Well...my day is essentially done in an hour. I have a "Lunch and Learn" for a potential new payroll program to go to, and my manager said I can go home after.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-19T12:50:14-04:00
@GM, nice one bro! I could only wish!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-19T13:07:17-04:00
I just have that one more test. I'm actually a bit afraid, because I feel prepared this time. The past one like this, I thought for sure I would fail, and the one before I was iffy on. So now that I have any level of confidence, I remember that my success rate has always been directly proportional to the inverse of my confidence level. Especially to how well I think I did just after finishing.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-20T06:21:11-04:00
I say big test because it literally lasts the full day, from 9:00-9:30-ish until lunch at 1:30.
Just the hardest, the writing, to go, though I kinda wish I'd spent more time on the Grammar portion since I had a bunch extra after the last session. Oh well, probably wouldn't have improved anything, and more likely just second-guessed myself and messed stuff up, and now I have over half an hour to relax!
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-20T09:03:50-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-20T09:05:17-04:00
@Zem, best of luck! You got this bro! So after this test do you still have more school whilst in Germany? Hoping you get lots of time to just enjoy being in a different country for a while!
Nothing like other people dropping the ball and screwing things up to cause what should be a quiet Friday into a shit show.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-20T11:36:47-04:00
Morning kittens.
I was feeling kinda morbid this week so I tried to put things in perspective by listening to Youtube videos about jobs and the middle class. I stumbled across some videos that interviewed the fringe works that barely make minimum wage filling orders for Amazon and Walmart. Most of those folks don't have cars so they have to rely on van drivers that pick them up for $8 bucks a trip so they can get to a job that doesn't pay benefits, barely lets you use the bathroom and will let you go at a moments notice.
Stuff like this is the reason why I don't shop at Walmart, rarely shop at Target and try to buy my fruits and veggies from the farmer's market.
And then I was listening to a video about how machines will be able to do a lot of the fast food/fast casual jobs within the next 10 years. Since I don't want a robot making my food (no matter how "The Jetsons" cool it may look) I'll just have to make take away dinners in my own kitchen.
...Why do people close an account, then decide AFTER payroll is finished to tell us? Same with address changes...you move, you tell payroll so that your check stub goes to your new home...preferably BEFORE you complete the move(most people know a week before they move what their new address is going to be after all).
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-20T12:49:59-04:00
@GM: Because some people are lazy? In the instance of moving, maybe some folks simply forget due to all the packing they have to do.
@Geist: I could understand that people would forget in the chaos of moving, but almost everyone starts talking about moving weeks in advance of the actual move. Even the managers would be aware because the person would book time off(at least for our hourly staff they would) and the manager would approve of it, and one would hope at that time remind them to let payroll/HR know.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-20T12:58:28-04:00
Yeah, I PASSED! ... somehow.
Actually, this time, it isn't as much of a surprise, just more of a relief.
`
BaKhan, yup, I'll be here for most of the summer too, 10 more weeks through the end of June. I come back in fact on the last day I think. But thanks!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-20T13:00:50-04:00
Oooh... summer. I forgot. They don't really have air conditioning here, more of "I'll just move the air around for you guys, hope it feels cooler!"
In fact, it feels warmer usually.
`
It was up to 84 today, pretty dang warm for this time of the year. Thankfully (for me) next week is just between 8 and 20 C, about 45 to 70 F, and a bit rainy.
`
Haha, I'll be in my element, while all the others lament!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-20T13:19:50-04:00
@GM: But most people don't know how much trouble they are causing you when they don't supply that information on time. And half of those that do, don't care. They would consider it as "part of your job". (Translation: You can work miracles)
I work enough miracles based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge(there is a t-shirt I saw that has that exact saying...just add "Payroll Coordinator we do precision guess work" before based).
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-20T13:53:43-04:00
@GM: Ever thought of opening your own payroll company for small businesses? You'd be your own boss and wouldn't have to work with crappy office people. The customers might get on your nerves but it beats having to work for someone else.
@Geist: As much as I would love being my own boss, I don't have the experience right now to be able to open my own small business.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-20T15:37:01-04:00
@GM: In order to get the experience, wouldn't have to start first?
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-21T14:58:20-04:00
"We do precision guess work based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge."
Haha, that's great, and applies to sadly all too many professions.
`
Also, you probably have good enough experience in payroll to do that mostly on your own, but starting a company is a whole different thing. I'd say you could be part of a start-up or smaller firm, but I wouldn't advise just starting your own company; then you become a manager and entrepreneur more than anything else.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-23T07:07:16-04:00
Morning kittens. Easy weekend at my pt job. No reports to write. Just chilling for 8 hours. Not bad.
I watched Ready Player One again. This movie is the sole reason why I would purchase a huge 60" HD TV. There are so many details that fly by when watching it even for a second time. Don't know if I will get around to watching Infinity Wars this weekend. Pretty sure it will be sold out solid for two weeks.
Looks like they finally decided on a day that people are shuffling offices(I get to be in the one front and center...so whenever visitors come I'm the first to be pestered). Now I just need to empty out 2 pieces of furniture that are going to be moved.
@BaKhan: I used three, but that's definitely what I did. Can't even see them unless you know that the hem came out already.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-23T11:02:07-04:00
@GM, there you go, back when I had to wear dress pants to work, that was a life saver for me, more times than a guy would expect. I always hem my own jeans and such, but would normally have the place that I bought my suits hem them for me, obviously, they didn't do as good a job as I would have... ;) It is what it is though.
This is only the second pair in all the years I've had dress pants to have that happen. The other paid it was only a small section that had come undone, while this one if the whole thing.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-23T12:33:51-04:00
So the Universal Fan Con that was suppose to happen on Friday has been canceled. I backed it on Kickstarter and was really looking forward to attending. So much so that I asked for this Friday off. (I will have to work 10 hours Monday - Thursday in order to make up the hours)
As I'm reading about this on the net, looks like the folks who put this together have tried to do it before and always cancel the event and keep the money. I'm glad I only backed this for $10. As for the day off, I can use it to get a new ID and some other stuff done that I can't get done during the weekday.
