Nothing to write home about - a very early MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
121

[QUOTE=Taters]
I figure if someone has time to “tattle” on you or notice if you’re "not working’, then they’ve got way too much time on their hands and perhaps they should think about doing something productive.
[/QUOTE]
Not necessarily. I shared a cube with a guy who arrived the same time I did every day, but who always went to “the shops” about half an hour before quitting time, never to be seen again. He would also be gone in the middle of the day for a couple of hours at a time. No, I didn’t time him, but when people would come 2-3 times a week looking for him and expect me to know where he was, I started noticing. I never said anything, much as I wanted too, and I found out last week that “someone” got in trouble for going to the gym during work hours.

Considering he’s a federal employee and you’re paying his salary, I’d think you’d have wanted me to turn him in for fraud. um, not you specifically, Taters - that was a generic “you.”

What’s the line? What it your obligation as an employee - just do your job and ignore the rest? What if your coworker was stealing reams of paper every day? What if he was on the phone for hours at a time talking dirty? What if he was doing his side business on your employer’s time? Do supervisors have to micromanage and moniter every move of the workers?

I don’t know - I’m not a supervisor. But I’ve often wished there was a way to clue them in when things are not right. * <shrug>*

122

[QUOTE=FairyChatMom]
Not necessarily. I shared a cube with a guy who arrived the same time I did every day, but who always went to “the shops” about half an hour before quitting time, never to be seen again. He would also be gone in the middle of the day for a couple of hours at a time. No, I didn’t time him, but when people would come 2-3 times a week looking for him and expect me to know where he was, I started noticing. I never said anything, much as I wanted too, and I found out last week that “someone” got in trouble for going to the gym during work hours.

Considering he’s a federal employee and you’re paying his salary, I’d think you’d have wanted me to turn him in for fraud. um, not you specifically, Taters - that was a generic “you.”

What’s the line? What it your obligation as an employee - just do your job and ignore the rest? What if your coworker was stealing reams of paper every day? What if he was on the phone for hours at a time talking dirty? What if he was doing his side business on your employer’s time? Do supervisors have to micromanage and moniter every move of the workers?

I don’t know - I’m not a supervisor. But I’ve often wished there was a way to clue them in when things are not right. * <shrug>*
[/QUOTE]

I was referring to “busy-body” type people. Obviously, if someone is truly a detriment to the organization, or is committing acts of fraud, waste, and/or abuse, then yes, it’s time to say something. You’re right, though; finding a way to report with coming across as a tattle-tale is sometimes difficult.

I have worked with people who literally wrote down what time others arrived, when they left, and how long they were gone. These busy-bodies also whined about how much work they had to do, but could never seem to accomplish it because they were so busy staking out the hallways and doorways looking for “awols” or the supervisor because they had something very “important” to talk about. EVERY FREAKIN’ DAY. :dubious: :mad: Thank God I don’t work with idiots like that anymore.

I’m of the mind, that as long as I’m getting my work done in a timely fashion, the work is correct, and no one needs any assistance, it’s nobody’s business if I pop into the net to check the traffic report for my commute home. That’s just me though.

123

I’ve sped through today’s posts because I need to eat dinner and go listen to an outdoor concert (what a hardship!) because I worked too long today and need something non-worky to do. Also, I’ve missed the first two concerts in the series and really want to catch the rest of them cuz they’re always fun.

Anyhooo…it appears to me that Shibb was not posting from Germany, but rather from Switzerland, albeit a part that’s right near the German border.

I think it’s a lot easier for someone to be perceived as a tattle tale in the type of work situation rosie has than in the type LiLi has. Like FCM and Taters, I’m a government employee (state, not fed) and have had situations in my department where people wanted to get into other people’s business. We like to make it clear that if you’re not the person’s manager, you may not know the specific circumstances that led to him/her coming/going, etc. at an unusual time. But we also have a code of ethics and expect anyone to report a violation if they suspect one. We don’t expect them to chat about it, though. Fortunately I work with a really good group of people and we have very few issues like this and can normally work them out with a minimum of pain. In any situation, it’s a lot less likely that you’ll be perceived as a tattle tale if you know your boss respects you and recognizes that you get your work done.

Wow…that was way more than I meant to say.

