I know that there is a reason I chose to call my blog Angry Pony. I know I use it to talk about the daily B.S. that happens in life and my spin on it. I also understand that can come across as "negativity" to some people. Other people may identify with it as a girl just sayin' it like it is. I like to think I'm just sayin' it like it is. I have a tendency to see things in a negative light, I guess, mostly because often it seems as if the universe is on a constant mission to kick my ass. With all that said, I think I do have a right to call someone out as being negative. Today is that day.
First off, yes, it is snowing. Yes, that does suck for commuters. Yes, that does mean we have to go to work. I'm not happy about it either, but I go. Upon arrival, I hear nothing but whining about if we are going to close early and how unjust it is that our company makes us come to work. Well, I could join the bandwagon, but I'm not going to. Why? Well, I work for a public utility and with that comes a certain amount of responsibility to be at work even when the average Joe may get to stay home. My bosses made it to work and so did a bunch of other people. Let's run the business. Let's shut the F up and do our job, because the sooner we do, the sooner we can go home.
My boss decides to show some appreciation for the people that made it in by buying some cider, hot chocolate, oatmeal and soup. We send out an announcement and ask people what they want and advise them we will bring it to them, at their desk. I mean, sure, I'd like to punch my boss in the head for wanting to deliver hot items when it is frickin freezing outside and freezing items when it is hot outside in the summer, but it all makes sense, so with a little bit of a "are you serious" face, I go about the task with my faithful pal, Valerie and some of the other managers that help. And then it starts, "This is only warm, is there a reason it isn't hot?" Are you kidding me? I looked the person dead in the eye and said, "Well, I guess people can't appreciate any sort of nice gesture, can they?" It's called a microwave, people. If you are not happy with the temperature, VISIT ONE AND TURN IT ON!
Then the complaints come from the training room where folks are supposed to be learning and not on the instant messaging system. Suddenly, the universe is against them because we are not interrupting their class time to take their orders. After all, aren't they special? Don't they deserve something? Don't we care about them? Is someone going to buy them pizza? Because some of them didn't bring their lunch and they are hungry and it is snowing outside. Well, let me drop everything and buy you guys lunch because you couldn't be bothered to make a freakin peanut butter and jelly sandwich, let me bankrupt the company to buy your lunch and kiss your ass so that you don't go hungry because it is snowing outside. By all means. I'll be honest, at this point, if I could have served them shit sandwiches, I would have. But instead, I trotted my ass down there with the "treat trolly" and gave them their treats. I don't want anyone to not get their fair share even it it was a 25 cent hot cocoa packet.
Once that excitement dies down, it's time for me to turn my focus to ordering lunch for Friday. Out of a random sense of generosity, Boss #1 decides we're feeding the whole center lunch on Friday. We're ordering BBQ. And when I say "we" that means "me." Here's the deal, some people don't work Friday. Did I think I was going to hear from those people once they found out lunch was to be served on Friday? I sure did. Did I hear from those people? Of course. Here is some heart felt advice: GET OVER IT.
As if that isn't enough, one other brave soul comes to my desk and wants to know where the snow plow is. After years of chaos in the parking lot, this year our company hired an independent contractor to plow, sand and scrape the parking lot and keep it as safe as possible. Do you think people are happy about that? Well, of course they are pissed because the plow is leaving little snow berms in front of their cars. That bastard. Nevermind the parking lot is easier to navigate, they have been inconvenienced. And now, one person is concerned because he hasn't seen the plow for a while. I gave him the drop dead stare. He was unaffected, almost as if he was surrounded by some sort of protective force field. I told him I didn't know where the plow guy was. We weren't Twitter pals, Facebook friends, BFF's or texting buddies so I had no friggin idea when he'd be back. He then asked me if I was going to do anything to find out. I said, "No, I'm not. Should I be the 350th caller into the maintenance department today to ask about it?" Seriously, it's friggin snowmageadon outside and I'm keeping track of this guy? No. I said, "I'm sure he'll be back." He said, "So, you are really not going to check?" Was I not clear before? I guess not. I said, "What are you so uptight about? We are going to be ok." He insisted that he was not going to be able to come to work tomorrow if we didn't do something about that parking lot. Seriously, it is like 3pm. I don't think anyone said the plow guy died. I think I just said he'd eventually be back. I didn't hire him. I don't live with him. I don't boink him. I don't know. I finally told Nervous Nelly to not sweat it. He informed me he was not going to come to work tomorrow. I said, "fine, don't, it's your paycheck." Don't threaten me with one less person to piss me off tomorrow. I said, "Look, you work for a public utility, if you don't like it, go work for the school district so you can get some snow days." He finally left. Why do people do this to me. Why do people complain to me all the time? Why do people think I control everything that happens at the glass palace? Why do people believe I have a high tolerance for bullshit?
These are all questions I am going to have to ask myself while I work on my self-appraisal that is due next week. Everyone else in the center got a self appraisal template to use. Because my position is "special" there is no template for me. My boss informs me tonight that I can just use the other one as a guideline and kind of create my own. I'm going to have to talk about how I help the company meet it's goals. I hope one of the company's goals is to have zero murders at a call center during the year. That is a goal I can speak to. It has been the greatest accomplishment of all for me. I don't even think the CEO can top my performance this year.
Anyway, another fun-filled snow day is ahead tomorrow and I can't wait to see what it has to offer me. I sure hope it's more negativity. I thrive on it.
