zianuray

I remembered this about the factory job and thought I'd share -- it just points out how some people will "cut off their nose to spite their face."

Maybe two or three years before the place closed down, we were "restructuring" and "crosstraining" to keep as many people actively employed as possible -- and I thank them for that.

I was asked to teach an older woman to run a certain high-tech machine. We did OK the first two days and she was picking it up very well for someone without much computer experience. Then she heard one of my friends mention to me that the Buddhist monks would be at her house that weekend and I was invited, which of course I accepted!

So trainee gets into no-no land. She asks me if I'm Buddhist. I'm not, so I say no. She asks if my friend is Buddhist. I say I don't know, that's not part of my job to know that. She starts pressing me -- where do I go to church, am I Methodist, CoG, AoG, Baptist....
I repeat that's not something I like to talk about at work as it's not part of the job. And that is true.

She grinds and moans and grumps for the next workday not paying attention at all to the training and ruining a part. I finally tell her "OK, you want to know? I'm a Witch, old-style. Not Wiccan. Witch. Now can we get back to the task at hand?" Next day she comes in early and goes to the supervisor, refuses to work in the same area with me anymore. Supervisor points out we're trying to save her job, if she refuses training, we can't keep her past a certain point as her particulat job skills will be obsolete.

She's OK with that, she just can NOT be expected to work with me.

SOMEone leaves religious tracts -- specifically directed against Witchcraft -- on the machine just before my shift for the next couple of days. The supervisor sees them and nearly goes ballistic as that's harassment. No evidence of WHO left them, no one will admit to seeing her come in the area. HR calls me in to discuss it, apologising that they can't really DO anything. "That's fine, I was just going to trash them anyway, I know there's no way prove who left them. And she's entitled to her opinion, as long as it doesn't interfere with the job."

Few weeks later, her area is closed. The people who took training opportunities move to different parts of the plant. She's "downsized." Thing is, if she'd stuck it out, she'd have had a fairly easy job and would not have been on my shift so wouldn't have had to deal with me past that week.

Current Mood: puzzzled

by this time next week, and I'm getting my Ostara basket ready to take to work tomorrow. Chocolate falling off the edges as usual, and getting some dried fruit things for those who don't want candy.

The weather today is rainy and a touch cooler than predicted (and the rain was predicted for tomorrow, but what the heck, today I can enjoy it!)

Current Mood: chipper

I know some of the people I'm linked with here do interviews as art of their profession, and I have a question about the best way to answer certain TYPES of questions.

When I started in the job market, interviews were "Can you do the job, and can you learn what we need you to learn, and maybe help teach others eventually?" *Shakes cane at today's darn kids*

Now, it's "Tell me how you handled this situation" and many times, it's a situation I've never come across, or something I seriously had no way TO handle because of the way whichever company I had worked for previously had been run.

"Tell me about a time you went out of your way to get a customer what they needed."

In the factory, you did what the lead told you, and if you exceeded your instructions you were written up or fired. Heck, you could be written up for saying "Lead in this area says they need this, boss" because that was insubordinate, even though you were just relaying a message.

Situations like that, how should the "interviewee" answer? Full-out truth, which sounds like an excuse, or fabricate something which is lying, or say "Here's how I think I would handle this fabricated situation"?

there was a Rapturist with a sign that read "SMILE! You ARE Awesome!!"

I got a little snitty with a co-worker today.

She said of someone, "What a witch!" and did not intend it as a compliment.

I asked why she didn't call the woman a Baptist?

Then explained that it was just the same thing as calling her a Witch -- that if she was going to denigrate one person's religion she may as well spread it around.

"Well, I'm not going to say 'bitch' in a call center!"

"Just remember, it's harassment on religious grounds and I am not afraid to talk to HR about it. Are you willing to go that far?"

I did try to put a humorous spin on it and presented it as informational -- but everyone there knows I'm a Witch anyhow, I'm so far out of the broom closet I was never in that it may as well have burned down.

In the end, I think I got the message across -- and we're ok, as far as I can tell there are no feelings of being "picked on" on her part and as for me, I know she just hadn't thought of it that way before, so no harm, no foul.

