Angry Rant Time

Normally, I'm not a feminist.  Yes, I believe in equal rights for all men and women alike, but I don't necessarily think women deserve anything extra.  Times are changing, women are becoming more powerful in the work place and the majority of the time it's because they worked for it.  In an industry that has always been male dominated, I bow down in respect to those who get there.  I'm not gonna lie, if I eventually get work because some hardcore feminist made the government require a certain percentage of work to go to a minority and/or woman, I'll take it.  But where I'm at right now...and here's to hoping none of the upper management in this company find this blog...DAMN THIS BOYS CLUB OF A COMPANY.

Shortly after I started here, I realized how much of a 'boys club' it was.  It doesn't really bother me as I'm always going to be unaffected.  For some reason, our little engineering group stands outside of normal day-to-day production.  We even can hide ourselves away from the rest of the office by closing a door.  So fine, no big deal. It irks me a little though, to see how the rest of the office is structured.  Normally, I just don't say anything and move on with life.  If they don't do anything about it, and they can deal with working in that way, more power to them.  I just know I couldn't and wouldn't put up with it.

I know where I stand here, and thank god for my boss who has helped to manipulate the misguided perceptions of a certain individual who happens to be head honcho of this joint.  I get respect because of what I do, and even then it's because my boss has given credit to where its due.  Not that it's that much of a big deal for me to get credit for what I do, but the little credit the does come my way helps to keep my job from morphing into something 'other' in this place.  One of my reviews with the president very nearly caused me to quit.  Let's just say he tried to "promote" me to being my boss's 'assistant'.  He literally said that I would answer his phone calls.  Like fucking hell I would.  I don't mind doing the extra busy work that needs to get done for my boss, but there's no way anyone is going to get me to do dictation.   Luckily, my boss didn't go for it.  Not that he outright crossed the man but more like worked around his idea of my job description...

Over the past few days, I've been asked to print off an office organization chart.  Basically it says who does what and who manages whom.  Boy, it is all over the place.  Today, I finally noticed one additional tidbit.  A new name.  I knew we were hiring a new person for accounting.  The financial manager is pregnant and is going to be on maternity leave soon, we recently had someone quit and although we replaced the person who quit there's still too much work for accounting to handle.   So there were a few interviews, all of them interviewed by the financial manager because she needed the new hire to be able to help with some of her responsibilities when she goes on maternity leave.  I knew they had picked one of the guys, but I just didn't know when he'd be starting.  Apparently it won't be for another couple weeks, which would put it about a week or 2 before she goes on maternity leave. 

No big deal having a new hire to help out with some managerial duties, right?  At least, that has been the assumption around accounting, which for reference, are all women. Well, according to this organization chart, he's placed above her.  Now, maybe I don't know the whole story...maybe he was hired to be a financial manager manager...?  She's been the financial manager now for longer than I've been here, and finally got her own office a year and a half ago. But I know the reason she's that high up in the food chain is that she knows her shit, and worked for it.  (and is still working for it)

I asked about the new hire, when I gave the print back to the person who asked me to print it. She made a circling motion around the accounting bracket saying "yeah, that's going to cause a lot of problems. you didn't see this" shaking her head and covering the names.  Taken aback by that comment, I probed further...and basically, no one knows what the new guy was hired for.  I can bet you no one is expecting that particular adjustment in the chain of command. And the way things change around here, I'm not sure she will still have her office by the time she comes back from maternity leave. 

As previously stated, I'm not normally a feminist...but the way I'm seeing this situation? She has worked her ass off for these guys and they're essentially "demoting" her.  For what? Because she's pregnant?!  That is such bullshit, not to mention illegal in about a thousand different ways, yet I'm sure they'll find some legal work-around for an excuse.  I'm curious to see how they'll pull this one off.  It's infuriating, and I'm tempted to forward this chart to the financial manager.  Although I may be genetically predisposed for an addiction to drama, I try not to cause it.   Who knows, maybe she already knows what's going to happen....

Increasing the "Aww" factor, baby style.

Gotta love office birthdays.  If it's not free lunch, its treats. But today was special, a birthday and a baby shower.  The birthday, although special, was nothing different than the standard office birthday crowding around the kitchen pretending we all don't want a slice of that fluffy grocery store cake knowing after everyone walks out we'll each slink our way back to sneak a piece. 

However, despite an office full of women, a baby shower is a rarity which draws all the women to hover around to envy the mom-to-be of her new baby outfits and toys.  I don't know about you but I certainly can't help but have my own Lily Aldrin "but sock" moment when the baby socks get passed around with little monkeys.


How I Met Your Mother - Season 4: Not a Father's Day, Drunk Lily(in case you haven't seen it, here it is)

(horrid quality, and it cuts off in a bad spot but it's all I could find on my first youtube search)

Today one of the men sprung for lunch, not in honor of Mom-to-Be but in honor of reproduction around the world.  It was a nice gesture, and a tasty meal.  While waiting for the food to arrive, I sauntered over to the kitchen in an attempt to abate my hunger with some of the other tasty treats ruminating on the counter.  As I walked in, some of the other women were admiring the decorations and commenting on the cute packages we all took time to wrap with pretty pink bows and purple tulle.  I grabbed a cracker and one of them turned to me and said "You need to have a baby now."