Mike Kabala 2018-04-23T14:04:47-04:00
Afternoon kittens. I'm still playing hide-and-seek with a company that wants to hire a bunch of developers in a hurry. I passed the tech interview last week and it looked like I would get an offer within 24 hours. I know better than to take that for granted though. After I gave them a date two weeks out when I could start, they told the recruiter that one of the people who was supposed to have been on the phone call couldn't make it, so they want to have another phone interview this week. The recruiter got a list of available times from me and "promised" to get beck to me before the weekend with a date and time for the second interview.
The recruiter never got back to me on that all weekend long. (What a surprise!) . Finally I called her only to find out that they haven't gotten back to her yet with a date and time for the second interview. (Would have been nice to know last Friday.)
Hiring Managers can be their own worst enemies sometimes. They say they want to move quickly and then turn out to be the slowest to respond to their own requirements.
@CB: Sounds just like how we are getting a replacement for the payroll admin whose last day was last Friday. HR guy is on vacation this week, he hasn't even forwarded ANY resumes to my manager(I know because they are going to have me sit in on the interviews to see if I think I can work with the person), and I know for a fact there have been well over a hundred resumes sent in for the job(not that 90% of them will want the job when they realize how little they will be getting paid - quite likely $40k CDN will be the top they might consider).
Mike Kabala 2018-04-23T14:34:10-04:00
@GM, gotta love bureaucracy. :-)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-23T15:26:34-04:00
Geist, sorry about the scam, but at least it wasn't much money and now, like you said, you have a day to finally catch up on some things!
`
GM, wow... For how you describe that job, I'd say a cool $85k/year should be the minimum!
As for the rest of the bad news, it all sucks. To pile on, I've been running around like a head with its chicken cut off to get this drug testing to the point where everyone is happy. It's almost there.
What really annoys me is the arbitrary requirement for the lab director to have a doctorate. I'm essentially doing the lab director's job because we've contracted the job out
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-23T17:16:20-04:00
GM, I know, but with what you have to put up with in your job, that should be the minimum.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-23T17:22:38-04:00
LZ, haha, it took me a few seconds to know what you were congratulating me on! Just because that was a full, long, nice weekend ago, so I haven't thought much about the test since then. I mean, I kind of actively was trying not to think about classes and stuff in that time. ;)
`
Also, if he doesn't have a doctorate, how could you expect the director to know at all what's going on? I mean, outside of actual experience and managing a lab for years and such. But without that piece of paper, how can you expect that person to know anything? ;)
`
I say that currently living in Germany. I've heard it's so bad here, that piece of paper literally dictates your life. Most jobs like that will just turn you down, no matter the experience or education level, unless you have that one certification they're asking for. Not only that, but for foreigners, it has to also be approved through the government and their bureaucracy and get some certain special stamp of approval just to be 100% sure.
Otherwise, your CV is literal garbage wasting their desk space.
Lord Zombitten 2018-04-23T17:36:04-04:00
It can be like that here, as well. It's the College of American Pathologists (CAP) that decided you have to have a doctorate to be a lab director. When I asked why, they said there are certain things the director has to do that require that level of education. I pointed out that I've been the lab director under CLIA for over two years and asked exactly what the duties are that require a doctorate. They couldn't give me a straight answer; they just reiterated that I must have a doctorate to do the job.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-24T07:19:19-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-24T09:04:18-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-24T09:22:32-04:00
Its a tough one. Education vs knowledge. The thing is, on paper, the only way to tell if someone has the knowledge is if they have the paper to prove it. In this world of frivolous law suits, darwin awards, and people rising to their own level of incompetance, I see this as just another way to cya and foam pad all the hard edges of life. The funniest thing to me, is that the most successful people I know / know of don't even have their high school diploma. So there is direct evidence that those fancy pieces of paper that people hold so much stock in, are basically worthless in the real world. Sadly, the real world is getting harder and harder to find behind all of the plastic values society is plastering all over it.
Morning kittens. Even with a piece of paper, it's hard to prove what you know, especially when all of the people asking the questions speak with a thick accent.
Ah, got to love when people refuse to use all the possible ways of using the tools at hand to check something before going and yelling at someone(in this case IT because apparently lack of disc space = file corruption).
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-24T13:07:09-04:00
GM, wait, how so? "My hard drive is full, I must have a virus!"
@Zem: It's manager logic, even though I said that lack of disc space does not mean a file is corrupted...when I tried opening the file on the remote desktop it said it was corrupted - tried 5 times. Then when I tried it on my desktop, it opened fine. Tried using the remote desktop web access, and it opened perfectly fine. And all of them were drawing the file from the same saved spot. So it's not the file itself actually, but a connection to the remote desktop that is corrupted(our servers are probably 5-10 years behind what they should be, and we are supposedly getting new ones...eventually).
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-24T19:04:41-04:00
GM, some people just didn't feel microchips could completely replace vacuum tubes. I can understand that, but you just gotta keep up with the march of technology.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-25T07:11:14-04:00
Morning kittens.
Another dreary cloudy rainy day. I'll be so glad to have Friday off. Coming in early and leaving late and then the long ride back home leaves me constantly tired. Once I get my replacement ID, I'm going to go back home and get a good 8 hours nap.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-25T07:16:55-04:00
The creator of Schoolhouse Rock has passed away. He was 94. A big part of my childhood just passed.
@Geist, I'm sorry to hear that, I loved Schoolhouse Rock, still have massive nostalgia for it! As the mind grows bigger, it starts to flower, its great to learn! 'Cause knowledge is power! School house rocky is a chip off the block, or your favorite schoolhouse, schoolhouse rock!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-25T09:37:45-04:00
Ah, I thought of Jack Sheldon, one of the most iconic voices of Schoolhouse Rock. I mean I'm glad he's still around, but about Bob Dorough, that's really sad. But it's good to know how many people loved him and how well respected his work was!
