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Post by Mini Mia on Sept 7, 2011 16:39:09 GMT -6
Share your 'on the job' stories. These stories can be things that you personally experienced, or things you observed. They can deal with situations that made you roll your eyes, shake your head, throw your hands up in the air & walk the other way, LOL/BOLL/LMAO, cackle hysterically, grab your head in your hands & want to disappear, etc. ... or be about any type of sexual situation that was comical, ridicules, unnerving, etc.. Anything above a PG-13 level can be PMed or emailed to me:
PM
Joxcenia(at)msn(dot)com
It can be about the 'brown-noser,' the 'floozie,' the co-worker that makes it all look just too, too easy, etc.
I might or might not use what you share with me in a book. If I do use any of the stories, let me know if you would like to be acknowledged in any way. You can use your Internet username only ... or include real name, town/city, state, etc. Whatever you're comfortable with. Also add if it's okay to include your name, town/city, state, etc. with the story. (If not okay to attach to stories, then is it okay to be used for the 'thank you' acknowledgement page?)
Thanks for your help.
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Post by quettalee on Sept 8, 2011 0:06:30 GMT -6
Just today...
I talk with no less than 50 people a day on the telephone from all over the United States, some friendly and happy to speak with me, others not so happy. At least half of those people comment on my southern accent. One hundred percent of the time the comments have always been flattering in some way or another...until today. I answered the phone & was immediately bombarded with a string of obscenities & fussings from a lady that was less than happy to have received her *mandatory* American Community Survey from the Census Bureau. I let her vent. I tried to answer her questions as she asked them, although one or two words was all she would let me speak each time I opened my mouth and I never lost my cool or changed my tone. This went on for a good 10 minutes before she finally let me complete a sentence. At that point, obviously more infuriated than ever that she couldn't goad me into a screaming match, she finally said, "Well, it just figures that someone from the south would be answering the phone because they are the only ones stupid enough to work for the government and the Census Bureau!" Then she hung up on me.
I still haven't figured out the correlation. I guess that's an eye-roller for sure.
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Post by stepper on Sept 8, 2011 23:20:55 GMT -6
There used to be a lady who worked the grave shift at work. If a program blew up, she was the one who called to let you know things had gone bad. She was rather easy on the eyes, but even better, she had this wonderful southern accent with a voice that dripped sugar. The 2 or 3 AM call was much less taxing when you were greeted by that voice! Unfortunately, it wasn't always the intended person who answered the phone - it was often the spouse and that caused problems. Spouses can be unreasonably suspicious: even though they knew the circumstances the voice followed by the sudden disappearance was not greeted with enthusiasm. After some months, at the request of surprised and harried on-call personnel, management reluctantly told her that someone else would have to make the late night calls. I told her to keep calling me – she was worth it. Then, I too had an incident. One of the output files from the host program was XXU30N. XX would be replaced by any one of several codes indicating the specific subsystem. The 30N, in all instances, was critical for the next process. One three day weekend I had been at work quite a while, and had just fallen asleep when the phone rang. I was lost to somnambulistic ecstasy and so missed answering the phone. Steppet woke me up and slipped back into bed. I of course jumped out of bed and went to work, returning a few hours after dawn. But, when I got home you could have cut the tension in the house with a butter knife. You see, using military jargon for clarity, when I was told there was a problem with the 30N file, I said something like “Okay, the 30 Nancy has a problem and aborted the host. I’ll be right there.” All Steppet heard was Nancy, then I left in a hurry, and she wanted to know right now who the heck was this Nancy calling me at wee hours of the morning and why did I leave so quickly. I made the mistake of mentioning all this at work and for the next several years, every time we went to a party together, my boss would ask Steppet if she’d met “Nancy” yet. Then he and everyone in my office roared with laughter.
Quettalee – I’m sorry you had a bad experience, and I know this doesn’t really relate to exactly what happened to you, but hopefully you’re smiling.
And yes M&M, you can use that one in what ever it is that you are working on.
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Post by Mini Mia on Sept 8, 2011 23:44:29 GMT -6
I was wondering if anyone noticed my mention of a book in my first post. I decided that sexual harassment/sexual chattering wouldn't be enough for a whole book, and I have had plans for a book about 'on the job' since the mid-90s. I figured I'd combine it all into one book.
