# Workplace griping, anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 12, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401 "2010-11-12T06:39:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 280
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5582 "2013-05-21T04:47:44Z")
> [@digs](#): > > AND you should read the book. For anyone who hasn’t read it, the book’s got a whole other layer of storytelling on top of what the (brilliant) movie shows. > > From [the blurb at BN.com](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/princess-bride-william-goldman/1100617233?ean=9780156035217): > My girlfriend MADE me read it. The version with S. Morgenstern’s original text in red. I’ve never read anything cleverer. > (And yes, I ended up marrying her) You are so right. Most books do have more story telling than movies, but that book started getting good with the intro. Yes, I do read the everything. Missy Mouth might go to the vet tomorrow. She’s still not right. I think its because I let her leap around and crash on tiles, Bill is worried about cancer and hip injuries and such. I think she is just sore and will be just fine in couple of days. No matter the outcome, I will never let her leap and fall on tile again. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5583 "2013-05-21T05:04:39Z")
Sorry for cat and book chat here. I found 7 dead wasps today and my minion killed 3 more. I told the building management guy about them maybe be in the ductwork and he looked like me like he thought I was too dumb to walk and chew gum at the same time. Tomorrow, my minion will be looking at the filters. The flipping things are getting in somehow and I really don’t think its the windows. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5584 "2013-05-21T05:28:25Z")
The ducts can be an amazing source of nastiness, sometimes. My Dad’s last job was as Purchasing Manager in a hospital: he was the second hire. First had been HR-person, third was Maintenance-person. The Maintenance guy was originally a bit surprised when told he had to pay ultra-super-special attention to air ducts, but even before asking “why” he realized that yeah, in a hospital, if you get a source of infection there… ooooooooh SHIT! Therefore, he pointed out that, rather than only having an external company which would come periodically, he’d like to have ar least one of his “plumbers” be an “air duct specialist”. Wish granted. And ok, ok, ok, I’ve just bought the book. I’ve been saying “I have to buy it” for ages, now I have it. Next step, actually reading it! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5585 "2013-05-21T11:38:36Z")
No gripe, but a had to share. Recent email thread. Boss, last Friday, to the whole team. Replies galore since, all going to the whole team. Fifteen minutes ago, letter from boss to the whole team saying “call me”. The previous three letters were from three other people. I’ve written him alone saying, “pst, who?” He’s answered me telling me who. I sure hope he’s also told the who in question, you know? ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5586 "2013-05-21T18:55:40Z")
The move was made on May 1 – we left the old office on April 30 and reported to work at the new office the next day. All our (two each only) boxes, which were neatly labelled with their workstation destinations, were in a mountainous heap in the middle of the space instead of being placed in our new workstations. No one had any real visual on the layout as we had only seen a drawing. Good things about the new office: • It’s bigger than it looked. • The view can’t be beat – where there are windows, the view is out over Parliament Hill, the Ottawa River and the Gatineaus. You can watch a thunderstorm rolling down the Valley. • There’s a nice, big staff kitchen/lunchroom with fridges, coffee machines and a dishwasher. • We are located in the middle of things again – Sparks St. Mall, the By Ward Market, and decent restaurants. • There’s a fancy biometric security system that uses fingerprints, so I no longer sound like a dog with too many licence tags with all the keys and passes around my neck. • A lot of the artwork that was in storage for years is now on display. Bad things about the new office: • It’s bigger than it looked. No more desktop printers; instead, we have networked printers “strategically” located in four sectors. I have to walk the equivalent of about half a city block just to retrieve one print job. And Godhelpyou if you leave the print job on the printer more than five minutes – the crazy OCD admin will pitch it, even if she sees you coming to pick it up. • Guess who drew the worst cubicle? There is one corner of the building (in a building with many corners) that has no windows, my cubicle is there. I’m stuck in a corner like a naughty two-year-old. No view. No artwork. At least my fellow cubicle-mates are compatible (and quiet). • The staff kitchen has a nice big table. Bolted in the middle of the room so it can’t be moved. Nice comfortable chairs to sit in. The table is higher than normal. I am shorter (but not by much) than normal. I need a booster seat just to eat my lunch comfortably. • The kitchen has a dishwasher that we can’t use because the water pressure on the 16th floor is too low. They are working on that. In the meantime, wash your goddamned dishes!!! • The fancy biometric security system doesn’t work for me. Apparently I have weird fingerprints that the reader can’t read. All this time I could have enjoyed a life of crime and no one would have known. • Some of the artwork that I know went into storage has disappeared. So, all in all, a trade-off. On the bright side, we can see the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) and the Langevin Block and the PCO (Privy Council Office) is 3 floors down, so we can watch the Harper government implode in comfort. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5587 "2013-05-21T19:05:32Z")