I mean, think about it, even when I was in school, we watched those videos sometimes, and many still do. He's had such a legacy with that series!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-25T10:20:17-04:00
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-25T12:12:34-04:00
This one is my close second fave. If for nothing else but the strong 70's funk vibe. Man this song is intense and it was the few times when I was a kid that I saw positive black cartoon characters on TV.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-25T12:13:14-04:00
@BaKhan: but if Lolly was selling adverbs for free, how were they earning a living? ;-)
Mike Kabala 2018-04-25T12:49:05-04:00
Afternoon kittens. Still silence about my job situation. I'm wondering now ho big a jerk I need to be to get anyone to call me back. People keep making promises and then breaking them. I'm really fed up, but I have to remain "cheerful" on the phone in caser anyone actually DOES call back ... eventually ... I can only hope ... zzz.
Mike Kabala 2018-04-25T12:50:04-04:00
Schoolhouse Rock was way after my time. I never got into it since it was for kids and I was already in college by then.
Sorry for all of you who were fans.
Mike Kabala 2018-04-25T13:24:50-04:00
Well, that's it! Someone kill me now, or at least hand me the gun so I can do it myself. I just sent another email to the recruiter about the job I interviewed for and should have gotten last week. She was supposed to have been setting up a second interview by early this week (which is already half over). I got a reply back that she would be "out of office" from now until the 18th of MAY!!
WTF, POS, KILL ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Someone please kill me. I don't want to become the next terrorist on the nightly news.
Did I mention that I'm a bit upset about all of this?
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-25T13:41:55-04:00
@CB: Sorry you are experiencing that. Can you see if she has a back up that is handling her case load while she is gone?
Lord Zombitten 2018-04-25T13:53:58-04:00
Seriously, anyone who is going to take that much time off should have a backup for urgent matters like yours
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-25T14:05:36-04:00
And also should probably notify people like you that they'll be gone during the exact time they offered to do something for you...
Mike Kabala 2018-04-25T14:27:11-04:00
Well, I was able to get hold of her backup, but she doesn't sound any more encouraging than the original person. ("I'll let you know AS SOON as the client lets us know.") Shouldn't they be proactively working to resolve this?
I'm just sick and tired of this shit day after day.
I still want that gun.
Mike Kabala 2018-04-25T14:40:51-04:00
If this is a sanity test, I've failed.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-25T16:39:12-04:00
@CB: It could be worse. You could be completely out of work and about to lose your house. Or you could be facing a medical crisis. Give it some time. If you are still covered with benefits, you are better off than I am right now.
Mike Kabala 2018-04-25T16:49:51-04:00
@Geist yes, make it worse. Then I would have even more reason to fly off the handle!
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-25T17:09:21-04:00
Man, CB, that's really understandable, but now seems like the perfect time to break out the big guns. Figuratively.
Find the nearest pet shelter and tell them, authoritatively, that you're not leaving until you've pet every adorable fur baby in the place. Using those words exactly, with the straightest, most angry face you can muster.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-26T09:06:10-04:00
Morning kittens.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-26T09:11:30-04:00
@CB, I'm truly sorry to hear that you are hurting right now. I can only imagine the stress you must be under, not knowing when/if a new a job is coming, and then not knowing where it would be even. Whilst I'm not a religious person, I am sending you all the positive energy I can! And I strongly recommend that you pray for help both with finding a new job, and for help finding serenity. Have you tried reaching out to some of the other recruiting agencies, to see if they can help with your job search? With your level of experience, and your current certifications, I would definitely consider you to be a major asset to any company that was lucky enough to hire you! I'm rooting for you man!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-26T09:36:18-04:00
Morning kittens.
Ever since I got laid off, there were a couple of people sending me text that the AP department was struggling. I felt a little vindicated since I felt that I wasn't giving a fair chance when I was there. Last night I found out that it was the opposite and that not only was the department doing well, they finally stream lined it like I always wanted and no one works long hours. I was floored. Why would these other people lie to me? I do feel bad that I didn't do as well on the job as I would have liked but there was no need to sugar coat it.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-26T09:37:28-04:00
And today is "Bring Your Kid To Work" day at this company. Tons of crotch fruit running around. Oh joy.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-26T10:15:41-04:00
@Geist, I think that sometimes people do foolish things, for what they feel are good reasons. Try to remember that people are just people and often forget that the path to hell (or hurting others) is often paved in good intentions. I really don't think that they wanted to hurt you by telling you those things, try and forgive them if you can, and ignore them if you can't, but letting them, or their actions hurt you benefits no one. Also, I almost died at crotch fruit! ;)
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-26T10:49:27-04:00
Crotch fruit. Somehow that's simultaneously the best and worst analogy for children I've ever heard. Definitely using it from now on!
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-26T11:02:25-04:00
@BaKhan: What bothers me so much about this is that, if things had gone better, I would have learned stuff that would have advanced my career. Instead, I had people complain that I didn't know my job, was lazy, a f*@k up and more. Considering that most of my life I've spent working so hard that I've become a spinster, I don't know how I ended up with that kind of rep. Especially since there were people on that job who really were a$$holes and got paid loads of money and didn't get let go.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-26T11:19:25-04:00
@Geist, as someone who has obsessed with why people do what they do, and to whom my whole life, the only answer I have is, they are people. Petty, jealous, shallow, heartless, cruel, conniving, backstabbing, savage, hurtful people. My thoughts, they needed a scape goat, and you were their choice. They probably realized that you were a threat to them, and the longer you were around, the more of a threat you became. Weather you saw it the same way or not is not important. Sadly, the kind of people that would do that to you, wouldn't care, as long as they got theirs, and didn't have to worry about you looking better than them. What it the main reason a bully acts the way that they do? Fear. They are afraid of being a "victim" and so, they victimize others to minimize their exposure. These types of people recognize each other and form clicks to keep other more competent people not only down, but out. Sadly the more you look at it, the more frustrating it will be. I'd just chalk it up to there were a$$holes, and leave it there, as I don't think there is any lesson you can take away from this, other than to try and avoid those situations/work places. If you recognize that behavior again, hopefully you can react to it faster and not pin your hopes on a job peopled with a$$hats just looking to make someone feel worse about themselves than they do about themselves. I wouldn't look at it as a missed opportunity, rather a false one. You didn't fail. They made it so that you failed. Its quite different. Also, at the end of the day, now that you know, would you really rather have stayed (obviously if money wasn't an issue)?