Things like situations with brown-nosers, and co-workers who just seem to always catch on right off the bat, etc. I've read several books on the different types of people, and what makes them tick. And sort of using that for several sections on the various types of co-workers that people come across. Not sure where it will go, but hopefully it will be humorous, with maybe a touch of drama. I figure what I gather will help me decide what to do with it, and how it will all fit.
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Post by Phalon on Sept 9, 2011 6:20:34 GMT -6
I'm thinking the only plausible explanation is that she's an idiot.
Funny story, Stepper, and poor Steppette! But psst...using the military's phonetic alphabet, it would have been "30 November". Just mentioning it in case there's another late night problem with the 30N, and Steppette thinks you're seeing Nancy again. Now, if it's the 30J file, you're on your own.
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Post by quettalee on Sept 9, 2011 10:17:25 GMT -6
Lol. I noticed, just didn't think I had anything interesting enough to end up in a book!
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Post by Mini Mia on Sept 9, 2011 16:58:27 GMT -6
Well, I'm not quite sure how the book will turn out ... stories could be used, or just my interpretation of the stories. I'm playing it by ear. I'm leading towards humorous, though I could change my mind at any time. I started an earlier thread, but I messed it up and explained it all wrong.
Though, I will be adding this Q&A plus others to a section of the book.
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Post by stepper on Sept 9, 2011 17:36:26 GMT -6
You're correct that current military references use the NATO phonetic alphabet and N would be November. Actually, the geeks had their own phonetics many of which could not be published in Whoosh. At the time Nancy competed with Nano, and Nora (which is still used as a police phonetic). The preferred option merely depended on the person with whom you were talking. The offices I was working in at the time used Nancy and it was a situation of 'when in Rome'. Hearing that your job had gone Tango Uniform was a bit of an inside joke when Miss Sugar called. NATO Phonetic Alphabet A Alpha N November B Bravo O Oscar C Charlie P Papa D Delta Q Quebec E Echo R Romeo F Foxtrot S Sierra G Golf T Tango H Hotel U Uniform I India V Victor J Juliet W Whiskey K Kilo X X-ray L Lima Y Yankee M Mike Z Zulu
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 26, 2011 18:53:52 GMT -6
pfft.....I could totally hog this thread.
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Post by Mini Mia on Sept 26, 2011 19:41:10 GMT -6
hmmm .... sounds like you could write your own book.
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Post by quettalee on Dec 10, 2011 12:06:28 GMT -6
As good a place as any to post this... Click On Link Before Reading Post!! "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida, featuring Christina Aguilera. Have to toot my own horn because it just made me feel so danged good this morning. The writing assignment that I'm involved in right now is titled "UK Content Writer", which means I am currently writing for About.com in the UK. These were some of the comments posted on my spread sheet by my editor that I woke up to... "Hi Marquetta - thank you, thank you, thank you for using kg and ml and things like that and not American measurements! Just a few where I wonder if you could add in kg just for clarification. As well as the UK measurements, please keep in mind UK spelling for things like flavour and stuff. There's also some terminology (crock pot is called a slow cooker for example). Anyway, lovely lovely writing. Thank you so much for great answers. Linda" And... "Fantastic question! And a good answer to go with it!" And... "Lovely answer" Jus sayin...made a girl feel pretty motivated!! Now, I need to get back to work... Happy Saturday everyone!
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Post by quettalee on Dec 10, 2011 12:20:45 GMT -6
Haha! Tracey looks like she's dancing to Flo & Christina!
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Post by Phalon on Dec 11, 2011 10:20:43 GMT -6
Yay for that Good Feeling, Sista Q! Nothing like a few kudos to start your day off right. You go, Sis! (Oh, and if you ever need to know the UK spelling for "surprise", just call me. I'm forever shunning the American spelling for the British one...not on purpose, mind you.)
I didn't know you wrote for About.com. Pretty cool; is this a new gig?
Speaking about tooting one's own horn, and About.com...may I? I was tooling around the Internet recently, and for the hell of it, googled (actually yahooed) my own name. An article on About.com...or maybe it was Ask.com or eHow.com came up on the search. One of my articles was listed in the references section that the writer used as a source. I thought it was kinda neat - like someone aside from my family and friends actually read the stuff I wrote.