Yeah, the whole PC thing also annoys me, but damnit, say what you mean! A bitch is a bitch and a Witch is a Witch; confuse the two at your peril!(Thanks,

jeffs_page !) And no, being a Witch does not mean one cannot also be a bitch. Or at least assertive.

So...what's your take? Would you have spoken up if it were your religion being bandied about? What about "just any" religion?

I remembered this just now:

At the factory -- where I worked for 19+ years, there was a probationary period for new hires. within the first 45 days you could be let go for any reason or no reason.

One gal had been in a bad relationship and moved to the city to get away from the farm community her pending-ex still lived in. She was so traumatized by the whole deal that the men on the crew could not speak directly to her without throwing her into hysterics 75% of the time. All 5 in the direct line of authority were -- guess what? -- men. The women could not mention in her hearing a sentence like "My husband drove me to work today" or "How's your boyfriend? He recovering from that car wreck OK?" because she could not stand the idea of a husband and would flee to the bathroom and cry for an hour if the word was mentioned in front of her. She actually requested that we censor our entire work-day to cushion her from the world. She even asked HR to "talk to us" about "respecting her emotional disability" -- which may have worked better if she were willing to get therapy for it.

Guess who didn't make it to the end of the probationary period?

IF I don't have to work Memorial Day, I'm planning to head out for the Castle directly after work on Sunday -- I already have a room reserved for Sunday and Monday nights at the Day's Inn.

I'll be telling the desk that I expect some friends in to visit so they won't be freaked out in case anyone wants to drop by :D

Unrelated, Mt Dew was $2.98 for 6 24-oz bottles today, Coke was $4.48...I may be drinking more MT Dew and less Coke in the near future. Like this is a hardship, oh yeah, it sure is....

One of those bonding things at work recently was "the first 5 songs from this person's playlist" with a lot of higher-ups in the company of whom I'd never before heard. (Did I say that anywhere near right? No? Deal.) I'm in the car heading home, my iPod is on shuffle, and the 4th song was "Supersadomasochisticnecrobeastiality." Yep. Pretty sure they don't wanna play that game with me -- and before anyone coughJeffcough else says it, I mean EITHER game. (Yay for the Bedlam Bards!)

(x-posted from FB, where I starred out a lot of the song title due to not being sure who-all can see it. If you're looking *here,* you've declared you're of age.)

There was a drawing at work for two nights / three days at any of the Wyndham resorts -- a familiarization project, m/l.

Uhm....I kinda-sorta won, looks like!

Now, where to go?

I'm thinking NO; do I know anyone near there who might be willing to take me to a couple of botanicas? And maybe visit St Louis Cemetery #1?

Or maybe Destin; let Emily get some snorkeling in and she can teach me.

Or Arizona...I was born there, I kinda feel like I should at least visit!

On the 7th, when I got to work for the first non-training day of work, I go up and beep my card on the door to get in, and there is the click of the magnetic lock releasing, and I pull...and the door doesn't open. It's still bolted. Thankfully, one of the supervisors is thee and lets me in before I panic.

On the 14th, I drive by the front on my way to the parking area -- all is dark. I'm worrywarting (thanks, Grampa. NOT!) that the door will be bolted again, that I won't be able to get in, that no-one will show up except me...and, of course, the door opens just like it's supposed to. I go find the light switch and start my before-clocking-in stuff...and of course, nearly give myself a panic attack.

"What if no supervisors show up? What if no-one comes in but me? Oh my, oh my....what if?"

And I take a deep breath and remind myself that I have the documentation on the intranet, I have two different helplines (one for me, one for owners), I may be inexperienced but I am TRAINED and I am an intelligent and resourceful person and I by dingies CAN and WILL do this.

And other VPCs and two supervisors show up, and of course all is well....

But I just HAD to scare myself.

*hmmph*

One of the people at work doesn't "do" Halloween -- doesn't "approve of the principle behind it."

OK, you don't like Harvest Festivals? But you "do" Thanksgiving....