Well, that's interesting. And shows how old and crappy the wiring is in this building. Was using the microwave to heat up my lunch, someone else was using the toaster oven. Blew the fuse(thankfully mine was practically heated up already)
Mike Kabala 2018-04-26T14:57:24-04:00
Well, I thought I had found another KickStarter to back. It's a company in Seattle that makes naturally fermented pickles and sauerkraut. Unfortunately, it seems they are more interested in selling tee shirts than pickles. Every pledge level has a shirt, but you only get one or two sample packs of the pickles unless you go above $100 and half of the pledge tiers are marked Seattle only!
Oh well, they DO have a website where you can order regular quantities of the stuff and I was able to use a discount code from the KickStarter. My order should get here WAY faster than any sample packs and costs less to boot.
Mike Kabala 2018-04-26T15:09:11-04:00
Some people just don't seem to "get it" when putting together their reward tiers.
Nothing like waiting for movers to get here so that we can get offices moved around...and having interviews to sit in on starting at 10am(right in the middle of the moving) and lasting until noon. -.-
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-29T17:44:54-04:00
Well, looks like this week is going to start out REALLY fast paced and stressful for me, but that'll all be offset by thursday through sunday, because I'll be going to Bern, Switzerland for my brother's wedding!
`
He's the first of us 4 brothers to be married, and everyone but my little brother will be there for it! I feel really bad about him missing out, but he's got finals, no way to pay to get here, and there'll be another wedding in October in the US, so it's not so bad. I would have missed it too were I not already in Berlin.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-04-29T17:48:34-04:00
By "another wedding in the US", I mean it's the same couple, but they're having one in the US for all the family there who can't make it like Josiah as well, I think, as having it recognized by the US or something. My uncle had to do something similar marrying a Guatemalan as well.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-30T08:54:49-04:00
Morning kittens.
Sorry for the radio silence on Friday. I took that day off and was busy running around trying to accomplish task that I usually can't get done because of my work schedule. Saw the new Avengers movie Thrusday night. Intense and entertaining but I wish I had done some research because when the movie ended I was like "Huh?". Then I went online and found out that there will be to more Infinity Wars movies so I kinda wish I hadn't rushed out to see it.
I also saw "A Quiet Place" last night. That movie was also intense and entertaining. They ended it just right so that a sequel can pick up right where the first movie ended.
Looks like summer will be here this week. It's suppose to get up to the 90's by mid week. Seems like we only has spring weather for a week.
@Geist: Will do. This year, we're also being smart about it. Instead of getting a cab/taking transit and going home, just taking transit to the hotel where Phil is going to park, and spend the night there.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-30T09:50:37-04:00
@GM: That might be for the best if you are going to be imbibing a fair amount of booze. Since Phil works in the hotel industry, will you guys be able to get a discount?
@Geist: I think he did, but can't remember since it was a few weeks ago, over lunch, that he kind of said "Hey, we're going to beer fest and I'm booking a hotel for that night"
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-30T10:20:57-04:00
@GM: I'm so jelly. You two are going to have a great time. No getting shit faced and ending up streaking in the streets. ;-) In other words, repeating one of my typical Saturday nights of my youth.
Rod "BaKhan" Mitchell 2018-04-30T11:12:16-04:00
So I had to work a half day on Saturday (once every 5 - 6 weeks) and I had a weird situation happen. To preface what happened, its important to know that we can not process credits on a Saturday. So I had this old man come in and want to return a thermostat, which Monday to Friday wouldn't have been any kind of issue. So, he started saying he wanted to return his thermostat, and I said "I'm sorry Sir, but we are not able to process returns on a Saturday, if you'd like to come back on Monday, I can get that taken care of for you straight away". At this point his whole face and demeanor changed from kindly old man, to super pissed off octogenarian! He started calling me all kinds of names and then amidst my numerous apologies, told me "Sorry doesn't help after you've killed someone"!, at which point I believe I told him "that might be a bit a extreme..." At that point he tried to talk to my manager, which I informed him was not working that day. He then gets super pissed, and then the octogenarian called me a son of a bitch! Enter this morning, same senior citizen comes in describes me to my manager (which I could hear from my office) as a fat piece of shit. My manger coming to my defense (smh) say's I don't think of my employees that way. Not, that isn't appropriate, or sir you can not talk about my employees that way... oh well. Just another one of those things in life I guess. Trying not to let it get to me.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-30T13:57:31-04:00
@BaKhan: I'm so sorry kitten that that customer treated you that way. I hate it when customers and/or co-workers take their frustrations out on other people over rules that you didn't make. And to try to guilt trip you by trying to get you to think that you'll kill someone if you don't let him have his way.
BaKhan, I know you are a nice person and will always try to do the right thing but sometimes you just can't please people. They will go off like a spoiled brat because they think that since they are a customer, they should get the royal treatment. The customer isn't always right.
As for your manager: *sigh* He could have backed you up by refusing to deal with that customer until he gives you an apology. I'm sorry that your manager was such a wimp that he couldn't/wouldn't do that. Keep this in mind: they need you more than you need them. That place got way far behind in the work load when you left.