Ok, I'll get right on that. <wink>...is what I should have said.  Instead, I shoved a cheese topped cracker in my mouth as my eyes doubled in size searching the room and tried to think of what to say to that strange comment.  It took me by surprise, though it shouldn't have considering I've been bombarded with all sorts of baby making insinuations from the day my cousin's daughter was born.  "It's your turn!!" has been spat at me more than enough times to count.  So needless to say, my surprise was a surprise in itself.  It's probably because I never got it from anyone at work before.  Certainly not that bluntly put either.  

Lets just say this now..I do want kids.  But most days, I can wait.  That's what the puppy is good for.

I'm sure I mentioned the pink.  The mom-to-be is having a girl, so everything is pink.  All of the cute adorable dresses, and footies, and onesies, and bathrobes, and burp cloths given today were pink.  All except mine.  I figured there was going to be more than enough pink, so I bought the cutest purple sweater with bright flowery pants, and a yellow and green onesie/pantset that proudly sported 'Mommy's Little Girl' across the front.  One of my coworkers made the comment that if we had not known who gave what, her guess would have been that I gave the yellow and purple outfits.  Apparently, I'm known as 'shoe girl' because of my collection of bright shoes...so who else but 'shoe girl' would give the baby bright outfits? 

Bright outfits a la Shoe Girl

How cute! I suppose I could have gone a more classic route with pink and cute little monkeys and ducks, but where's the fun in that?  A couple of genius ideas others have given:  a big piggy bank and a "big brother" present which consisted of a couple books and a pack of m&m's.  The woman this shower was for has a son who is I think 5-6 years old.  So, I thought it was an extremely thoughtful gift to also give the older sibling something as well.  I'll have to steal it the idea for the next baby shower...which, considering how many people I know that are pregnant right now...could be any day now. 

Things that make me go, hmm...Armageddon via Comet Elenin

"The government don't want you to know about it cuz they scared!"...."It's all lies, the government made it all up!"...."They're not talking about it in the news yet but Google it!"..."They're keeping it a secret, but..."

I've heard them all. Armageddon, Doomsday, The End of the World, The Ultimate Showdown....whatever you call it, the existence of the world will cease through some cataclysmic event that is bound to happen sometime in the near future, certainly within our own lifetimes.  We're all bound to end up at some kind of gate in the end...be it Heaven or Hell.  But what will inevitably cause that end?  I'm on the boat called "I hope its old age and not something you idiots are trying to scare me with"    Everything in my logical mind screams, "you all are crazy!", and I sit back and shake my head.  However, it does spark interest in my creative mind to follow such nonsense.

I don't go searching for these things, I don't need to. I have a coworker so deeply embedded into the fabric of the conspiracy world I hear about some new "big government secret" almost weekly.  He is particularly interested in astro-paranormal weather effects.  Having studied meteorology in college 30 years ago, he's who I refer to for my weather concerns, since he's usually right.  But when he starts talkin' stars...I'm not sure where he gets his information. 

This week its Comet Elenin.  The comet that will supposedly come within 0.15 au of Earth sometime in October March of this year!!! <note heavy sarcasm> "Scientists" have forcasted some serious action...including the biggest doozy of them all: pole reversal and/or earth's ceasing to rotate.  With the earth suddenly at a stand still, there will be massive volcanic eruptions, earth crumbling quakes, and land consuming tsunamis. Who knows, maybe the lost city of Atlantis will be found! All in all it ends with maybe a few million survivors, maybe no one survives...

The thing with these theories is its always somehow based on real life events that are occurring every day.  Some of them are a little odd...sinkholes for one baffle me. And they keep appearing all around the world.  Record storms, spikes in volcano activity, and earthquakes in distant faults that have long been forgotten...  Add in an article about Yellowstone taking a "deep breath" before some ultimate explosion (because Yellowstone actually IS a giant volcano), causing the land to rise several inches...and Old Faithful perhaps not being so faithful anymore, and I can see how it's easy to fall into the hype.

So, buying into it just a teeny bit this time around...hello end of the world.

There are no stupid questions?

I remember in school practically every teacher on the first day encouraged class participation, announcing "There are no stupid questions".  As the years went on I started adding, "just stupid people" in my head.  Then one semester, I had this awesome professor who started off the semester by saying, yes, there are in fact stupid questions, and backed up this statement with his own personal story.  It was raining, and he unfortunately hit a woman in a crosswalk.  He jumped out and asked "Are you OK?".  He stood up in front of the class and smacked himself on the forehead continuing with, "of course she's not ok, idiot. you just hit her!"  That earned him a round of chuckles from the class, and definitely some extra respect.  Everyone knows that at some point or another they ask a stupid question, or get asked a stupid question. Don't lie.