I originally stated that a lot of our artwork was going to end up in storage because of a lack of display space. Enough people made enough of a fuss that the spaces was reconfigured and instead of disappearing into storage, the current artwork was retained and hung and pieces that were in storage were brought back and hung for display. So some of Simon Brascoupe’s work that I had not seen for years is back on view, along with a number of West Coast carvings and prints. YAY!!! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5588 "2013-05-21T19:34:48Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > I found 7 dead wasps today and my minion killed 3 more. I told the building management guy about them maybe be in the ductwork and he looked like me like he thought I was too dumb to walk and chew gum at the same time. Next time you need to have all 10 dead wasps laid out as trophies on your desk. “These are what we’ve killed so far today. If you don’t think they’re coming through the duct work, please find out how they’re getting in and put a stop to it.” Me personally, if he still gave me shit, I’d stand up, take a picture of them right in front of him/her, and say “Ok, then I guess I need to start contacting the building owners.” ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5589 "2013-05-21T20:29:52Z")
We are a bit slow at the moment, so we’re coming up with “waylaid” projects (their words, not mine) that need to get finished. My arch-nemesis (the person who claimed I was fomenting revolution via comical sign some time back) has decided that her personal project is to get the department training manual updated. Even though: 1. She is not the trainer – I am; and 2. Keeping the training manual up-to-date is one of the responsibilities that appears on my performance reviews; and 3. I am very, _very_ good at that part of my job, because another of my job responsibilities is to participate in QA testing, and I use that time to not only “break” the system but also to document process changes like a good little drone; and 4. Arch-nemesis has REPEATEDLY and EXTREMELY VOCALLY refused _both_ training and testing “opportunities” (more like requirements for everybody else, but whatever). So … why is it, again, that management has suddenly agreed to allow HER to “update” the training manual? (“Update” is in air quotes there because SHE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A TRAINING MANUAL BECAUSE SHE KEEPS REFUSING TO GO TO TRAINING.) Nobody even asked me if I wanted or needed to work on it (to which my replies would be “sure, why not?” and “no, not really, here’s where _you can already find_ the latest stuff on the shared drive”). I don’t mind printing out copies of the documentation I already have for her, but I’ll be damned if I’ll give her unfettered access to the stuff that I’ve spent the last 7 years working on. I made every single document a .pdf file that will require a password to modify or convert, and you’d better BELIEVE that I will hold this department to our company’s express written “NO SHARING OF ANY KIND OF PASSWORD INFORMATION EVER, WE MEAN IT!” policy. (Sigh. The closer I get to finishing up my Master’s, the less engaged and the more earth-salty I get around here. This cannot be a good thing, I don’t think.) ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5590 "2013-05-21T22:06:21Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Next time you need to have all 10 dead wasps laid out as trophies on your desk. “These are what we’ve killed so far today. If you don’t think they’re coming through the duct work, please find out how they’re getting in and put a stop to it.” Make yourself a belt that says["Ten with one blow."](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Valiant_Little_Tailor) ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5591 "2013-05-22T00:16:27Z")
Due to corporate getting very, very picky about confidentiality agreements, I’ve found myself working with the contracts department a lot during my latest project. My contact in that department is awesome. Unfortunately, the customer service rep who is tied to my current job just can’t understand why my project is at a standstill right now. I spent close to twenty minutes this morning trying to explain that I can’t send out ANYTHING until all agreements have been signed by the involved parties. She missed the point…she seems to think I’m holding up the project, and I think she “reminded” me of the job’s shipment date at least a dozen times. She also insisted that I pester the hell out of the contracts department “so that maybe they’ll get it done faster”. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5592 "2013-05-22T03:07:58Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Next time you need to have all 10 dead wasps laid out as trophies on your desk. “These are what we’ve killed so far today. If you don’t think they’re coming through the duct work, please find out how they’re getting in and put a stop to it.”…snipped… We are putting the bodies in a jar that we show to everyone, interested or not. I tried to put the jar on the receptionists’ desk, but she got grossed out and made us take it back. 8 today. The filters were inspected and they are intact. Its like **EmilyG** ’s screens. How the heck are they getting in! ---