Off to grab something to eat and then to the concert. I’m thinking I’ll eat when I get there…

GT

124

[QUOTE=FCM]
What’s the line? What it your obligation as an employee - just do your job and ignore the rest? What if your coworker was stealing reams of paper every day? What if he was on the phone for hours at a time talking dirty? What if he was doing his side business on your employer’s time? Do supervisors have to micromanage and moniter every move of the workers?
[/QUOTE]

Yeah. Not working within reason is fine. It bothers me when it means that I can’t do my work (e.g. constantly having customers referred to me because a co-worker feels like staring out the window for a couple of hours, or always having to be on cash because my co-worker is spending an hour browsing magazines), or if it’s a constant, ongoing thing.

I’m only working with two other people, usually, and we all have to keep tabs on the front, and let each other know if someone’s going downstairs or to the back to do something that will take a while. So if someone is a constant window-starer or wanderer, it means that you’re effectively minus one co-worker. That hampers the other two. It’s tricky, knowing when to tell the manager that there are problems.
I’m told that many years ago there was a girl working who used to sit in the basement, doing nothing except monitoring the security cameras, and use the intercom to buzz her co-workers, and tell them, “You’re not working! I see you slacking off!”.

That’s an offensive kind of busybody-ism. Thank goodness she was fired.

125

Been a busy day. I went to a meeting, then I was at the firstStanley Cup parade at the RBC Center. I got to see the Cup in person(Ooh! Shiny!) . I think I’ll go to the parade downtown as I ran out of space in my camera.

rosie, I just make the slacker’s life a living hell till they shape up or ship out. Of course, I’m management so I have the power.

126

[QUOTE=Lissla Lissar]
<snip>I’m told that many years ago there was a girl working who used to sit in the basement, doing nothing except monitoring the security cameras, and use the intercom to buzz her co-workers, and tell them, “You’re not working! I see you slacking off!”.<snip>
[/QUOTE]
Ding…ding…ding…ding…ding…ding…ding…!!! We have a winner!! Wow! That’s prety much the ultimate in annoying. Hope that when Useless Git leaves someone useful comes on board.

Personally, I kinda like smitty’s approach for rosie’s dilemma. How about “If you can read this, you’re too close to my monitor.” Or maybe you could vary the messages. “Hi, <NosyCoworker’s Name Here>!” would be nice too.

Here’s another vote for wedding pics, Bumba. And thanks for the movie reviews. I’ve seen Rumor Has It and thought it was cute. Yes, she plays a neurotic twit, but there’s something likeable about her character that keeps her from being annoying.

kai, that sounds amazing! Can’t even imagine having to deal with damage from two breaching whales. Hope things start going better for the Skiffologist.

Jahdra, we demand recipes!

Spats, sorry the internship isn’t more interesting. Sounds like they didn’t plan well for an intern. Have you been able to talk to the physicist you mentioned last week? Is there anything you can volunteer to do/read/organize/learn? Also, your pun made me laugh.

Puggy, your humming made me laugh. What if God were one of us? pretty much sums up my take on it all too.

Yay MBG and the kids walking to school!!! I routinely walked more than a mile to school every day from kindergarten through high school. Mom dropped us off when we were running late, but most of the time we walked with other kids in the neighborhood. I live in a very small school district where the longest walk is maybe a mile. We don’t have bus service. It depresses me to see the number of kids who get rides to school here. There are a lot who walk, but there are probably more who get rides or drive. It’s a safe neighborhood and there are sidewalks everywhere, so those aren’t excuses. Kinda sad, I think.

Concert was fun. 60s and 70s covers. I love to go and people-watch. There are always lots of kids dancing around and all kinds of neighbors hanging out. One of the entertaining parts is watching people start picking up at the beginning of the last song like they want to avoid the traffic jam on the way home. (Cuz, yes, there are a few people who drive to this thing.) There’s never a traffic jam. Not even enough people walking in any single direction to get in anyone else’s way. But it never fails.

Oh, and congrats, dogbutler on your winning team!

Well…I should be asleep. Guess I should consider beddy bye.

GT

127

thanks for the support and suggestions, everyone. I think I’ll go with the full scren message alt-click thingy smitty suggested, but not quite so rude; I’ll let you know what happens.