Moral: Never expect rationality when it comes to slamming someone else's religion.

Current Mood: confused

Notepad (for training) set out to take tomorrow, pens in purse, folder with papers they wanted filled out in purse, alarm set, water bottle in car, DL, millitary dependent's ID, socsec card, and certified BC in purse, directions to Eric C's (I'm picking him up) in folder and went by his house yesterday so I know where it is....and no fracking idea what to pack for lunch.

Clothing laid out, makeup (as basic as it gets -- powder and lipstain) in car. Also small bottle of Theives' Oil.

Likely wuss out and grab Wendy's just so I don't have to stress about it...then go to the grocery tomorrow evening and *decide* what I'm gonna like. And a few almonds or somesuch to put in premeasured packets so I don't not-eat and get fuzzy, and a Luna bar or three just-in-case.

Gods I hurt. Yesterday I started canvassing -- working ground-level in a commercial area. Not many steps, mostly curb and a lot of those have cutouts, so NBD. That was fine.

Then my underboss met up with me, and a two-levels-up-from-him boss, and they decided we were doing residential areas for the next two hours. We were three blocks from my car and I had no time to go get my walking stick. Most porches around here have steps, many relatively steep, and very few with a handrail. I have a moderate case of acrophobia, balance problems, stiff/achy knees, and too-short Achilles' tendons (the acro may have been acquired in childhood; the knees are an 8-years-ago thing I believe -- got a bit dinged up at the factory one day. The other two are from birth).

And today everything below my shoulderblades HURTS. Ibuprofen, where are you? And yes, I used a muscle rub everywhere I could reach last night. I'd be worse without it, I do believe. Worst parts today? Achilles' tendons and quads.

Somebody remind me this will only last a few days and then I'll feel better, please.

A few years ago -- and this may already be posted, so forgive me if I'm repeating, but I couldn't find it -- I was looking into the Elder Futhark a bit.

And I was considering the rune Dagaz that day.

Now it had been suggested that one should meditate deeply on the assigned meaning of the rune for several days, and I was on the third day of this one. I don't know how "deeply meditative" I got, but at least I was thinking about it when my brain wasn't otherwise needed.

Anyhow...we'd gone to break and come back and I set my machine to running and turned to get something -- and the lead (B****) walks in, looks at the moving machine, looks THROUGH me, turns and asks R. "Is [Zia] back from lunch yet?" in that "Ohboyohjoy, I get to yell at her!" tone.

R. gets this look on her face (told me later she thought B****'d lost it) and points at me, as if she's a bit too weirded-out at that moment to trust her voice. Keep in mind I'd been RIGHT THERE in plain view.

So B**** has to come up with some sort of reason it's my fault she wasn't paying attention.

I found out the next day that one of the properties of this rune is said to be that it can make one invisible.

Current Mood: interested

Lessee, how to categorize this rant.

Personal conduct when it reflects on others due to being a visible minority?

Not quite, most of us don't wear signs saying "I'm a Witch! I'm a Pagan" or whatever their preferred term of address is. Though some of us are certainly out of the broom closet and not shy about it.

Where I used to work, a place where my religious "rights" were "protected by law" since we had over x number of employees and government contracts, I let it be known I was Pagan/Witch. (Not Wiccan, that's for another post, but whatever.) Didn't have much hassle about it, and the one person who did have a problem with it quit rather than have to learn her new job from me. She asked; I didn't volunteer it.

There were two other open Pagans there -- say, A and B, since I'm going by Z these days.

( Read more... )

ETA: I suppose what I'm trying to get across is this -- If you're gonna take a job, DO the job. If you're gonna have children, take care of them -- don't expect the world to do it for you. And that's anybody.

Current Mood: cynical

So.

Friday the 10th I had an appointment w/ the Career Center Workforce Development person -- henceforth to be designated A.

By HER lights, my AAS does NOT disqualify me from retraining! (See why I wanted a second opinion?) I'll get to take 8 weeks worth of computer classes at the Career Center (if I need the full 8 weeks, this is debatable) while I'm deciding what I want to do in my next phase of worklife.