Next time, tell that old fart "I may be fat but I'll out life YOU!"
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-04-30T14:51:50-04:00
*live
You'll have to excuse me. I'm still tired from the weekend.
The worst thing about my new office: It gets super hot in the afternoon(and I'm on the north side of the building...so it's all reflecting off the building opposite). And the extension cord I had for my fan was taken for someone else to use.
Micah "Zem the Mattress" Philson 2018-05-01T06:23:04-04:00
Woo for festival holidays! Today's Labor Day, which is a huge party day here. Which I won't really be able to spend much time celebrating since I have a ****TON of work to do today.
Wheeeee...
`
Really sorry about that, BaKhan, I really don't understand why people think acting like that will solve anything at all.
Geist de la Muerte Gatito 2018-05-01T09:49:21-04:00
Morning kittens
Morning kittens.
Afternoon kittens.
Well...my day is essentially done in an hour. I have a "Lunch and Learn" for a potential new payroll program to go to, and my manager said I can go home after.
@GM, nice one bro! I could only wish!
I just have that one more test. I'm actually a bit afraid, because I feel prepared this time. The past one like this, I thought for sure I would fail, and the one before I was iffy on. So now that I have any level of confidence, I remember that my success rate has always been directly proportional to the inverse of my confidence level. Especially to how well I think I did just after finishing.
I say big test because it literally lasts the full day, from 9:00-9:30-ish until lunch at 1:30.
Just the hardest, the writing, to go, though I kinda wish I'd spent more time on the Grammar portion since I had a bunch extra after the last session. Oh well, probably wouldn't have improved anything, and more likely just second-guessed myself and messed stuff up, and now I have over half an hour to relax!
Morning kittens.
@Zem, best of luck! You got this bro! So after this test do you still have more school whilst in Germany? Hoping you get lots of time to just enjoy being in a different country for a while!
Morning kittens.
Nothing like other people dropping the ball and screwing things up to cause what should be a quiet Friday into a shit show.
Morning kittens.
I was feeling kinda morbid this week so I tried to put things in perspective by listening to Youtube videos about jobs and the middle class. I stumbled across some videos that interviewed the fringe works that barely make minimum wage filling orders for Amazon and Walmart. Most of those folks don't have cars so they have to rely on van drivers that pick them up for $8 bucks a trip so they can get to a job that doesn't pay benefits, barely lets you use the bathroom and will let you go at a moments notice.
Stuff like this is the reason why I don't shop at Walmart, rarely shop at Target and try to buy my fruits and veggies from the farmer's market.
And then I was listening to a video about how machines will be able to do a lot of the fast food/fast casual jobs within the next 10 years. Since I don't want a robot making my food (no matter how "The Jetsons" cool it may look) I'll just have to make take away dinners in my own kitchen.
Thus ends my Friday rant.
...Why do people close an account, then decide AFTER payroll is finished to tell us? Same with address changes...you move, you tell payroll so that your check stub goes to your new home...preferably BEFORE you complete the move(most people know a week before they move what their new address is going to be after all).
@GM: Because some people are lazy? In the instance of moving, maybe some folks simply forget due to all the packing they have to do.
@Geist: I could understand that people would forget in the chaos of moving, but almost everyone starts talking about moving weeks in advance of the actual move. Even the managers would be aware because the person would book time off(at least for our hourly staff they would) and the manager would approve of it, and one would hope at that time remind them to let payroll/HR know.
Yeah, I PASSED! ... somehow.
Actually, this time, it isn't as much of a surprise, just more of a relief.
`
BaKhan, yup, I'll be here for most of the summer too, 10 more weeks through the end of June. I come back in fact on the last day I think. But thanks!
Oooh... summer. I forgot. They don't really have air conditioning here, more of "I'll just move the air around for you guys, hope it feels cooler!"
In fact, it feels warmer usually.
`
It was up to 84 today, pretty dang warm for this time of the year. Thankfully (for me) next week is just between 8 and 20 C, about 45 to 70 F, and a bit rainy.
`
Haha, I'll be in my element, while all the others lament!
@GM: But most people don't know how much trouble they are causing you when they don't supply that information on time. And half of those that do, don't care. They would consider it as "part of your job". (Translation: You can work miracles)
I work enough miracles based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge(there is a t-shirt I saw that has that exact saying...just add "Payroll Coordinator we do precision guess work" before based).
@GM: Ever thought of opening your own payroll company for small businesses? You'd be your own boss and wouldn't have to work with crappy office people. The customers might get on your nerves but it beats having to work for someone else.
@Geist: As much as I would love being my own boss, I don't have the experience right now to be able to open my own small business.
@GM: In order to get the experience, wouldn't have to start first?
"We do precision guess work based on unreliable data provided by those of questionable knowledge."
Haha, that's great, and applies to sadly all too many professions.
`
Also, you probably have good enough experience in payroll to do that mostly on your own, but starting a company is a whole different thing. I'd say you could be part of a start-up or smaller firm, but I wouldn't advise just starting your own company; then you become a manager and entrepreneur more than anything else.
Morning kittens. Easy weekend at my pt job. No reports to write. Just chilling for 8 hours. Not bad.
I watched Ready Player One again. This movie is the sole reason why I would purchase a huge 60" HD TV. There are so many details that fly by when watching it even for a second time. Don't know if I will get around to watching Infinity Wars this weekend. Pretty sure it will be sold out solid for two weeks.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
Looks like they finally decided on a day that people are shuffling offices(I get to be in the one front and center...so whenever visitors come I'm the first to be pestered). Now I just need to empty out 2 pieces of furniture that are going to be moved.
Also...nothing like the hem of my pant leg coming undone sometime since I put them on this morning...and it's only the one side too.
@GM, sometimes a carefully placed staple (or two) can be a good temporary fix! ;)
@BaKhan: I used three, but that's definitely what I did. Can't even see them unless you know that the hem came out already.