Most of the time, a question is just phrased in a stupid way.  The intention of the inquiry is generally apparent and regardless of the actual words you still understand what the real question is.  Though sometimes, I can't help but balk at those people who still chose to phrase their questions in such a way that I can't help but shake my head.  If I were to take these questions literally, I would have many enemies considering my reply would be very sarcastic and berating.  For instance, my most recent e-mail from a certain contractor who just gets my hackles up every time he comes into the office...a simple one sentence email:

Hi,
What are we going to do about the blizzard?
Kelly 

Oh. My. Gobstoppers.  Of course, I understand the underlying question to be "Is my schedule going to change because of the weather?"  Yes, he works outside.  Yes, a blizzard is coming to town in the next 2-3 days.  Yes, if there's a blizzard then we'll have to reschedule some of the work.  And maybe it's only because this particular person gets on my nerves that I'm picking on him here...but honestly?  My initial reaction was..."Well Mr. P, as I am not God, I can't do jack about the blizzard. What's the problem here?"  I think the problem I have with him is he asks these kinds of questions and complains about things I cannot change almost every time I speak with him.  I swear, the majority of my responses have been to shrug and say "I have no power to change that, but I'll speak to the bosses to see what we can do."

Naturally, I tend to be nicer in person and then rant about the situation to my friends, the husband, and anyone else crazy enough to listen.  And...naturally, I never mention the times I reflect on my own stupidity, though I do have plenty of my own face smacking "doh!" moments....the difference is...I eventually realize I'm being stupid.

Falling off the anger wagon...

I know, I know, I said I am removing the phrase 'I hate it when..." from my vocabulary and every day speech but you know what...today, I need it.

I hate annoying sales calls. I like to think I make things pretty damn clear when I say "I'm not interested".  Sometimes, I'll be nice and let them go through their entire spiels before letting them down easy.  But how many times does a person have to say NO THANK YOU before getting pissed off?  You can say all you want but I'm totally not listening.  Eventually, I will hang up on you.  It depends on my mood on whether or not I warn you before doing so.  Sometimes I will use misdirection especially if the call is not directed for me in the first place.   It's my nice way of saying SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE.   Please do not think you can get to me, because you will invariably lose.  One call I remember telling the infuriating woman that I will hang up on her if she does not shut up...3 times, then because I could I tapped the receiver on the counter several times to make a loud annoying noise and hung up on her.   I do not feel any kind of remorse for that.  I would tell any other person that was inappropriate behavior but I very kindly told her multiple times and still she kept at it.  Ok, so I have a bit of a temper.  Who doesn't?


So what brings on this rant of my hatred of telemarketers? Oh, the fact that I had to field yet another one at work.  My department at work has our own phone number, which I never give out because I never want to answer the phones, my boss never gives out because its not my job to answer the phones, and no one else here even knows it.  Every once in a while a call will come in to our engineering phone line, and I have to answer it...99.9% of the phone calls I've taken are unwanted.  The only time it ever was someone 'important' was the most random thing.  

Anyway, this guy originally dialed the correct number for the main office and asked to speak to one of my 'engineering' co-workers who promptly asked for it to be sent to voicemail seeing as the name was totally unrecognizable and he didn't want to deal with it at the time.   But because the telemarketer got his voicemail, he hit 0 expecting to be bounced back to the receptionist.  But to my horror, it turns out that when someone does that in the engineering department, it gets bounced back to ME.  FML.  So I'm stuck listening to his spiel because I mistakenly confirmed I was in the same department...well not mistakenly, since he sits 3 feet away, but unfortunately for sure.  So since I'm not sure if this was something my co-worker was looking for at any time, I play nice and misdirect.  "You can email John all the information" I say, but this dude will not shut up.  I don't care about some project management program, we already have one...that barely gets used.  Why would they want to spend money on another one?  I'm getting visibly agitated listening to this guy.  I mean, after I got off the call, my boss was laughing because he watched me hold the receiver away from my ear as I sneered at it hoping the man on the other end would mentally feel the ice from my glare.  


But in some way, I'm less mad about the telemarketer than the fact that what PROBABLY happened was the receptionist up front after being told to put the caller into John's voicemail didn't tell the guy that John was unavailable and if he'd like to be put into his voicemail.  Instead she probably just threw him into the voicemail system without warning the guy who expected to talk to a person.  Which brings me to yet another thing I hate....

I hate when the receptionist answers the phone and while transferring the call to me will occasionally just throw it over to me without warning.  MOST of the time she will say who is calling before transferring the call...so I will pick up the phone seeing it's her extension calling me and greet her fairly casually.  This morning was one of those times she threw the call without saying a word.   Which resulted in me embarrassing myself with a bright cheery 'Heeeyyy' on the phone as a greeting.  Luckily, the person calling was a woman I have frequently spoken to in a casual manner.  Even luckier I didn't answer with "Hey biatch"... I mean, what if it's someone I don't want to talk to at the moment? What if I wanted this person to be put in my voicemail instead because I'm busy with something? 


Agh...TESSA SMASH...........



OK, much better.  Breathe in, Breathe out.  Back to the zen state I was in previously.