# Aw, Dang! Syne: January Minirants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2013, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745 "2013-01-01T11:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/521 "2013-01-24T19:46:39Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Yep, just funnin’. Like when I mention that Einstein originally wrote “E=Fb” (F-flat). I thought you might be kidding, but I wasn’t sure. I should figure Dopers would know. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/522 "2013-01-24T20:34:42Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I had a boss like that. If my start time was 9 a.m., and I showed up at 8:55, he’d tell me I was “almost late.” And how nice it would be if I came in 15 minutes early to “get myself situated” or whatever, like **Chimera** says. So I asked, “Is my schedule now 8:45 to 5:45?” Of course not, because I had to stay until all my work was done, no matter how late it was, and 80-90% of the time it was much later than 6 p.m. But coming in early without pay – that would be a great idea! > > And I am not the person who clocks in and then spends 20 minutes wandering around, chatting, getting coffee, fixing my hair, etc. When I arrive at work, I start working. One of my bosses was like this. In that company, everyone, managers and staff alike, had to sign in. The store was open 10 AM to 6 PM, and she’d sign in at 8 AM. She’d tell everyone that she was doing paperwork, but she was actually doing errands such as grocery shopping and making personal appointments until about 9:45…and she damned well expected everyone else to be in the store at that time, too, even though we wouldn’t be getting paid for this extra time. The manager wanted someone else in the store to open it up and start selling in case she hadn’t come back from her errands in time. I casually mentioned the 15 minute early rule one time when the owner was in the store, and the owner just about blew a fuse telling the manager that there was no way that she (the manager) could require people to come in and start working early. The owner said that as long as an employee was in the store and ready to work at 9:59, that was sufficient. Then, though I hadn’t brought it up, the boss asked the manager just what she was doing for those two hours that she was consistently clocking in for. It turns out that the manager couldn’t give a satisfactory explanation, because, of course, she wasn’t doing anything business related during that time. The owner told the manager that she needed to manage her time better, and that the company didn’t really want her to be spending all that time at the store if she wasn’t actively working on the company’s business. The manager couldn’t say that she was doing paperwork, because _I_ was doing most of the paperwork by that time. It was all handwritten, and our styles were very different. The manager had beautiful penmanship, but a poor grasp of spelling, grammar, and basic math. My handwriting has never been noted for its beauty, but I do know how to put a sentence together, how to spell, and how to do basic math. I had a very hard time keeping the smirk off my face. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/523 "2013-01-24T20:45:37Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Anxiety is a maladjusted reaction to stress; CBT helps you figure out a better way to deal with stress instead of giving yourself panic attacks. Well, I found the worst therapist. I said that I was sick of dealing with being responsible for everything in my family (bills, cleaning, appointments, feeding) and she said that’s just what women end up doing. Fuck that! (So, new therapist for me.) Last I checked this was the 21st century and boys are just as capable of changing the toilet paper roll as I am. (FFS) ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/524 "2013-01-24T22:05:43Z")
For the last time, everyone: “blog entry” and “blog” are not synonymous. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/525 "2013-01-24T22:30:54Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > It turns out that the manager couldn’t give a satisfactory explanation, because, of course, she wasn’t doing anything business related during that time. “I’m um…_managing_. Yeah, that’s the ticket!” “Before the employees are here?” :dubious: “It’s easier that way” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/526 "2013-01-25T01:40:21Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Well, I found the worst therapist. I said that I was sick of dealing with being responsible for everything in my family (bills, cleaning, appointments, feeding) and she said that’s just what women end up doing. > > Fuck that! (So, new therapist for me.) > > Last I checked this was the 21st century and boys are just as capable of changing the toilet paper roll as I am. (FFS) Oh yeah, that is _not_ a good therapist!Bad therapist! Bad! I didn’t think my supper was particularly hot, but I now have a little blister on the roof of my mouth, and apparently I’m going to be spending the entire evening prodding it with my tongue. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/527 "2013-01-25T02:44:18Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Hey, kids! More exciting adventures featuring Lucky and friends… and possibly _your_ ‘kitteh’, over in [**The Cat Thread**!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=680029) > _flatlined_, I’m so glad you started it – it’ll keep us on Mini-Rants here, and it’s already hugely entertaining. It was your idea, and a very good one! I’m enjoying reading that I’m not the only one who loves butthead cats. I was going to do all of the coding stuff, but then I got distracted by Lucky who was hiding under my desk and trying to chew up the cords. He can’t really chew anything so he was just pulling the cords out of the comp. I have a bladder infection and I don’t have a doctor yet. I’m knocking back cranberry juice like a wino with a bottle of Ripple. OWWIE!!! ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/528 "2013-01-25T03:05:58Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > “I’m um…_managing_. Yeah, that’s the ticket!” > “Before the employees are here?” :dubious: > “It’s easier that way” Frankly, it’s the only way that consistently works. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/529 "2013-01-25T05:45:09Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Maybe I’m too much of a classical musician. At classical concerts, you aren’t supposed to move around too much in your seat in the audience. 🙂 Not a fan of Radetzsy’s March then? Awwww! ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/530 "2013-01-25T05:45:14Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Well, I found the worst therapist. I said that I was sick of dealing with being responsible for everything in my family (bills, cleaning, appointments, feeding) and she said that’s just what women end up doing. > > Fuck that! (So, new therapist for me.) > > Last I checked this was the 21st century and boys are just as capable of changing the toilet paper roll as I am. (FFS) Yeah, that’s a run-don’t-walk sign right there. I will encourage you to keep looking. It took me several years after I started having anxiety issues (on top of depression), but I found an excellent therapist who, seriously, has helped me change my life. It took a -lot- of shopping, though. Don’t give up! ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/531 "2013-01-25T07:35:16Z")
☹ sigh. The bunny I have been babysitting for the past month is going home tomorrow.They have great intentions and all but they wont protect her from mozzies so will very likely be dead from myxo or calici before summer is out. I just wanna cry ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/532 "2013-01-25T08:29:28Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Well, I found the worst therapist. I said that I was sick of dealing with being responsible for everything in my family (bills, cleaning, appointments, feeding) and she said that’s just what women end up doing. > > Fuck that! (So, new therapist for me.) > > Last I checked this was the 21st century and boys are just as capable of changing the toilet paper roll as I am. (FFS) Where the hell did she get her license? Because that’s about the worst advice I’ve ever heard, and I’m including the advice I got from an internal medicine doctor who told me to read my Bible every day to help cure my diabetes. > [@Chimera](#): > > “I’m um…_managing_. Yeah, that’s the ticket!” > “Before the employees are here?” :dubious: > “It’s easier that way” Actually, she was claiming to be doing the paperwork, mostly. However, since _I_ was doing most of the paperwork, and it was all handwritten, she was caught in her lie. She had beautiful handwriting, but she couldn’t figure out percentages, for instance. My handwriting is most kindly described as barely legible…but my spelling, grammar, and math are pretty good. Please note that while I was doing paperwork, I was not on the floor, selling and possibly earning commissions. The way the commissions worked was that we were paid an hourly wage, but if we managed to make a quota on a single sale, we’d get gift certificates (not cash commissions, but we could get clothes, at least), depending on how much over the quota we’d gone. The manager got a guaranteed monthly salary, but she also got a cash bonus if the store’s total sales went over her quota. Plus she could also earn gift certificates if one of her sales went over the quota. So she was basically taking my gift certificates away from me, while shoving her paperwork onto my shoulders. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/533 "2013-01-25T13:22:17Z")
Back when I was a manger, several of the folks who worked the early shift for me had to ask me to ask my senior Manager to stop coming around to their desks and chit-chatting for an hour. That was a awkward conversation. “Len - You know how S and K come in at seven? They find they can get a lot of work done in the seven to eight o’clock hour before the phone starts ringing.” “Oh - yeah. That’s a great idea.” “Well, they find it hard to keep that level of productivity when people come around and sit on their desks and chit-chat for an hour.” “Oh no, we can’t have that.” “… I’m talking about you, Len.” ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/534 "2013-01-25T14:12:52Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > You might need to check into the legality of this. I’m pretty certain that you cannot be required to be anywhere without being paid for it. No matter what you signed. > > Like one of the things I’ve run into many times in my career is some jackass suddenly demanding that everyone be at their desk 10,15,20 minutes before their start time and get everything ready before they clock in and start getting paid. I always point out that when you require someone to be there at 7:50, you are legally required to start paying them at 7:50 and plenty of people have learned how that works the hard way. > > They may be required to pay him minimum wage for any “required” time on site. I must say I never ran into this when I was doing hourly work. I actually remember getting to work a little early one day and getting bored, so I went to my workstation at 8:55 and starting organizing my tools…at which point I got totally scolded by my manager, he made it clear that I wasn’t supposed to do ANYTHING before 9AM. