What she needs to do is to write up a menu, and ask people to sign up for one or two items each. In the case of main dishes, perhaps two or even three people could sign up. Or she can assign dishes to start out with. But what she’s doing is not even close to a potluck. She’s organizing a communal meal, which can be a better meal than a potluck…but she needs to understand what potluck means. It means that Shredder Guy digs into the office fridge, steals someone’s leftovers, and presents them as his contribution. Or he brings in a box of Shredded Wheat crackers. And then he proceeds to make a pig of himself.
You are totally right. I wouldn’t be upset if I had been assigned a dish a week ago. I’d even use her recipe. Potlucks are good, I’ve had some amazing food at them, but communal meals are good too. I’ve always enjoyed them. Its the “that sounds great” emails she sends after we make our suggestions and the last minute changes that tick me off.
Do you work with me :dubious: Shredder Guy always says he will bring the paper plates, plastic forks, etc. He used to get them out of the our break room, but I haven’t restocked since the last potluck, so he showed up with the chipped dishes and bent forks that every work place has. When I mentioned that I expected him to wash them, he went to a different department and got their paper and plastic. After he was done pigging out, he offered to clean up. Which meant he took one of the cakes to the department he had gotten the paper and plastic from.
You have posted about Shredder Guy before. And I know the species, having worked with him or his relatives in the past.
Shredder Guy (and his soulmates) are the reason why Organized Coworker tries to assign dishes. It’s a pity that he can’t be excluded from every communal get together.
Hey, grandboss: if you’re gonna come wandering into our office to be all blah-blah-blah about the royale wedding, at least check and see if either of us is on the phone first, m’kay? I can’t imagine how unprofessional it sounded to the irate client on the other end of my suitemate’s line to hear “So, was her dress sleeeeveless?”
I shouldn’t have to chastise someone two rungs above me on the corporate ladder: “Shh. She’s on the phone.”
Sadly, they know that most people are nice and will not challange them. There is at least one at every job. I used to blow him off and just replenish the supplies, but now that its just him and me, its a constant annoyance. Today, I reached for a tissue and the box was empty. Ticked me off. Again. He used the last ones and couldn’t be bothered to toss the empty box away and leave me a note or tell me that I needed to bring more in.
My latest work rant. Its finally spring. I work in a windowless warehouse. The only time I can see the sun is if I sneak out on my lunch break. While I’m working, I can hear the Harley’s riding past. Don’t you people have jobs? Stop riding past and making me jealous that I can’t be riding as well!
Sighs with you. My boss actually set her clock to wake up at 2:30 am to watch it live. I called her about an issue and she couldn’t bother to listen to me because of The Wedding. When I went to her office (this is actually a good thing, she doesn’t work in the warehouse so face to face meeting only happen when one of us drives to see the other.) and gave her the paperwork I needed her to sign, she was almost asleep and didn’t remember our conversation about why I needed new supplies. I started telling her and she had to tell me about The Wedding again.
My favorite part of the Wedding was when everybody else left the lunchroom and I was able to turn on Mr. Ed.
I have my own reasons for disliking over publicity of the monarchy. I am aware that Canada is part of the commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth II is our head of state. I don’t have to like the CBC acting like a British tabloid. I really really want to follow the Election and the Stanley Cup Playoffs without having to hear about the dress, the parties, the horse drawn carriages, and so forth. I especially never want to hear that Candle in the Wind song again or more coverage of Diana’s death.
When I told co workers (actually my staff) "I am not interested in discussing the Wedding"I was overheard by “Miss Brisk” the nurse (who isn’t my staff, we report to the same person, she isn’t management however) went on about “Like it or not, we are part of the monarchy…” then stalked off.
I know more about the royal family than you probably do, I was a freaking history major before I became a nurse. I just don’t care. I want to watch Vancouver beat Nashville and anyone and everyone beat Harper without seeing this ridiculous wedding.
People who ask for technical input and then refuse to believe the information I give.
I’m fairly good at what I do, so if I’m telling you that computer networks don’t work the way you think and that your design not only doesn’t work but can’t be made to work, don’t cite your 30 years of experience using a different technology. I don’t care, really. Sorry to ruin your grand kick-off meeting, but I’m not going to let 10 people walk out thinking there is a solution on the table when it’s clearly not the case.
The dramatic sigh and the “Oh, we’ll better bring in some consultants, then…” was pretty clearly calculated to save face by communicating that we in-house people obviously are incompetent boobs, that with some proper people on the case, switches will suddenly start working the way you think they should. They won’t.
Dear random people trying to find hotel rooms on the I95 corridor tonight: I have two rooms. They are smoking rooms with two beds. The only reason I have these is that I held a cancellation until I was fairly sure that I wouldn’t need to do a room move. Based on the telephone calls I’ve placed tonight, these are the last two rooms within 40 miles north- or south-bound. If you would like to rent either or both of these rooms, I will gladly register you and turn off my vacancy sign.
