. Isn't that a laugh? He even bragged about it in my interview! Later, his story changed a bit. He said "Do you know? People think I micromanage!" and then he snorted in disbelief. I snorted right back and said "Ya, I can believe it! You have me cc you on every single email I send. Every time you ask me to do something, I must advise you when it is complete. You literally demand to know what I am thinking, you insist on my agreement with you on policies, approaches, and sales techniques. Yes, Rod, you are a Micromanager!" He still scoffed. "Well, I don't think that makes me a micromanager! That's just ensuring that we are giving good customer service!" I just rolled my eyes. I try not to think ill of anyone, but this guy is just clueless. He actually kinda reminds me of Mr Bean - just off in his own world, and when something happens that he doesn't like, well, he just dumps it in someone else's world (like the scene with the oysters, when he dumps them in the ladies purse).
Oh, and hell to the no! Ick factor +143. Rod just went to some website, I guess. All I know is that I heard a mouse click and then cheesy synth music, and then a woman's breathy panting voice. Oh HELL no. God, get me out of here, this place is just nasty. I am getting a prophylactic suit for Monday. I am just so creeped out right now! Damn!
Anyway, as this week closes, I have been thinking harder about why I'm still here. Last night as I drove home in the rain, I just couldn't think of why I should come in another day. When I got home, I finally realized it. My two puppies greeted me happily, bouncing off each other to give me warm kisses and nuzzles. I have a husky and a HUGE white malamute. The husky bounded up again, and landed on the malamute, who yelped and jumped, cowering in pain. She had hit his tender back legs. Maybe I should tell the whole story...
Last December (08), when Seattle got hit with a nasty series of freak snow storms, the city got buried. I religiously walked my dogs (I had just been laid off from Boeing, I certainly had nothing better to do), and the snow didn't stop me. Actually, it encouraged me! I love the snow. So, my fiance and I took my husky and the most innocent, incorrigible, impossible black lab you have ever known for a walk. We took them to the park and I let them run free, the snowdog and the retriever! They had a blast, running through the snow, bounding back to us... repeat! We got home that night, and our lab started whimpering in apparent pain. When I got him to come to me, I knew immediately what was wrong, my heart sank, and I went cold. He had bloat. And it was late at night. And the streets were covered in snow. This was not good.
Being the animal lovers we are, we got him into our Suburban (he jumped right up, despite the agony he was in) and off we took for the nearest emergency vet - about 10 miles away. Off we sped! A terrifying 20 MPH on deserted, snow packed streets! The dog moaning and howling in misery, but licking me desperately, as though to say "make it stop, mama, I know you can!" I kept saying "Just hang on, buddy, the doctor will fix you up! Just hang on, ohh, I know it hurts!" Then I'd yell desperately, "HOW MUCH FURTHER?"
If any of you have had a dog with bloat, you probably know what happened next. We got him in the vet's, they drugged him up good, took xrays, and came to us with the news. It would be $5000 to fix him. FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS! We looked at each other, we looked at the doc. I asked, "Can we set up a payment plan? I mean, Christmas is next week, and I just got riffed from Boeing, and ... well, we just don't have that kind of money sitting in an account." It killed me that money was stopping me from saving my dog's life. What a crime. He said, no, they would not accept payments, but they would take credit cards! Because I had already been burdening our credit cards by being out of work, this just was not a feasible option. We had to make the choice to have our dog put down. A perfectly healthy, wonderfully innocent 5 year old lab died that night. Because of money.
It took a few weeks, but we made the choice to get another dog. On Jan 2, 2009, we went to the Seattle pound, just to "take a look." I kept repeating, "We are not getting a dog today! So keep that in mind!" So in we walked, my main squeeze and his two sons. The first dog on the right was the biggest dog I have ever seen. He had wonderfully soulful eyes, and while all the other dogs were yapping, jumping, or eating their poo, he just quietly watched us. Back and forth we walked, pointing at different dogs. "What about this one!" or "Here's another husky!" or "Wow, I didn't know dogs would lay in their own poop! GROSS!" But I couldn't stray far from that big, white, sad-lookin' dog with the woeful eyes on the right. So I finally said, "Babe, I really want this one." And I pointed. He looked at me with huge eyes. I figured the answer would be "No way in hell!" I was half way right. "No way! That's the one I like too!!" The boys were all over it. "I loved him right away." "No you didn't, idiot, I did." "Yes I did!" "Can we get him?" "I love him!" I couldn't believe that everyone else wanted this same big ass dog I did!
So we did all the right things, we asked to take him out in the yard out back, we played with him, we kissed him, we walked him, we chased him, we were already proud of him... We fell in love with him. We put him on reserve - it was getting late, and I wanted my dog to play with him in the yard before we made it final.
The excitement the next day was better than Christmas. We were going to give Big Ass White Dog a new forever home! We packed the husky in the truck along with four overly excited humans. Well, to shorten the story, my husky fell in love as quickly as we did, and we decided to proceed. Dreading the fees, I took out my checkbook and asked what the tally was. Again, the want of money was interfering with my ability to love an animal. It made me sad. But imagine my surprise as the story unfolded! This was actually the dog's 2nd time to the pound! He was dropped off as a puppy and adopted by some sort of drug family, they think, who wanted a big ass dog for protection. Then they returned him, we think because he just got too big! The result was that they had already paid all the neutering fees, placement fees, whatever other charges there are, and all I had to pay for was to re-instate his license. $5. The big ass, 1 year old dog was 5 bucks.
When we got him home, I noticed his gait was a bit off, so I got him to our usual vet. They checked him out, and said something was definitely wrong - hips, back, or knees, they couldn't tell, so they referred us to an expert place. Off we went to the next place, they couldn't really diagnose either, without xrays and medicines to see how he reacted. Xrays and medicine all cost money. And for a dog that big, it meant big money. So I promised him as we left, "One day soon, big bubba, I'm gonna get a job, and I'm gonna save up my money, and we are gonna get your legs fixed!"
The windshield wipers squealed and brought me back to the present. Here I am, keeping a promise I made to a dog, a solemn vow, and one I will not break. He doesn't know I made the promise, but I do. And one day, I will have the money to fix him. He will not have to live a life in pain. Everyday I put up with Rod, as trite as it is, for a few more dollars in the "Fix the dog" pot. It may seem stupid to put up with this for a promise to a dog, but it's enough to help me go in every day now, and put up with a little more crap, until I land somewhere else.
It's not a lot, but it's enough.
Happy puppy trails, everyone! It's Friday!
Eye Tee Girl
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