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/535 "2013-01-25T14:50:53Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I must say I never ran into this when I was doing hourly work. Was extremely common in the four years I did Security work. As an hourly IT contractor (now and back in the day), it’s easy enough for me to simply tell them that I get paid the minute I arrive and start working, so there really is no “show up early and work off the clock”. You want me to be there at 7:45? No problem. But my time sheet will reflect that. You want to be cheap and refuse to pay me until 8? I’ll be at my desk probably between 7:50 and 7:55, but I’m not touching any work until 8, nor will I discuss it off the clock if you wander by the moment I show up. (I found that getting up and walking off, saying “You know what, I need to (get a coke/use the can) before I start” is a fairly effective non-offensive way of deferring such requests until I’m on the clock, while reinforcing that whole paid start time thing.) ---
**Author:** ![RoniaBorkason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RoniaBorkason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RoniaBorkason)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/536 "2013-01-25T18:05:49Z")
I am sick and tired of being pregnant. I hate it. I’m functionally disabled, constantly nauseated, hate hate hate being pregnant. I was teasing my sister-in-law last weekend that if she went into labor before me I would never forgive her. Now she might have preeclampsia. She’s under close watch by her doctor, we’re both 35 weeks along, so the baby is only barely premature if she has to deliver, but I’m trying to talk myself out of severe jealousy. How twisted is that? I have a healthy almost-done baby, a medically uneventful, even if miserable, pregnancy, and I’m jealous that she might be deathly ill? I hope I’m just overemotional from the stupid hormones, because I don’t like what that says about me as a person. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/537 "2013-01-25T18:10:25Z")
> [@RoniaBorkason](#): > > I am sick and tired of being pregnant. I hate it. I’m functionally disabled, constantly nauseated, hate hate hate being pregnant. I was teasing my sister-in-law last weekend that if she went into labor before me I would never forgive her. Now she might have preeclampsia. She’s under close watch by her doctor, we’re both 35 weeks along, so the baby is only barely premature if she has to deliver, but I’m trying to talk myself out of severe jealousy. How twisted is that? > I have a healthy almost-done baby, a medically uneventful, even if miserable, pregnancy, and I’m jealous that she might be deathly ill? I hope I’m just overemotional from the stupid hormones, because I don’t like what that says about me as a person. I wish the best of luck to you, and I hpoe that you and the baby will be all right. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/538 "2013-01-25T18:50:36Z")
> [@RoniaBorkason](#): > > I am sick and tired of being pregnant. I hate it. I’m functionally disabled, constantly nauseated, hate hate hate being pregnant. I was teasing my sister-in-law last weekend that if she went into labor before me I would never forgive her. Now she might have preeclampsia. She’s under close watch by her doctor, we’re both 35 weeks along, so the baby is only barely premature if she has to deliver, but I’m trying to talk myself out of severe jealousy. How twisted is that? > I have a healthy almost-done baby, a medically uneventful, even if miserable, pregnancy, and I’m jealous that she might be deathly ill? I hope I’m just overemotional from the stupid hormones, because I don’t like what that says about me as a person. You are indeed overemotional from the hormones and that fact that you don’t like a thought that I presume you have not expressed to her does not mean you’re a terrible person. (Teasing her about delivery dates before her diagnosis does not count btw) ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/539 "2013-01-25T19:06:49Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Where the hell did she get her license? Because that’s about the worst advice I’ve ever heard, and I’m including the advice I got from an internal medicine doctor who told me to read my Bible every day to help cure my diabetes. She is covered without charge under my plan. I am currently using her as a stepping stone to someone else. Until then, I am biting my tongue and going along with it. It’s my way of not going into debt to get the therapy I need. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745/540 "2013-01-25T19:15:35Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > Well, I found the worst therapist. I said that I was sick of dealing with being responsible for everything in my family (bills, cleaning, appointments, feeding) and she said that’s just what women end up doing. > > Fuck that! (So, new therapist for me.) > > Last I checked this was the 21st century and boys are just as capable of changing the toilet paper roll as I am. (FFS) > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Where the hell did she get her license? Because that’s about the worst advice I’ve ever heard, and I’m including the advice I got from an internal medicine doctor who told me to read my Bible every day to help cure my diabetes. > [@perfectparanoia](#): > > She is covered without charge under my plan. I am currently using her as a stepping stone to someone else. Until then, I am biting my tongue and going along with it. > > It’s my way of not going into debt to get the therapy I need. Well, if that’s what works for you, then more power to you, and I hope you make it to your next therapist ASAP. In the meantime, of course, how 'bout getting me a sandwich? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aw-dang-syne-january-minirants/645745.md?page=28)