“Grow Up!” or When it’s Beyond Your Issues

Without getting into too many details and hopefull not being too vauge, there’s major weighty stuff going on in StephanieLand.

I’ve never been close with my father’s side.  It’s not for lack of trying (on my part) but with the exception of my uncle in California (who is actually cool) and my uncle in Ohio (who hasn’t been a dick to me, but was to my Dad), I do not communicate with any of the rest of his family.  Not that I talk to Cali/Ohio, but they would accept a phone call.
Dad’s sisters have always been unusually cruel to me and thus, I’ve cut them out of my life, which sadly means that I’ve cut my cousins (who may actually be cool) out of my life.

Well, my one cousin was very ill when she was younger and then she went into like, some kind of remission or something, but now, whatever she had is back.  I can openly say “whatever” because I don’t actually know what it is and I hear it third or fourth party.
So, instead of my Evil Aunt calling my Dad (whom she called ALL THE TIME whenever my cousin was younger and having issues… and that’s the only time she called), EA calls her other brother, who then calls my Dad.
Dad calls EA and she gets back to him all whiney (par for the course) and I hear my cousin is really bad off.

Okay, despite what happened between her and Dad, this isn’t about them anymore, it’s about the daughter.  You’re telling me that despite your daughter being so very sick, you can not pick up the phone and call your brother, whom you relied so heavily upon previously, to let him know what’s going on.

Jesus Christ, get over yourself.

(P.S. yeah, I still have a lot of anger issues to deal with between EA and I, but even I am teetering on calling her, not talking about me or her, and seeing how my cousin is.  And then, when the enviable happens, I’m torn about going and not going.  Guess it depends if Dad goes…)

Two Notes to Fellow Gym Patrons

Dear Woman Two Treadmills Over,
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO TALK SO LOUD ON YOUR CELL PHONE?!?!
I had to turn my iPod up to drown you out, not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES because you were trying to talk over the noise of your fit legs and feet stomping on the “superquiet” surface.
I understand that the gym is a public space and you’re welcome to talk on your phone, but I think it’s safe to say that the entire gym heard about your plans for the weekend.
Good luck on your date and I hope you got laid.
- Out of Shape Girl Two Treadmills Over

Dear Woman Who Brought Your Kid into the Women’s Only Area,
First and foremost, if you can’t control your kid, they shouldn’t be in a gym.
I am not a mother, but I do know that boys are instinctively destructive and for this reason, you certainly should not have let him “work out” on machines designed for adults.
And while I’m sure it’s “cute” that your monster bashes the weights down on the abductor, I happen to like to use that machine and if I find out that I can’t use it because the weights are broken, I’m going to crush your head between my thighs and not in any kind of kinky/sensual way.
Secondly, the room that says “Women Only Workout Area” is for women only.  Granted your spawn looked like he could have passed as a girl, but if I wanted some pervert to watch me work-out (I don’t care how old he is, I DO NOT like being watched), I would have hired a trainer.
Do you have any idea how close I was to going to the front desk with your many violations?  Yeah, thisclose.
Let me add that telling your child not to do that (whatever “that” may be at the time) does not constitute discipline.
Keep your brat out of the gym.
- The Girl who was Shooting You Dirty Looks

Bad Taste?

It is in bad taste to post a huge sign by the coffee maker:

If it is before 10am, please make another pot of coffee.

I just got out of a headache inducing meeting (though I do feel WICKED smart) and I just want a FREAKING CUP OF COFFEE and there’s none.

WHO DOES THAT?!!?!

(sorry about the coffee related rants, but come on people, it’s called consideration)

I did place a sticky note next to the outlet as the offending party often unplugs the pot.  Screw that.

Dear Fellow Office Inhabitants

Dear Fellow Office Inhabitants,

It is 9:15am.
Will someone please explain to me why the coffee pot is empty?  Not only is it empty, it’s been rinsed out as if no one else will be drinking coffee today.

How to Piss Me Off: At Work

(if you actually work with me and do any of these things, I’m sorry, it’s nothing personal…  And these are not necessarily current peeves.)

