The Work Thread

[Goaldeje]

I tend to clutter up the Random Thought thread with work related stuff (which tells you how often and to what unhealthy levels I think about work), and I thought it might be nice to have a thread devoted to our jobs. Feel free to share good stuff, bad stuff, random stuff, ask advice, etc.

I'll start.

This is Holy Week, and while it's great spiritually, it stinks for my work. Between that and the fact that it snowed yesterday, I can already tell I'm not getting much done this week.

 

[Elephant]

So yesterday in cold rain/snow mixture, an agent demands I photograph one of her listings as scheduled after I suggested we wait a day. I do so with gray skies, snow falling and to top it all off, the house was white. Made a terrible subject to photograph. Of course if she'd waited until today when the sun was out she would have had blue skies and the expansive views of the horse farm behind the house would have been visible.

Part of my job description requires me to periodically go back out to a house after photographing the house the first time if I can, to take an image of the exterior of the house on a sunny day.

But this was different. In those cases the listing goes active the day after I photograph the house and I go back out as soon as possible to update the virtual tours. In this particular situation, the listing will not go active until the end of the week, so essentially the photography is not due until Wednesday evening or Thursday morning at the very latest.

She could have simply said, go out tomorrow and get the best images you can! Instead, she demanded that I go trek through that poor weather...knowing I will have to go back out there. Gas prices be damned!!!

So, I thought I would show who has the upper hand. I decided I was going to wait until the very last minute, make her sweat and then turn in the images. Only one problem...it wouldn't have the desired effect on this agent, it would only create anxiety about the deadline for one the administrative staff.

I went out there today and took the images and will submit them for the listing tomorrow. I hate eating ****!

 

[HOF44]

My job is kinda mind numbing sometimes, but I'm treated very well. I am comimg in late tomorrow because I'm going to FedEx to add 2 seats to my account for a friend and pay for my tickets. Also going on my 21st year there.

 

[Boone]

I'm happy with my recent job change. Lots of respect for my new boss (who is a dear friend, although I try hard not to take advantage of that), very little pressure, not managing other human beings, and generally good hours. I'm a work to live, not a live to work kind of a guy. I just want to enjoy my days at work, make a small difference, but be able to set it aside when I'm not there and not have to think about it.

One word of warning - I'd always be careful what I say 'anonymously' on the web about my job. If someone wants to find you out here, it ain't that hard. It blows my mind what some folks post on Facebook about work somehow figuring no one will ever find out about it.

 

[Miles Monroe]

I'm having a love hate relationship with my job. I'm passionate about the work I do, but for about a month now, I have little will to go to work.

This stems from a change made in the shop. I was thrilled, when about 6 weeks ago, we hired another tech, and he seems to be very sharp. Then, out of the blue, due to problems in our parts department, an new system was laid out for the techs. We are now using a pass through window to receive our parts, that we've tried before, and it's never worked because once it gets hot in the shop, the guys in the parts department complain that the hot air and fumes from the shop bothers them.

Because the window is open, you can hear much of what goes on in the shop... no biggie, but I can no longer have a radio playing in my area, being I'm the closest to the window. Ninety nine percent of the time, it's the same station that pumped throughout the building, and not on a high volume. When I have a big job, and need to make time on it, I'd often put on a CD of some faster paced music... mainly classic rock. Then they added insult to injury....

Now, to some I know this may sound silly, but I'm a whistler, and was told I could no longer whistle along to the music that's pumped throughout the building. I do it without even realizing it. They have broken my rhythm while working. I have nothing to set a tempo. I know, weird, but true. I have to consciously think about not whistling, and it's taken away focus from my work.

They say that the whistling is a distraction to the other workers. That's a huge steaming pile of road apples, as I've spoken to the parts guys, and the other techs, and all thought it was laughable I was asked to stop whistling. I know it's a pet peeve of the owner, as he had it brought up at my 3 month review 8 years ago. Just his way of showing he has control. It sucks, because my work is going out slower, and I've actually had a few screw up's.

It's no longer fun to go to work. Everybody involved with the shop knew, if I was singing or whistling along, I was happy and productive. If I was working quietly, I was pissed about something. I haven't been this unhappy in many years.

Hell, even slaves were allowed to sing while they worked.

 

[HOF44]

Man I'd hate that kind of environment. I'm pretty much left to my own devices. I have things that need to be taken care of and of they progress along accordingly I'm pretty much left alone.

 

[Boone]

Ever think about opening your own shop Pete? No one could tell you to turn the music down or stop whistling

 

[Miles Monroe]

Ever think about opening your own shop Pete? No one could tell you to turn the music down or stop whistling

I think about it all the time brother. The only thing stopping me is my lovely wife. She's not willing to take even the slightest risk, and we all know, starting your own business is always a risk no matter how good you are..