Oh, and by the way, the plow guy did return and plowed and sanded the parking lot.
First off, yes, it is snowing. Yes, that does suck for commuters. Yes, that does mean we have to go to work. I'm not happy about it either, but I go. Upon arrival, I hear nothing but whining about if we are going to close early and how unjust it is that our company makes us come to work. Well, I could join the bandwagon, but I'm not going to. Why? Well, I work for a public utility and with that comes a certain amount of responsibility to be at work even when the average Joe may get to stay home. My bosses made it to work and so did a bunch of other people. Let's run the business. Let's shut the F up and do our job, because the sooner we do, the sooner we can go home.
My boss decides to show some appreciation for the people that made it in by buying some cider, hot chocolate, oatmeal and soup. We send out an announcement and ask people what they want and advise them we will bring it to them, at their desk. I mean, sure, I'd like to punch my boss in the head for wanting to deliver hot items when it is frickin freezing outside and freezing items when it is hot outside in the summer, but it all makes sense, so with a little bit of a "are you serious" face, I go about the task with my faithful pal, Valerie and some of the other managers that help. And then it starts, "This is only warm, is there a reason it isn't hot?" Are you kidding me? I looked the person dead in the eye and said, "Well, I guess people can't appreciate any sort of nice gesture, can they?" It's called a microwave, people. If you are not happy with the temperature, VISIT ONE AND TURN IT ON!
Then the complaints come from the training room where folks are supposed to be learning and not on the instant messaging system. Suddenly, the universe is against them because we are not interrupting their class time to take their orders. After all, aren't they special? Don't they deserve something? Don't we care about them? Is someone going to buy them pizza? Because some of them didn't bring their lunch and they are hungry and it is snowing outside. Well, let me drop everything and buy you guys lunch because you couldn't be bothered to make a freakin peanut butter and jelly sandwich, let me bankrupt the company to buy your lunch and kiss your ass so that you don't go hungry because it is snowing outside. By all means. I'll be honest, at this point, if I could have served them shit sandwiches, I would have. But instead, I trotted my ass down there with the "treat trolly" and gave them their treats. I don't want anyone to not get their fair share even it it was a 25 cent hot cocoa packet.
Once that excitement dies down, it's time for me to turn my focus to ordering lunch for Friday. Out of a random sense of generosity, Boss #1 decides we're feeding the whole center lunch on Friday. We're ordering BBQ. And when I say "we" that means "me." Here's the deal, some people don't work Friday. Did I think I was going to hear from those people once they found out lunch was to be served on Friday? I sure did. Did I hear from those people? Of course. Here is some heart felt advice: GET OVER IT.
As if that isn't enough, one other brave soul comes to my desk and wants to know where the snow plow is. After years of chaos in the parking lot, this year our company hired an independent contractor to plow, sand and scrape the parking lot and keep it as safe as possible. Do you think people are happy about that? Well, of course they are pissed because the plow is leaving little snow berms in front of their cars. That bastard. Nevermind the parking lot is easier to navigate, they have been inconvenienced. And now, one person is concerned because he hasn't seen the plow for a while. I gave him the drop dead stare. He was unaffected, almost as if he was surrounded by some sort of protective force field. I told him I didn't know where the plow guy was. We weren't Twitter pals, Facebook friends, BFF's or texting buddies so I had no friggin idea when he'd be back. He then asked me if I was going to do anything to find out. I said, "No, I'm not. Should I be the 350th caller into the maintenance department today to ask about it?" Seriously, it's friggin snowmageadon outside and I'm keeping track of this guy? No. I said, "I'm sure he'll be back." He said, "So, you are really not going to check?" Was I not clear before? I guess not. I said, "What are you so uptight about? We are going to be ok." He insisted that he was not going to be able to come to work tomorrow if we didn't do something about that parking lot. Seriously, it is like 3pm. I don't think anyone said the plow guy died. I think I just said he'd eventually be back. I didn't hire him. I don't live with him. I don't boink him. I don't know. I finally told Nervous Nelly to not sweat it. He informed me he was not going to come to work tomorrow. I said, "fine, don't, it's your paycheck." Don't threaten me with one less person to piss me off tomorrow. I said, "Look, you work for a public utility, if you don't like it, go work for the school district so you can get some snow days." He finally left. Why do people do this to me. Why do people complain to me all the time? Why do people think I control everything that happens at the glass palace? Why do people believe I have a high tolerance for bullshit?
These are all questions I am going to have to ask myself while I work on my self-appraisal that is due next week. Everyone else in the center got a self appraisal template to use. Because my position is "special" there is no template for me. My boss informs me tonight that I can just use the other one as a guideline and kind of create my own. I'm going to have to talk about how I help the company meet it's goals. I hope one of the company's goals is to have zero murders at a call center during the year. That is a goal I can speak to. It has been the greatest accomplishment of all for me. I don't even think the CEO can top my performance this year.
Anyway, another fun-filled snow day is ahead tomorrow and I can't wait to see what it has to offer me. I sure hope it's more negativity. I thrive on it.
Oh, and by the way, the plow guy did return and plowed and sanded the parking lot.
How did I know, before I got to the end, that Angry Pony was you? Well spoken :)
ReplyDeleteWell, you have me beaten because I don't know who you are. LOL
ReplyDelete