When I tell you, however, that I have two double rooms available, and that they have been smoked in, that’s what I have. No, I don’t have a suite saved for “emergencies.” No, I don’t have a non-smoking king. I have two rooms, both smoking doubles. You have two options: Take it, or leave it. The third option is not to cuss out the night auditor because you were too stupid to make a reservation. That’s the choice you made, you must live with the consequences of your decision. Cussing at me means that I won’t rent you either of those rooms, TYVM. And nope, I don’t have to. I will rent these rooms at full price to the next person, and not have to deal with your unpleasantness the rest of the night…
(Actually, during the course of this rant, the situation changed: One room left, and the guy was glad to get it at full rate.)
You sound fun to work with. 
On the one hand, it’s too bad that she stalked off before you could point out that as part of the monarchy, your duty to the dignity of the Crown would tend to compel you to refrain from treating the Royal Family with the same level of gawking yahooism that is typically accorded the movements of Justin Bieber.
On the other hand, however, it’s good that she left the field rather than contesting the point that you’re not interested in the event in any case.
Last night I learned from three of my co-workers that:
-It doesn’t matter when they ‘accidentally’ say Obama when they mean Osama, 'cause “they’re the same anyway, der der der.”
-The government hid hints of 9/11 in the twenty-dollar bills printed in 1996. (Do people conspiring to murder hundreds always drop hints years out?)
-America has the best health care IN THE WORLD and making it universal will ruin it. Because it just will!
-It’s important to teach our kids how to handle firearms. Not so they’ll treat guns responsibly but so when civil war breaks out in the U.S. our five-year-olds will be able to hold their own.
-Current politicians are bad and we need to elect independents. This wouldn’t be so bad if two of them didn’t add in, “that’s why I don’t bother to vote.” 
Just typing this is making my eye twitch.
They’re all Republicans. That’s what they are.
I love my workplace for that - we’re all on the phone most of the time, so the level of chatter is near zero. I don’t know how my colleagues vote, I don’t know how religious they are, and I don’t know their opinions on latest current events. When I got in to work this morning, there were a few “Did you watch the wedding” conversations, but then we were on the phones.
However, I’m writing this while the gossipy colleague is off work - I may have to return to this thread tomorrow.
A coworker was claiming she was bored. I, too, am completely up to date on my cases. In order to justify what the taxpayers dole out so I may have a job, I went in search of a project for us to do. Found one that was relatively simple but time consuming. Coworker and I decided to split the project 50/50.
I finished my half last week. It’s due next Monday. I don’t see that coworker has even begun her half. Now, if she were to ignore everything else, she may get it completed in three days. Maybe. She does have other team obligations that cannot be ignored this week, so I offered to help her finish her half. “I can handle it!” I’m sure you could, if that’s all you needed to do, but it’s not. “Don’t touch it!” Okay, then.
I emailed the project leader and informed her I was done with my half, included the info, and will leave my coworker to stress out. And when she wonders why she will be passed up for more projects that look so nice come review time? Oh well.
And I’m bored again. Asked my supervisor if I could assist a different coworker with her cases (this coworker is very behind due to serious health issues), was told no - she needs to bring herself up to date or face the consequences. Great. Work that could be done, but will be delayed while coworker is dealing with her issues, won’t be done because you want her to understand the importance of timeliness. You keep exerting your power on the most fragile of your employees, boss.
Didn’t even have to wait until tomorrow - bin Laden’s death was apparently timed well considering the whoe Syria, Egypt situation (more or less an exact quote). At least it was a thirty-second comment and discussion has now moved on to snack food.
I’m so glad that your boss is focussing on the IMPORTANT things, like teaching a worker a lesson, rather than the unimportant task of actually getting cases resolved.
I really like reading this thread. Makes me grateful for my office 
[TheKid]I know, right?[/TheKid]
My boss does not understand my coworker, nor does she wish to learn about what is going on with her. She doesn’t care that biopsies may carry emotional turmoil. She doesn’t care that multiple appointments with specialists take her away from her desk (coworker purposely changed doctors to be closer to the office to cut down on time away). All she cares about is that coworker gets her cases up to date. Have you heard of Colors training? There’s blue (emotional), orange (adventurous), gold (follows the rules) and green (creative). Coworker screams blue, boss is so gold she needs to be polished.
Now, when supervisor was behind a few months in completing our reviews, in part due to an extended vacation, we couldn’t say a damn word.
Today, between surfing, reading work related emails, reading random meeting notes, and working the few cases I needed to, I’ve been quietly helping said coworker, reviewing some of her cases and emailing her preset notes for her to add (I can’t add them, they’re traceable). Pathetic.