Story told before; the TLDR is “my heart goes out to your brother, ArrMatey!”. Being incapacitated from doing your job by the same people who hired you to do it sucks, and it sucks even worse when that job is The Right Thing.
Years ago, I spent some time working at this factory which was a recentish acquisition for our company. The new head of EHS had been transferred there from my old factory, where he’d been the QC manager.
In our old factory, where we used a lot of organic monomers (what we made was about 40% organic polymers, 60% water), personal cellphones weren’t so much forbidden as unthinkable - people wouldn’t even leave them in the car, they’d leave them at home. The cellphones used as walkies were “antispark”, specially made for use in dangerous atmospheres. The new factory worked mostly with rubber-like solids, dyes - and metal dust, mostly aluminum. Aluminum dust is even more “flashy” than magnesium: old-fashioned flashes were made with magnesium because aluminum isn’t stable enough to be used like that. Jose spent so much time trying to convince the managers at the new factory (and at the other 3 factories from the same business which had been bought at the same time) he ended most days hoarse.
“There’s been no problem, ever” “People didn’t use to have cellphones! We don’t even use walkies, but now we have operators who carry three cells: one for general use, one for their ex and one for their current girlfriend! It’s dangerous!” “There’s been no problem, ever”
He and the other EHS managers finally got permission to buy those fancy phones and forbid personal ones at the factories after one of the operators at the Italian factory got a call while he was pouring aluminum dust. The casket was closed during the wake and funeral…
So I haven’t actually thrown up since Sunday morning (though there was a close call last night), but this stomach bug has completely wiped out all my energy and appetite. I just got up to clean the cat’s litter box and now I’m lying here feeling dizzy from that small exertion. Probably because I’ve eaten all of about 5 pretzels since Friday dinner, but I just don’t want anything except watered-down Gatorade. I’ve taken 2 sick days already and I don’t know but what I may have to take another tomorrow because the thought of just taking the Metro to get to work has me wanting to pass out, never mind actually being at work. But then I feel guilty, because I’m not actually puking. This sucks.
Shitshitshit fuckfuckfuck! Hubby was at the grocery store trying to buy a bottle of wine, and his card was declined. We thought it might be because it’s a new card, but no - we’re $120 in the hole. FUCK!
I think the main problem I’m having is that I’m not from Houston, so I don’t know how people drive here. The roads are big and packed and everyone drives really fast. However, as I’ve said upstream, Houston drivers are very skilled. Its us out of town people who probably cause the problems. Your company is very smart.
Now…off the road…everyone is nice and polite and friendly. As long as you can keep your eyes closed while your driver is driving like a native, you should have a very nice visit.
My rant. Bill is feeling well enough to chafe about the lifting/movement restrictions. I’ve done this with other people, so I know that he HAS to follow his doctor’s orders.
This has caused such grown-up responses from me as “If you even look like you are going to try to pick that gallon of milk up again, I’ll pour half of it in your lap” and “I don’t care that I bought your shirts at Tents-R-Us, if you reach behind your back like that again, I’m turning them all into sleeveless ponchos”. Not to mention my smartest one “You can’t carry that glock, if you have to fire it, it’ll split your breastbone like a turkey wishbone. Lets go buy a .22.” :smack:
Look, I done told you. Bill is required to offer you the use of a firearm while you’re in the great state of Texas. So YOU should be carrying the Glock. You’ve heard of designated drivers? You should be the designated shooter.
Butbutbut, I’m the designated driver and I’m right handed. I can’t be the designated shooter too! (ever since you posted that, I’ve been trying to remember the movie. I know it was the start of a Charles Bronson series, was it Die Hard?)
For EmAnJ, A couple of years ago, I was driving through upper part of Texas on my way to W.V., when I got pulled over. I’m pretty sure it was a bullshit stop, when I’m driving out of my area, I always follow the speed limit and am very, very careful. Anyhow, I got pulled over in my car with Arizona plates and limo tinted windows. And carrying my own Glock. In the middle of nowhere, Texas.
I was sure I was going to die or get raped or spend time in the local jail while being raped and then dieing, because that’s what happens to people on TV.
None of that happened. The cop was very polite and professional. When he came to the window, and asked for my drivers license, I gave him my license and CCW card and told him that I would need to open my glove box to get my insurance papers. He thanked me for showing him my CCW card and asked if I was carrying and I said yes. He asked me to put my weapon on the passenger seat, get my insurance paperwork and step out of the car.
We went to his car and sat in his front seat while he called my info in, then wrote a warning ticket about following too close, told me to enjoy my visit and let me go.
I’ve never had a bad experience with anyone I’ve met in Texas as long as they weren’t driving.
So he’s as good as you are about following doctor’s orders? <whistles innocently as she casts her eyes upthread to flatlined’s attempt to go back to work early after foot surgery>
If you commit the violence I’m sure you’re imagining, Ellen Cherry, and I was on the jury, I wouldn’t convict you. That’s justifiable homicide right there.
An addendum to my previous rant-post. Got to talk to my brother last night, and found out that the implemented change that the boss didn’t want to make his workers actually learn? Because they didn’t learn it, and didn’t enact their end of the changes, the plant lost half a million dollars. The board has been looking for an excuse to close the plant.
My brother also then went into details about how the boss has actually directly taken the inspectors to some of the more dangerously unmaintenanced areas of the plants, and talked about how such rule violations are done in other plants that the company owns (In the sense of “Oh, well, the other plants do it this way, so we figured it was okay.”) Arrrrrgh!
Of course, the night was topped with my siblings and my parents getting into a discussion about how pathetic a person is if they can’t find someone to be romantically attached to. Yep. Right in front of me. Perfect thing for me to deal with on valentines day. Thanks guys.
As you well know, no self-respecting Southerner eats instant grits except in a zombie apocalypse. You have my permission to exterminate your office partner, with extreme prejudice.
I 100% agree with this idea.