Workplace Gripes – Vent Here! ! (or just share workplace stories)

[katyseagull]

[ QUOTE ]


I bet I raise my voice on the phone for social calls. I can't help it. I am a bad person.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're not a bad person. At least half the guys at my office do that. It's kind of funny. Ever watch an old guy on a cell phone? Pretty painful.

Anyway, I'm sure you couldn't possibly be as annoying as my coworker and all of her family drama. I swear, every week it's something new. She's always pissed off at someone and each Monday we get to hear her on the phone telling one of her friends how her weekend did not go well.

[katyseagull]

[ QUOTE ]
Nobody ever said anything, but I'm pretty sure the guy in the neighboring office must have hated me for it. On the other hand, I used to get interrupted every other day to sign for packages meant for him, because he always kept his door locked, afraid that people would steal his oscilloscopes. As if anybody wanted his stupid oscilloscopes. So I think dealing with my loud voice was a fair trade.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one of the funnier things I've read on these forums. What's an oscilloscope used for anyway?

[quirkasaurus]

it's a very fancy device for checking voltages.
including the ability to graphically display AC
and show things like frequency and shape of the
voltage wave.

[katyseagull]

I had a horrible day at work yesterday. I was given a task to do and feel like I mucked it up. The main reason was that I was getting confused by the instructions from two different women above me, both of whom talk really fast and have a tendency to be vague. Fast and vague is not a good thing for me. The entire thing left me rattled. I tend to need very specific instructions not general "do it however you have to but just put together a report"...or this gem from my boss that I took at face value...."I wouldn't spend much time on it, just put together a basic report and we'll go from there. What you did on this part is good enough for now." How do you interpret that anyway?

Anyone ever notice that some women don't communicate well? In 3 years working for these people I've never felt this incompetent.

To make matters worse, I had to listen to the Rosie O'Donnell character boss me around in her harsh manner and critique my work, she talks to me like I'm 13 yrs old. She's so freakin arrogant and mocks every single one of my questions. I wish she'd stop it. I should explain that she's sort of my friend so this is just especially stressful. Having a friend give you a task and then mock everything you do is the worst.

I'm a basketcase.

[disjunction]

[ QUOTE ]
I had a horrible day at work yesterday. I was given a task to do and feel like I mucked it up. The main reason was that I was getting confused by the instructions from two different women above me, both of whom talk really fast and have a tendency to be vague. Fast and vague is not a good thing for me. The entire thing left me rattled. I tend to need very specific instructions not general "do it however you have to but just put together a report"...or this gem from my boss that I took at face value...."I wouldn't spend much time on it, just put together a basic report and we'll go from there. What you did on this part is good enough for now." How do you interpret that anyway?

Anyone ever notice that some women don't communicate well? In 3 years working for these people I've never felt this incompetent.

To make matters worse, I had to listen to the Rosie O'Donnell character boss me around in her harsh manner and critique my work, she talks to me like I'm 13 yrs old. She's so freakin arrogant and mocks every single one of my questions. I wish she'd stop it. I should explain that she's sort of my friend so this is just especially stressful. Having a friend give you a task and then mock everything you do is the worst.

I'm a basketcase.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would interpret it as "I'm not that interested in this. Just take what you have and package it into a tidy bow." Except that with perfectionists, it's a trap. They expect everything to be done perfect, and they aren't cognizant of the time it takes.

On the second story, can't you explain to her that it bothers you when she talks like this? Maybe I'm not familiar with the background. In any case, it's a beautiful morning and you can't control the behavior of others, only your own, so don't stress out at the office! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[disjunction]

[ QUOTE ]
it's a very fancy device for checking voltages.
including the ability to graphically display AC
and show things like frequency and shape of the
voltage wave.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah that's it. An oscilloscope is a thingamajig you use to check out electronic signals.

Except I'm a software engineer and I was working with mostly physicists and electronic engineers. Watching me hook up and use a scope, to them, is something like watching a bad 18th century surgeon. Still, every once in awhile I would need one. Every time I walked into the lab with a scope there would be instant moans and groans and quips about locating the fire extinguishers.

[AceLuby]

Worked 58 hours last week and have already put 30 in this week (by Wed morning). The best part about all this overtime... NO PAY. That's right, none. No regular pay, no OT pay, nothing. Why do I have to do it? you may ask. Well I want to keep my job and it's expected that we put in extra hours when necessary. My job is incorrectly classified and I feel like I'm getting royally screwed. Ok,

/end rant

[Blarg]

Me too.

[DrewDevil]

[ QUOTE ]
I had a horrible day at work yesterday. I was given a task to do and feel like I mucked it up. The main reason was that I was getting confused by the instructions from two different women above me, both of whom talk really fast and have a tendency to be vague. Fast and vague is not a good thing for me. The entire thing left me rattled. I tend to need very specific instructions not general "do it however you have to but just put together a report"...or this gem from my boss that I took at face value...."I wouldn't spend much time on it, just put together a basic report and we'll go from there. What you did on this part is good enough for now." How do you interpret that anyway?

Anyone ever notice that some women don't communicate well? In 3 years working for these people I've never felt this incompetent.

To make matters worse, I had to listen to the Rosie O'Donnell character boss me around in her harsh manner and critique my work, she talks to me like I'm 13 yrs old. She's so freakin arrogant and mocks every single one of my questions. I wish she'd stop it. I should explain that she's sort of my friend so this is just especially stressful. Having a friend give you a task and then mock everything you do is the worst.

I'm a basketcase.

[/ QUOTE ]

Does not compute. Why would you be a friend with someone who bosses you around, treats you like a 13 year old and constantly mocks you?

[Wes Mantooth]

Great thread...

yesterday I had a fantastic meeting

background: I work as a consultant for a few divisions of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This particular group works with 14 countries including the US. Working with diplomat representatives from many countries has added to an already bottled down over management/red tape mess....

Yesterday afternoon...
I had a meeting where I made a completely solid proposal for integrating a complex process (long story) within this NATO division... this integrating solution would save tens of thousands of dollars a year and service outputs would go up substantially.

Well these people pretty much turned it down without actually saying no.
They want to stick with the current ridiculously old way of doing it, and modify it slightly. The modifications they suggested would actually increase the already high costs now and increase operation time. Seriously, typing just this now makes me want to bash in computer.

ok, time to take a bath with a toaster