**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:** [May 22, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5593 "2013-05-22T04:04:11Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Next time you need to have all 10 dead wasps laid out as trophies on your desk. “These are what we’ve killed so far today. If you don’t think they’re coming through the duct work, please find out how they’re getting in and put a stop to it.” > > Me personally, if he still gave me shit, I’d stand up, take a picture of them right in front of him/her, and say “Ok, then I guess I need to start contacting the building owners.” Huh. So THAT’S why cats do that. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5594 "2013-05-22T04:16:39Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > There are wasps in the climate controlled file room. Pest control has been called, everyone has looked everywhere and no wasp nests have been seen. > > Third floor, sealed windows, doors that automatically shut and lock. There is no water or food in that area, so how and why are they getting in? Most of them are dead or almost dead but some of them are flying around. We see at least 10 a day. Are these being seen anywhere _besides_ in the climate-controlled file room? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5595 "2013-05-22T13:23:52Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Are these being seen anywhere _besides_ in the climate-controlled file room? And are they _paper_ wasps? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5596 "2013-05-22T13:55:02Z")
Put up no-pest strips in the corners of the room. See which one has the most wasps. Look in that area for access points. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5597 "2013-05-22T14:12:06Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > [snipped part of this] > She also insisted that I pester the hell out of the contracts department “so that maybe they’ll get it done faster”. :rolleyes: Preach it! I am about ready to lose it as one of my guys has gotten on my last nerve today with something extremely similar. Look, Mr. Project Manager - I have spent a long time developing my contacts in different areas and I will NOT bug the fuck out of them just because you are four fucking days behind in your email! You have been doing this a fuckton longer than I have - and you damn well know better. I’m not new enough that you can get something over on me so don’t try it - my boss is cc’d on every little stupid trick you try to pull so get the hell over yourself. It will get done when the proper procedures are followed and not before. And piss poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on ours! Neither does the fact you took two extra days of vacation that weren’t planned. Glad you enjoyed fishing - but that doesn’t mean we break every rule now that you’re back to cover your ass - it will get done when I have the appropriate approvals. End of conversation. **flatlined** , send me the wasps. No - scratch that - send them directly to my PM. Alive. And PISSED OFF. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5598 "2013-05-22T14:30:29Z")
Paging **Covered In Bees!** ---
**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:** [May 22, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5599 "2013-05-22T16:53:22Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > Preach it! I am about ready to lose it as one of my guys has gotten on my last nerve today with something extremely similar. Look, Mr. Project Manager - I have spent a long time developing my contacts in different areas and I will NOT bug the fuck out of them just because you are four fucking days behind in your email! You have been doing this a fuckton longer than I have - and you damn well know better. I’m not new enough that you can get something over on me so don’t try it - my boss is cc’d on every little stupid trick you try to pull so get the hell over yourself. It will get done when the proper procedures are followed and not before. And piss poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on ours! Neither does the fact you took two extra days of vacation that weren’t planned. Glad you enjoyed fishing - but that doesn’t mean we break every rule now that you’re back to cover your ass - it will get done when I have the appropriate approvals. End of conversation. That was a thing of beauty. PLEASE tell me that you C&P’d it from the email you sent to the PM. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Indyellen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/indyellen/32/4176_2.png) [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5600 "2013-05-22T17:03:44Z")
Dear Co-worker, Please stop forwarding me snarky emails that you receive from our manager. While I agree with you that Manager should not be snarky in emails, it does not seem to occur to you that I may happen to agree with him on the topic for which he is being snarky. Venting or not, I would really prefer to not be involved. Thanks, **Indyellen** ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401/5601 "2013-05-22T19:00:31Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > She also insisted that I pester the hell out of the contracts department “so that maybe they’ll get it done faster”. :rolleyes: I always responded to that by saying I had already done as much as I could – it needed to be escalated with pestering from a higher level – like her. And if I knew the other department had actually been working on it, and I wanted to keep good relations with them, I would call them, and tell them my boss was all upset about this, and was going to be calling their boss to complain – so could they please get me something, even a partial product, quickly? Usually got some results. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401.md?page=279) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/workplace-griping-anyone/560401.md?page=281)