@GM, there you go, back when I had to wear dress pants to work, that was a life saver for me, more times than a guy would expect. I always hem my own jeans and such, but would normally have the place that I bought my suits hem them for me, obviously, they didn't do as good a job as I would have... ;) It is what it is though.
This is only the second pair in all the years I've had dress pants to have that happen. The other paid it was only a small section that had come undone, while this one if the whole thing.
So the Universal Fan Con that was suppose to happen on Friday has been canceled. I backed it on Kickstarter and was really looking forward to attending. So much so that I asked for this Friday off. (I will have to work 10 hours Monday - Thursday in order to make up the hours)
As I'm reading about this on the net, looks like the folks who put this together have tried to do it before and always cancel the event and keep the money. I'm glad I only backed this for $10. As for the day off, I can use it to get a new ID and some other stuff done that I can't get done during the weekday.
Afternoon kittens. I'm still playing hide-and-seek with a company that wants to hire a bunch of developers in a hurry. I passed the tech interview last week and it looked like I would get an offer within 24 hours. I know better than to take that for granted though. After I gave them a date two weeks out when I could start, they told the recruiter that one of the people who was supposed to have been on the phone call couldn't make it, so they want to have another phone interview this week. The recruiter got a list of available times from me and "promised" to get beck to me before the weekend with a date and time for the second interview.
The recruiter never got back to me on that all weekend long. (What a surprise!) . Finally I called her only to find out that they haven't gotten back to her yet with a date and time for the second interview. (Would have been nice to know last Friday.)
Hiring Managers can be their own worst enemies sometimes. They say they want to move quickly and then turn out to be the slowest to respond to their own requirements.
... another Suuuuu-per week!
@CB: Sounds just like how we are getting a replacement for the payroll admin whose last day was last Friday. HR guy is on vacation this week, he hasn't even forwarded ANY resumes to my manager(I know because they are going to have me sit in on the interviews to see if I think I can work with the person), and I know for a fact there have been well over a hundred resumes sent in for the job(not that 90% of them will want the job when they realize how little they will be getting paid - quite likely $40k CDN will be the top they might consider).
@GM, gotta love bureaucracy. :-)
Geist, sorry about the scam, but at least it wasn't much money and now, like you said, you have a day to finally catch up on some things!
`
GM, wow... For how you describe that job, I'd say a cool $85k/year should be the minimum!
@Zem: That's more than I make, by almost 1.5x.
Congrats, Zem!
As for the rest of the bad news, it all sucks. To pile on, I've been running around like a head with its chicken cut off to get this drug testing to the point where everyone is happy. It's almost there.
What really annoys me is the arbitrary requirement for the lab director to have a doctorate. I'm essentially doing the lab director's job because we've contracted the job out
GM, I know, but with what you have to put up with in your job, that should be the minimum.
LZ, haha, it took me a few seconds to know what you were congratulating me on! Just because that was a full, long, nice weekend ago, so I haven't thought much about the test since then. I mean, I kind of actively was trying not to think about classes and stuff in that time. ;)
`
Also, if he doesn't have a doctorate, how could you expect the director to know at all what's going on? I mean, outside of actual experience and managing a lab for years and such. But without that piece of paper, how can you expect that person to know anything? ;)
`
I say that currently living in Germany. I've heard it's so bad here, that piece of paper literally dictates your life. Most jobs like that will just turn you down, no matter the experience or education level, unless you have that one certification they're asking for. Not only that, but for foreigners, it has to also be approved through the government and their bureaucracy and get some certain special stamp of approval just to be 100% sure.
Otherwise, your CV is literal garbage wasting their desk space.
It can be like that here, as well. It's the College of American Pathologists (CAP) that decided you have to have a doctorate to be a lab director. When I asked why, they said there are certain things the director has to do that require that level of education. I pointed out that I've been the lab director under CLIA for over two years and asked exactly what the duties are that require a doctorate. They couldn't give me a straight answer; they just reiterated that I must have a doctorate to do the job.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
Its a tough one. Education vs knowledge. The thing is, on paper, the only way to tell if someone has the knowledge is if they have the paper to prove it. In this world of frivolous law suits, darwin awards, and people rising to their own level of incompetance, I see this as just another way to cya and foam pad all the hard edges of life. The funniest thing to me, is that the most successful people I know / know of don't even have their high school diploma. So there is direct evidence that those fancy pieces of paper that people hold so much stock in, are basically worthless in the real world. Sadly, the real world is getting harder and harder to find behind all of the plastic values society is plastering all over it.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens. Even with a piece of paper, it's hard to prove what you know, especially when all of the people asking the questions speak with a thick accent.
Ah, got to love when people refuse to use all the possible ways of using the tools at hand to check something before going and yelling at someone(in this case IT because apparently lack of disc space = file corruption).
GM, wait, how so? "My hard drive is full, I must have a virus!"
@Zem: It's manager logic, even though I said that lack of disc space does not mean a file is corrupted...when I tried opening the file on the remote desktop it said it was corrupted - tried 5 times. Then when I tried it on my desktop, it opened fine. Tried using the remote desktop web access, and it opened perfectly fine. And all of them were drawing the file from the same saved spot. So it's not the file itself actually, but a connection to the remote desktop that is corrupted(our servers are probably 5-10 years behind what they should be, and we are supposedly getting new ones...eventually).
GM, some people just didn't feel microchips could completely replace vacuum tubes. I can understand that, but you just gotta keep up with the march of technology.
Morning kittens.
Another dreary cloudy rainy day. I'll be so glad to have Friday off. Coming in early and leaving late and then the long ride back home leaves me constantly tired. Once I get my replacement ID, I'm going to go back home and get a good 8 hours nap.