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Post by stepper on Dec 11, 2011 11:32:48 GMT -6
Wow! We may have to rename this thread to the Famous and Infamous. I find myself in the company of published writers and quoted sources for other people's research. Since I am not in the published and/or quoted category, you can probably figure out where I fit in. Hey Kat! You say something profound. I’ll quote you, and then you can site my quote of your profound statement in some class! Otherwise, it’s London to a brick I’m about as useful here as a liquid laugh.
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Post by Mini Mia on Dec 12, 2011 1:31:57 GMT -6
Way to go, ladies.
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Post by Mini Mia on Dec 12, 2011 23:06:21 GMT -6
Q: Do you use Word to write? If so, how about downloading Open Office and setting it up for the UK assignments? (You can change the language to UK English in the Options section.) Write in that and then copy/paste to Word or an email ... whichever you use to send your work out.
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Post by quettalee on Dec 13, 2011 1:22:50 GMT -6
I'll be back tomorrow night to post more, trying to finish this assignment before Wednesday....
Thank you Jox. You know me, dumb as nails about some things. I work on a spreadsheet that they share with me through Google Documents--for this particular assignment I've been involved with...so can I still use the Open Office?
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Post by Mini Mia on Dec 13, 2011 2:03:19 GMT -6
Open Office has a spreadsheet. You can do the project in Open Office, and once the file has been saved, open it up with the Spreadsheet program you normally use and then save it as that program's file too. Then you should be able to share it as always. You might want to create two files just in case it doesn't work. One in the program you now use, and one in Open Office. Try sharing the OO file through Google Documents first, then if it fails try sharing the 'save as' file that was first created in OO ... and if both fail you have it in the old format. That way you have the work and won't have to take the time to redo it in the old format.
Or ... try and find the language in the program you're now using and see if you can switch back and forth from US English to UK English. (That would be a whole lot simpler.)
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Post by quettalee on Dec 14, 2011 23:58:37 GMT -6
Thank you, Jox, I will check it out in the next few days. I finished my project last night and requested a few days before a new batch because I'm always on a seven-day deadline once I start. I have to schedule around my off days at the CB to make sure I get finished.
Sis, I started writing this last assignment for About.com in the UK. I had already completed four US batches as part of a team of content writers, but we weren't told for whom we were writing. It could very well be About as well. Regardless, it's only been a couple of months.
I really like the work. I get to learn so much and be creative at the same time. And get paid !! That part is nice too!
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Post by Mini Mia on Dec 15, 2011 0:26:24 GMT -6
You're welcome, Q. I hope it works out for you.
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Post by marjancin on Jan 21, 2012 11:05:50 GMT -6
I've already posted my on the job stories in this topic. I wonder how franky1376 has been doing, btw. I wonder if he and his gal are still together?
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Jan 24, 2012 13:55:13 GMT -6
So.....had a guy come to the shelter yesterday to redeem his dog. Between his two dogs they had been there 9 times and he's paid us close to $1000. As the man was standing at my window yelling at me about having to pay to get his now injured dog out of jail one more time, the shelter supervisor addressed him and stated, "If you had spent half the money you have given us on fixing your fence and locking your gates maybe you wouldn't be here now."
I stopped listening after he said he was calling his lawyer.
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Post by stepper on Jan 28, 2012 12:05:51 GMT -6
The San Antonio shelter has been trying to get to no-kill status for several years now. They've gone through several directors in the process. The great announcement in December was that with the Christmas season they had some showings where they had knocked down the prices for adoption and spay/neuter and microchiping. With all that, for the first time, they finally adopted out more pets than the killed. It’s not something I could do – put down all those poor animals.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Oct 17, 2012 20:35:49 GMT -6
I honestly don't see a day when that will happen for us. We still have too many old school employees for a major change.
And education is a huge problem.
People just don't get it sometimes.
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Post by scamp on Oct 18, 2012 5:26:29 GMT -6
People just don't get it sometimes. True, but you get it again...pelt the newbie with pumpkins, huh?
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Oct 18, 2012 10:19:06 GMT -6
pfft......newbie my butt.
Ok where to plaster it now......?
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