128

Another option, rosie, that I’ve known people to use is to get an anti-glare filter for their screen. Some of them, at least, have the added benefit of making it impossible for anyone to read who’s not at the correct angle, thus solving the problem not only for your one annoying coworker but anyone else who reads over your shoulder. I was about ready to get one for myself at one job I had a few years ago, where the HR manager set the place up so that she could sneak up behind everybody’s desk and see what they were doing on their computers. But I quit instead. That was far more satisfying. :smiley: But it’s at least a solution that doesn’t look like you’re getting it to block readers; nope, you’re just being kind to your eyes!

The iguanas never did come vacuum my house, so I had to do it myself. And then I cleaned out the various filters on my vacuum – it’s not a Dyson, but I do have a nice Bissell that I just love to death; one filter needs to be rinsed regularly, but the other two only rarely. So, of course, after I rinsed all three, I then noticed that one of them was marked as “do not rinse!” :smack: So I dried it off as carefully as I could, but now I don’t know whether I need to replace it, or try it first to see if it blows up or something. Man, I hate it when the instructions are right in front of my eyes and I still miss them.

129

Mornin’ Y’all! I don’t have anything to post, really, just wanted to say good morning.

130

[QUOTE=swampbear]
Mornin’ Y’all! I don’t have anything to post, really, just wanted to say good morning.
[/QUOTE]

What’s so good about it? :dubious:

I crack me up…

131

[QUOTE=VunderBob]
What’s so good about it? :dubious:

I crack me up…
[/QUOTE]

I’m not at work. That’s what.

132

[QUOTE=anyrose]
I’m not at work. That’s what.
[/QUOTE]

Show off. :stuck_out_tongue:

133

[QUOTE=anyrose]
I’m not at work. That’s what.
[/QUOTE]

Yeah, well, I’m not working. :smiley:

134

I’m at work and though not exactly working, waiting for my boss’s boss to show up, and another bigwig. So I’m dressed really nice today, in my favorite skirt and blouse combo.

135

Good Morning! I an not at work. I will be downtown in a few hours for the second Stanley Cup parade. I just paid my bills, so I am poor, but debt free. :slight_smile:

136

[QUOTE=Anaamika]
I’m at work and though not exactly working, waiting for my boss’s boss to show up, and another bigwig. So I’m dressed really nice today, in my favorite skirt and blouse combo.
[/QUOTE]

I wore a dress today. I think because it was just one article of clothing and therefore less to think about. It’s going to be a very long day.

Normally, the largest part of my work is to collect all the invoices from the warehouse and our showroom downstairs and … wait for it … alphabetize them. Usually, it takes until 12 or 1 for all of the documents to get to me. Today, I have them all by 9:30. I’ll be done by 12 (including time on the Dope and e-mailing), and then I’ll have nothing to do. And of course, this morning, I took the book full of stuff I wanted to study out of my bag because it was too heavy. Grumble mutter swear.

137

I get to run around town checking up on how all my little charges are doing at work. I like that though. Ok, I’m checking up on how staff who are supposed to be coaching all my little charges are doing as well. They just don’t know I’m coming is all. Sometimes they know, sometimes they don’t know. Keeps 'em on their toes. I’m sneaky like that.

I’ve been asked to do some work in Miami for a couple days at the end of August. I don’t want to. I don’t like Miami. No offense to any cool kids or dopers who are Miamians but folks down there drive all insane and scary like. :eek: I’m gonna do it, cause, well, I’m all dedicated and such. Plus it scores points for me for getting to go do stuff somewhere I want to later on, cause I can pull the old “I did this for you, now you do this for me” card. I like that.

138

[QUOTE=FairyChatMom]
I don’t know - I’m not a supervisor. But I’ve often wished there was a way to clue them in when things are not right. * <shrug>*
[/QUOTE]

You probably have an employee suggestion box somewhere in the building. Just write out what the problem is, don’t sign if you want to say anonymous (but have enough info on it to show that it’s not just a petty attack), and drop it in the box. Do that enough, and someone is gonna come by to check things out soon.

139

People, I am eating strawberries from my own garden. They are divine.

140

Oh, and Spats, you said you’ve been reading some Stephenson lately - The Baroque Cycle? I just finished that. NOVA on PBS last night had a good episode about Sir Isaac Newton. It supported a lot of what Stephenson had said about that nutcase, er, genius, Sir Isaac.