We discussed where classes are covered and what sort of classes are covered and how much of what is covered. Medical pretty much guarantees a job, what with us "baby boomers" getting up there anymore. A seems to be fond of OTC. Suits me.

Massage Therapy is NOT covered under these programs....but LPN and RN are....(I can hear Virginia laughing. Shit.) One of the classes for that requires me to dissect a CAT. I'm not willing to do that. Fetal pig, no prob. Cat? Oh hell no. Will ask if they'll allow a substitution of another animal to allow for my religious preference on that. But PN/LPN/RN would set me up for any number of medical fields, some not directly involved in PT care. Respiratory Tech is covered, Pharm Tech (lousy pay), Radiology Tech (heavy lifting on that last bit.), OR Tech.

Reminder: discuss "shadowing" a nurse with the local hospital.

Get at least part-time job to stretch the unemployment money --
WallyWorld is putting a new SuperCenter a couple of miles from the house :D

Aw blast....if I'm going back to school, I'll have to reset my bodyclock to daytime operation! Crapcrapcrap! Not gonna be happy for a few weeks!

Made appt for 11 Sept for a Trade Act info meeting/class.

But no sense starting the classes or anything else while I'm still employed -- for one thing, it's against the rules, for another, IF I get called in and have to cancel, well, it upsets people.

Here cometh the aforementioned "So."

At 1600 hrs, on my drive home, I get a phone call from my supervisor's phone number. It's the ACTING supervisor, making some calls.

My section is no longer required to go in; we've been released.

I'll get a 40-hour check each week through the end of August, as I understand it. I'll have insurance coverage that long, plus another 16 weeks or so at the rate I'd been paying (NG will continue to cover the bigger portion).

I'll get my severance pay.

I'll ... get a new version of life?

I do think this may be about the best thing for me. This place is the reason I'm on anti-anxiety meds. And now I'm not there anymore.

Current Mood: optimistic

make it to White Hart this weekend, packing garb and clothes, got out the wooden plates/bowls, stacking the wares...yeah, I said just in case. The stuff that's been going around that DH had last weekend? I got it starting Wednesday Evening -- not the upchucking or the fever, but the trots fer shure. And veryverytiredness also. Not as frequent as what he had, but it's been going around both workplaces (and, from what

salix_03 says, looks like Austrailia too). (Slight paranoia kicking in -- biowar? Naah. I think.) And every time I think it's over.....

I've been making a lot of very angry/glum posts recently, huh?

Gonna have to do something about that.

Any massage therapist reading this is invited (begged) to email me with advice, good areas to specialize in, questions I should ask, any equipment you wouldn't be without, wouldn't use if you were paid to use it like a sports star, good brands of the chairs (and if you won't use one, tell me that too!), etc. Or just comment here.

I'm gonna have to find a "WTF?" icon....

Y'all know about the announcement at the plant, that it's closing, etc. The evening manager told us Thursday that he'd taken a test at another company, and gotten a "B."

Everyone else in the area was saying, "Oh, a B! That's so good! That's wonderful!"

I'm flabbergasted. That's not what I'd been programmed to expect. This is the gal who got hollered at for getting 108 points of 100 possible, because the two points she missed were on the test itself, not on the extra credit portion, and "you need to have the foundations down! How can you do anything if you don't know the basics!?!?!"

Am I the only one in the fricking world who doesn't think a B is worth bragging about?

(NO, I didn't express this to him.)

who don't want to hear it, I'm setting up a "job-related babblement" filter --
comment here if you want to keep up with it, no hard feelings if you don't!

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zianuray

2025

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Entries tagged with work

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Spring will have Sprung

Interview Questions

At the exit from the parking lot,

Call an entrenching tool a shovel, why don'cha?

For some reason,

Memorial Day Weekend and Muskogee

Semi-work-related, but not so much

OMGSQUEE!

A peek into how my so-called mind works.

Hrmph.

Preparations.

ow

Rune Magic at work

FlameBait; or, my opinion again.

Update on the life of a Zia

Just in case I can

Advice requested.

?????

To spare those