The creator of Schoolhouse Rock has passed away. He was 94. A big part of my childhood just passed.
http://deadline.com/2018/04/bob-donough-dead-schoolhouse-rock-creator-songwriter-1202376058/
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
@Geist, I'm sorry to hear that, I loved Schoolhouse Rock, still have massive nostalgia for it! As the mind grows bigger, it starts to flower, its great to learn! 'Cause knowledge is power! School house rocky is a chip off the block, or your favorite schoolhouse, schoolhouse rock!
Ah, I thought of Jack Sheldon, one of the most iconic voices of Schoolhouse Rock. I mean I'm glad he's still around, but about Bob Dorough, that's really sad. But it's good to know how many people loved him and how well respected his work was!
I mean, think about it, even when I was in school, we watched those videos sometimes, and many still do. He's had such a legacy with that series!
This one is my all time favorite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch…
This one would get stuck in my head for very long periods of time!
https://www.youtube.com/watch…
but to choose a favorite... I dont' think I can!
This one is my close second fave. If for nothing else but the strong 70's funk vibe. Man this song is intense and it was the few times when I was a kid that I saw positive black cartoon characters on TV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch…
@BaKhan: but if Lolly was selling adverbs for free, how were they earning a living? ;-)
Afternoon kittens. Still silence about my job situation. I'm wondering now ho big a jerk I need to be to get anyone to call me back. People keep making promises and then breaking them. I'm really fed up, but I have to remain "cheerful" on the phone in caser anyone actually DOES call back ... eventually ... I can only hope ... zzz.
Schoolhouse Rock was way after my time. I never got into it since it was for kids and I was already in college by then.
Sorry for all of you who were fans.
Well, that's it! Someone kill me now, or at least hand me the gun so I can do it myself. I just sent another email to the recruiter about the job I interviewed for and should have gotten last week. She was supposed to have been setting up a second interview by early this week (which is already half over). I got a reply back that she would be "out of office" from now until the 18th of MAY!!
WTF, POS, KILL ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Someone please kill me. I don't want to become the next terrorist on the nightly news.
Did I mention that I'm a bit upset about all of this?
@CB: Sorry you are experiencing that. Can you see if she has a back up that is handling her case load while she is gone?
Seriously, anyone who is going to take that much time off should have a backup for urgent matters like yours
And also should probably notify people like you that they'll be gone during the exact time they offered to do something for you...
Well, I was able to get hold of her backup, but she doesn't sound any more encouraging than the original person. ("I'll let you know AS SOON as the client lets us know.") Shouldn't they be proactively working to resolve this?
I'm just sick and tired of this shit day after day.
I still want that gun.
If this is a sanity test, I've failed.
@CB: It could be worse. You could be completely out of work and about to lose your house. Or you could be facing a medical crisis. Give it some time. If you are still covered with benefits, you are better off than I am right now.
@Geist yes, make it worse. Then I would have even more reason to fly off the handle!
Man, CB, that's really understandable, but now seems like the perfect time to break out the big guns. Figuratively.
Find the nearest pet shelter and tell them, authoritatively, that you're not leaving until you've pet every adorable fur baby in the place. Using those words exactly, with the straightest, most angry face you can muster.
Morning kittens.
@CB, I'm truly sorry to hear that you are hurting right now. I can only imagine the stress you must be under, not knowing when/if a new a job is coming, and then not knowing where it would be even. Whilst I'm not a religious person, I am sending you all the positive energy I can! And I strongly recommend that you pray for help both with finding a new job, and for help finding serenity. Have you tried reaching out to some of the other recruiting agencies, to see if they can help with your job search? With your level of experience, and your current certifications, I would definitely consider you to be a major asset to any company that was lucky enough to hire you! I'm rooting for you man!
Morning kittens.
Ever since I got laid off, there were a couple of people sending me text that the AP department was struggling. I felt a little vindicated since I felt that I wasn't giving a fair chance when I was there. Last night I found out that it was the opposite and that not only was the department doing well, they finally stream lined it like I always wanted and no one works long hours. I was floored. Why would these other people lie to me? I do feel bad that I didn't do as well on the job as I would have liked but there was no need to sugar coat it.
And today is "Bring Your Kid To Work" day at this company. Tons of crotch fruit running around. Oh joy.
@Geist, I think that sometimes people do foolish things, for what they feel are good reasons. Try to remember that people are just people and often forget that the path to hell (or hurting others) is often paved in good intentions. I really don't think that they wanted to hurt you by telling you those things, try and forgive them if you can, and ignore them if you can't, but letting them, or their actions hurt you benefits no one. Also, I almost died at crotch fruit! ;)
Crotch fruit. Somehow that's simultaneously the best and worst analogy for children I've ever heard. Definitely using it from now on!
@BaKhan: What bothers me so much about this is that, if things had gone better, I would have learned stuff that would have advanced my career. Instead, I had people complain that I didn't know my job, was lazy, a f*@k up and more. Considering that most of my life I've spent working so hard that I've become a spinster, I don't know how I ended up with that kind of rep. Especially since there were people on that job who really were a$$holes and got paid loads of money and didn't get let go.
@Geist, as someone who has obsessed with why people do what they do, and to whom my whole life, the only answer I have is, they are people. Petty, jealous, shallow, heartless, cruel, conniving, backstabbing, savage, hurtful people. My thoughts, they needed a scape goat, and you were their choice. They probably realized that you were a threat to them, and the longer you were around, the more of a threat you became. Weather you saw it the same way or not is not important. Sadly, the kind of people that would do that to you, wouldn't care, as long as they got theirs, and didn't have to worry about you looking better than them. What it the main reason a bully acts the way that they do? Fear. They are afraid of being a "victim" and so, they victimize others to minimize their exposure. These types of people recognize each other and form clicks to keep other more competent people not only down, but out. Sadly the more you look at it, the more frustrating it will be. I'd just chalk it up to there were a$$holes, and leave it there, as I don't think there is any lesson you can take away from this, other than to try and avoid those situations/work places. If you recognize that behavior again, hopefully you can react to it faster and not pin your hopes on a job peopled with a$$hats just looking to make someone feel worse about themselves than they do about themselves. I wouldn't look at it as a missed opportunity, rather a false one. You didn't fail. They made it so that you failed. Its quite different. Also, at the end of the day, now that you know, would you really rather have stayed (obviously if money wasn't an issue)?