 

[Miles Monroe]

I hate mornings like this... it's 46 degrees, and with no heat in the shop, the tools are like working with ice cubes....

Have a great day people... make some money.

 

[tshile]

One word of warning - I'd always be careful what I say 'anonymously' on the web about my job. If someone wants to find you out here, it ain't that hard. It blows my mind what some folks post on Facebook about work somehow figuring no one will ever find out about it.

Unfortunately they don't even have to go looking, there are plenty of people on the internet that will see your post and voluntarily send it to your employer for you.

It's why I left a forum I was on for 11 or 12 years, having attended several forum-sponsored events and building many relationships with people there (some good some bad). One day I decided it just wasn't worth the risk - my employer would laugh at these people if they called of emailed him. Our clients? Eh... not so sure, they probably would be much more willing to believe whatever they were told and find a new company to work with.

So, I left. Without saying bye to anyone. It's sad but it happens. I watched quite a few people lose jobs because they posted something on the board that was racist, sexist, or in some way offensive to some group of people and someone sent it to their boss.

 

[Goaldeje]

Got two verbal committments this afternoon, but need their emailed confirmation. My boss is leaning on me for the contracts. Sigh.

 

[Boone]

Well, we're glad you found us. Hate to hear that kind of thing. A lot of jerks in this world.

 

[Win4us]

Tad over 18 years in the military and can FINALLY see the light at the end of the tunnel. So looking forward to being a civilian again honestly. I mean I love the AF and it has been by far the best decision I've ever made. Turning 40 this summer and my knees and back are definitely telling me it's time.

As far as the job goes I work in Water/Fuels Maintenance section. What does jet fuel have to do with water you ask? I have no ****ing idea either but the AF wanted to combine the career fields.

Basically we make sure all water, sewer, fire suppression and backflow devices keep the water flowing in the direction it's supposed to. Same as the fuel through a system of tanks, filters and piping.

 

[Win4us]

Wow that's pretty good time. Don't know why but AF has always been a bit stingier with rank. I finally made E-7 and completely content with it.

How long were you in for total? Many of my buds are planning to go 20+ but I'm good with 20 on the dot.

 

[Goaldeje]

Well. Interesting night in our household. The position I applied for back in the Fall is now getting some action. I have a good friend in HR who has intimated to me that news is coming, but won't tell me more than that.

Also, some of you know that my wife has been trying to find a teaching job for 2 years now. She has subbed, long term subbed, and is now an aide to a special needs child with autism. She is a phenomenal teacher, and her principals at these various places all rave about her, and have even called people in charge of the Pre-K program for our county to recommend she get a job. The folks in charge have, however, been pretty discouraging about that, because she doesn't have a masters in Pre-K special ed (which is insanely specialized, and a useless degree unless you're teaching Head Start or VPI).

Anyway, we have vacilated on all this over the past six months. At first, we were ready to move to Minneapolis, all in. Then, when everything was put on hold, we devoted all our efforts to getting her a job for the 2013-14 school year, and kind of gave up mentally and emotionally on the Minneapolis job. We reconciled ourselves to staying here, but have been disappointed that she has not received more positive prognosis's (prognosi?) despite the principal's support.

So tonight I get news my position might actually be moving forward. And naturally, she gets an interview set up for two weeks from now. FML. Where's the bourbon thread?

 

[HOF44]

Where's the bourbon thread?

Bourbon makes everything better, at least for a little while! Good luck with your decision and I hope whatever way you go you love it.

 

[tshile]

I sat in an office with a window for a bit to work on something.

I need an office with a window.

Oh and good luck goal!

 

[tshile]

we recently picked up a client that was just outright robbed by their previous IT contractors. they were convinced to not only buy stuff they didn't need, but to buy them individually when vendors provide package deals specifically catered towards small business (mainly Microsoft)

the company makes a lot of money, I doubt this will really hurt them much less cause significant damage, but they still spent about 2x as much money on their setup as they needed to. they were even convinced to buy high dollar wireless access points when all they needed was the $100 POS sitting on the shelf at walmart.

all in total they probably spent around 15k on their setup and they could have wound up better off with a package that runs 6-8k. that's just on the physical equipment. not sure how much they've paid in labor that was caused because of the way it's setup - I have to do everything twice when I should only have to do it once, so most of my charges are twice what they should be.

sucks to see someone taken advantage of simply because they didn't know any better.

 

[Miles Monroe]

I'm actually having a good week. I'm doing a number of modifications on my # 1, all time favorite customer bike. It's normally a long process, and the majority of the work is custom, so I have to get creative often when working on this guys bike.

It's a 2010 Ducati Sport Classic GT1000. Before I started on it this week, he had about 19K into the bike above the price of the bike itself. Doing about another 6K of work.

Keeps me and the boss happy....

 

[tshile]

that sounds like a really fun and rewarding job. do you normally get such work or is this an exception?