• Use the last of the paper towels/coffee/copy paper/fax paper and don’t replace it
• Leave faxes on the machine.  Especially those journal/transmission reports and obvious junk mail (“Go to Cancun for $0.12!!”)
• Use a wet spoon in the powdered creamer
• Don’t rinse your spoon after mixing your coffee
• Leave your dishes in the sink
• Leave the sponge in the sink, directly over the drain
• Talk REALLY LOUD on the phone
• Have your phone turned up so loud that people across the office can hear it
• Fart around all day and then complain about how behind you are
• Woe is me… especially of my own doing
• Overuse air freshener
• Assume that because I am at my desk, I am at your beck and immediate call, being able to drop whatever it is that I’m doing to help you
• Invade my personal space
• Move things on my desk
• Comment on the paperwork in my in-box
• Comment LOUDLY on how busy I look
• Try to be funny when you’re incompetent
• Leave your water/coffee/soda on my desk for an insane amount of time
• Eat a banana and throw the rind in my trashcan
• Read me the riot act when I don’t ask you if you want anything for lunch and never offer to pick me up anything if you go out
• Read over my shoulder
• Comment about how you’re going to change things after you’ve been here for three days
• Comment about how I do my job
• Tell me I’m wrong
• Assume that I am stupid because of my age or hair color
• Complain about how hard it is to do a simple task so someone will do it for you
• Come to me minutes before the end of my shift and ask me to do something labor intensive
• Clip your nails
• Provide running commentary on whatever task I’m doing Provide running commentary on whatever you’re observing
• Ignore me
• Accuse me of things that I did (or did not) do; whichever makes me look bad
• Set me up for your falls
• Don’t listen to me
• Complain when I don’t notice your new haircut/glasses/shirt but you don’t notice my new haircut/glasses/shirt
• Call me “kid” (or some variation thereof) because you have a child (or grandchild) my age
• Leave coffee/water/food on the kitchen counter
• “Not my problem”
• “That’s not what I said.”

Yeah, that’s about it off the top of my head.

What pisses you off at work?

… No, it Really Doesn’t…

I go to top off my coffee and there is half of a small cup.
Grumbling, I pour out my last-of-the-pot and proceed to make a new pot.
A co-worker walks up to me and comments, “Making another pot of coffee?”
I comment back, knowingly, “Yeah, whoever took the last cup didn’t leave enough for the next person, so I’m making a pot.”
“Well, I make the first pot of the morning so it evens out.” and away they go.

Seriously, have you never worked with other people before?

And here I thought we were all adults

Since starting the prescription regime, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been really mad… you know, so mad that I realize it… which used to be ALL THE TIME.
So there’s a new person around and they’re basically taking over the duties I took over when we had a shift in management.  No big, I got over that part.
Perhaps this is a good time to bring up a good point.  I have a VERY hard time dealing with you if you don’t respect me.
Right, so this person comes up and asks me a reasonable question. I begin to answer, realize an error and begin to explain how/why this may have happened.  At this point, someone else walks up to the questionee, doesn’t say anything to them, waits for our conversation to end and the questionee turns towards the new arrivee and proceeds to hold a conversation with them.
I WASN’T EVEN IN BETWEEN SENTENCES.  I WAS BETWEEN WORDS.
At this point, my jaw just drops open.  SassyInnerVoice pulls a “Oh no you didn’t.”  I am shocked.  Awed.
Really?  Did you just decide to end your conversation with me?  While I was talking?
When their conversation is over, the questionee goes back to the appropriate location in the cube farm.  Doesn’t apologize, doesn’t try to pick up the conversation… ( I came back to write this next part of the paragraph while I was re-reading/revising)  And he just asked someone else the same question… (back to original thoughts)
I turn to my co-worker and ask if that really just happened.  She nods.
And now I’m beyond pissed.
This is after a conversation we had this morning where they were trying to explain a report to me that I used to handle.  Like I’m an idiot.  And tells me many times how important it is to get the answers on this problem as the customer is waiting.  I explain that I am in the middle of something and I can get to it soon.  I then hear them ask two other people (who have little to no experience with the account) to help him.  But when YOU ask for something…
And we’re not an overtly nosy group.  If you’re sick and you leave, we don’t come out with a “he was puking all over the place so he left.”  We’re “He left.” receptionists.  Questionee is pumping us for information… DUDE, they left.  What else do you need to know?
It’s almost like if he doesn’t like or agree with the answer, he will ask more people until he’s satisfied.  Maybe he thinks we’re lying to him and he’s checking for inconsistencies.

My quandary is how to tell this person that if they don’t respect me, I will not help them; but keeping with Office Friendly Conversation.  I’ve been working really hard to keep my emotional tenderness is check, but I’m really upset about this.