Well, that's interesting. And shows how old and crappy the wiring is in this building. Was using the microwave to heat up my lunch, someone else was using the toaster oven. Blew the fuse(thankfully mine was practically heated up already)
Well, I thought I had found another KickStarter to back. It's a company in Seattle that makes naturally fermented pickles and sauerkraut. Unfortunately, it seems they are more interested in selling tee shirts than pickles. Every pledge level has a shirt, but you only get one or two sample packs of the pickles unless you go above $100 and half of the pledge tiers are marked Seattle only!
Oh well, they DO have a website where you can order regular quantities of the stuff and I was able to use a discount code from the KickStarter. My order should get here WAY faster than any sample packs and costs less to boot.
Some people just don't seem to "get it" when putting together their reward tiers.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens.
Nothing like waiting for movers to get here so that we can get offices moved around...and having interviews to sit in on starting at 10am(right in the middle of the moving) and lasting until noon. -.-
Well, looks like this week is going to start out REALLY fast paced and stressful for me, but that'll all be offset by thursday through sunday, because I'll be going to Bern, Switzerland for my brother's wedding!
`
He's the first of us 4 brothers to be married, and everyone but my little brother will be there for it! I feel really bad about him missing out, but he's got finals, no way to pay to get here, and there'll be another wedding in October in the US, so it's not so bad. I would have missed it too were I not already in Berlin.
By "another wedding in the US", I mean it's the same couple, but they're having one in the US for all the family there who can't make it like Josiah as well, I think, as having it recognized by the US or something. My uncle had to do something similar marrying a Guatemalan as well.
Morning kittens.
Sorry for the radio silence on Friday. I took that day off and was busy running around trying to accomplish task that I usually can't get done because of my work schedule. Saw the new Avengers movie Thrusday night. Intense and entertaining but I wish I had done some research because when the movie ended I was like "Huh?". Then I went online and found out that there will be to more Infinity Wars movies so I kinda wish I hadn't rushed out to see it.
I also saw "A Quiet Place" last night. That movie was also intense and entertaining. They ended it just right so that a sequel can pick up right where the first movie ended.
Looks like summer will be here this week. It's suppose to get up to the 90's by mid week. Seems like we only has spring weather for a week.
Morning kittens.
Morning kittens. Can't wait for the weekend. Going to Beer Fest with Phil, and going to have loads of drinks.
@GM: A Beer Fest? Sounds great! Wish I could go. Say "Hello" to Phil for me.
@Geist: Will do. This year, we're also being smart about it. Instead of getting a cab/taking transit and going home, just taking transit to the hotel where Phil is going to park, and spend the night there.
@GM: That might be for the best if you are going to be imbibing a fair amount of booze. Since Phil works in the hotel industry, will you guys be able to get a discount?
@Geist: I think he did, but can't remember since it was a few weeks ago, over lunch, that he kind of said "Hey, we're going to beer fest and I'm booking a hotel for that night"
@GM: I'm so jelly. You two are going to have a great time. No getting shit faced and ending up streaking in the streets. ;-) In other words, repeating one of my typical Saturday nights of my youth.
So I had to work a half day on Saturday (once every 5 - 6 weeks) and I had a weird situation happen. To preface what happened, its important to know that we can not process credits on a Saturday. So I had this old man come in and want to return a thermostat, which Monday to Friday wouldn't have been any kind of issue. So, he started saying he wanted to return his thermostat, and I said "I'm sorry Sir, but we are not able to process returns on a Saturday, if you'd like to come back on Monday, I can get that taken care of for you straight away". At this point his whole face and demeanor changed from kindly old man, to super pissed off octogenarian! He started calling me all kinds of names and then amidst my numerous apologies, told me "Sorry doesn't help after you've killed someone"!, at which point I believe I told him "that might be a bit a extreme..." At that point he tried to talk to my manager, which I informed him was not working that day. He then gets super pissed, and then the octogenarian called me a son of a bitch! Enter this morning, same senior citizen comes in describes me to my manager (which I could hear from my office) as a fat piece of shit. My manger coming to my defense (smh) say's I don't think of my employees that way. Not, that isn't appropriate, or sir you can not talk about my employees that way... oh well. Just another one of those things in life I guess. Trying not to let it get to me.
@BaKhan: I'm so sorry kitten that that customer treated you that way. I hate it when customers and/or co-workers take their frustrations out on other people over rules that you didn't make. And to try to guilt trip you by trying to get you to think that you'll kill someone if you don't let him have his way.
BaKhan, I know you are a nice person and will always try to do the right thing but sometimes you just can't please people. They will go off like a spoiled brat because they think that since they are a customer, they should get the royal treatment. The customer isn't always right.
As for your manager: *sigh* He could have backed you up by refusing to deal with that customer until he gives you an apology. I'm sorry that your manager was such a wimp that he couldn't/wouldn't do that. Keep this in mind: they need you more than you need them. That place got way far behind in the work load when you left.
Next time, tell that old fart "I may be fat but I'll out life YOU!"
*live
You'll have to excuse me. I'm still tired from the weekend.
The worst thing about my new office: It gets super hot in the afternoon(and I'm on the north side of the building...so it's all reflecting off the building opposite). And the extension cord I had for my fan was taken for someone else to use.
Woo for festival holidays! Today's Labor Day, which is a huge party day here. Which I won't really be able to spend much time celebrating since I have a ****TON of work to do today.
Wheeeee...
`
Really sorry about that, BaKhan, I really don't understand why people think acting like that will solve anything at all.
Morning kittens
Morning kittens.