The "What's on your mind?" Thread -2016

[Alicia88]

If they have a HR department, I don't know anything about it.

Oddly enough, now that I've decided I don't give a rat's hind end, I'm not having the slightest problem with yawning.  Yay.  And if they want to to force me to quit, they'd better settle in for a long ride cuz I'm more stubborn than anyone I've ever met.  And I don't back down.  I've mentioned the abusive ex - he would hit me and throw me down and I'd get back up and he'd throw me back down again and tell me to stay down.  So I got up again, looked him in the eye, and said, "No, hit me again.  Feel like a man yet?"  Probably got me hit more, but it helped me hold on to my self respect.  It's possible that I'm too stubborn for my own good at times.

 

[margd]

 
No, not paid leave.  That would just be way too easy.

I have no idea how many weeks of unemployment I can get.  I don't know how that works at all - I've never been on employment or even applied for it.  No one ever pronounces my name correctly.  Most people call me Uh-leesh-uh or Uh-lees-ee-uh.  It's actually pronounced Uh-lish-uh.  Guess how upset I get when people pronounce it wrong?  I don't!  I don't give a fig!  The spelling of my name is fairly common, but the pronunciation my parents used usually does not accompany the spelling.

They didn't mark me below or write me up.  They called it a "verbal warning."  Yet we are repeatedly told that we must read the script and all the pat responses ver batim.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but ver batim means word for word, correct?  Meaning, I need to read to the names ver batim as well, right?

At this point it sounds like they're harrassing you to make you quit :/. Lots of companies do it---they don't have to pay unemployment if you quit. If the company has an HR department you should contact them.

I had the same thought as @Willowy.    This most recent warning, even if not written up, does smack of harassment.  I know you've been advised to document your interactions with the company and I just wanted to second that.  

You really do not want to quit and throw away your chance at unemployment.  

 

[LTS3]

Despite my weird family, I like receiving gifts and cards

A friend just had something from Amazon shipped directly to me and another package from her is arriving later this week

I haven't opened the Amazon box yet but I'm having fun imagining what might be inside. I'm pretty sure it's not coloring books because I told my friend I had plenty of coloring books to keep me busy for awhile. My supervisor has a gift for me and my co-worker, more German chocolates I bet

I think we'll get them tomorrow since I'm off on Thursday and Friday.

 

[Alicia88]

You're much more patient than me.  Packages barely make it in my door before I open them and that's usually because the package is sealed too well for me to get it open on the way to the door.

 

[Alicia88]

Tonight I was monitored by the supervisor I went to when I was being marked down for something I was doing right - the one who caused the people marking me down to have to get retrained.  She's not the one who's been riding my butt and had nothing to do with any of the e-mails I've been sent.  In fact, I sent her a quick e-mail after I got the e-mail about the Tesera/Teresa thing.  I think she hijacked my monitoring after that.

#001 (12-20 20:02  by Halliena) Uses the who's calling pat response and confirms the correct respondent. Polite closing. 
#002 (12-20 20:05  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Confirms the correct respondent. Nice pace. Sincere closing. 
#003 (12-20 20:01  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Stops when interrupted. Nice pace. Entering the answers given correctly. 
#004 (12-20 20:04  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Nice pace. Redirects when given an off scale answer at Q1. 
#005 (12-20 19:58  by Halliena) Speaking clearly. Uses the "correct person" and the "would you be willing to answer...." pat response to keep the correct respondent on the phone. Redirects correctly at Q2. 
#006 (12-20 20:12  by Halliena) Speaking clearly. Reading the Alamo survey verbatim. Redirects correctly at Q2. 
#007 (12-20 20:00  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Reading the survey verbatim. Nice pace. Stops when interrupted and redirects correctly at Q1. 
#008 (12-20 20:07  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Uses the who's calling pat response and confirms the correct respondent. Reading the survey verbatim. Redirects correctly at Q1. 
#009 (12-20 20:08  by Halliena) Speaking clearly. Confirms the correct respondent. Nice pace. Entering the answers given correctly. 
#010 (12-20 20:10  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Reading the survey verbatim. Readings the hot alert correctly. Polite closing

She's a little lower on the totem than Carol, but hopefully high enough to make my life a little less miserable by taking over my monitoring as often as possible.  She unofficially told me she feels like I'm being treated unfairly, but I'm not gonna risk getting her in trouble by bringing that up to anyone else.

 

[tallyollyopia]

 
In cases like that, I really think it perfectly permissible to give a gift card to his favorite tech store.  That way he can get exactly what he wants/needs at the moment.  I also give cash to my granddaughter.  I apologized the first time and her response was, "I love getting cash.  The color looks good on EVERYONE, and it always fits perfectly!  Don't think of it as impersonal, think of it as the gift of possibilities!"

That said, I've had my share of rabid atheists ranting and spraying spittle in my face over my belief in deities.  And trying to change someone's mind about their beliefs is the definition of trying to convert.   Every religion AND atheists have their radical, rabid fringe.  Without exception.  I will readily admit that atheists have far fewer of that vein, but they do have some.  I don't recall ever discussing my beliefs unless directly asked, or unless religious beliefs were the topic of a general discussion, and NEVER with an eye toward conversion.  My path is NOT for most.

Still figuring a way to make a Sneaky Shelter for Little Bit, and last night I had a brainstorm.  I've been thinking that I needed to get a square of plywood and put some feet on it to lift the cat bed off of the concrete of the patio, since it gets wet during rainfalls.  Nope.  I'm going to buy a litterbox and put the bed in that, and the whole thing under the table/shelter.  The plastic sides will give added protection to the bed.  NOW I just have to find one of those inexpensive flat-pack occasional tables that Walmart and such sell for under $20.  If any of you have decent computer search skills, PLEASE SEND LINKS!  So far, I'm batting a big fat 0 on it.  My fault. 

Cold and wet today.  Stuck my nose out for about a New York minute just before noon, and came in for the day. 

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning.  The CARTS bus will pick me  up at 7:20 for my 10:45 appointment, then picks me up for the return trip at 1:30, drops me at WalMart for my monthly shopping, and I'll cab home.  I have no idea if I will get here tomorrow or not.  It's gonna be a busy day!

Our town doesn't have  a tech store, except for the one he works at. I can't get him a present from the store he's working at!

As a note about the patio table thing, how dead set are you on a flat pack occasional table? Because I found this, http://www.thetoolworkshop.com/adamsmfgpatiofurnwhtsqsidetable8115-48-3700.aspx

(Behold the power of Google. 

)

 
Response from my boss:

Alicia,

We realize you are working on some heath issues. Please know that we must ensure that employees are follow the work rules and project specification at all times while they are online.

If you feel you cannot consistently comply we can offer you a Personal Leave. We would require that you conduct yourself professionally while online and if unable to and yawning continues, additional corrective action would occur.

John is making me a pot of coffee.  I start work in an hour and 16 minutes.  I'm gonna try to drink as much of the pot as I am able.  I feel wide awake - more awake than I have in a long time.  But every time the thought of work crosses my mind, I yawn because I'm so stressed about it.  Shoot me, please.

Sounds like the same sort of stuff that AWM's friend went through down at the post office, after she discovered she had a lethal allergy to sunlight. Technically, they weren't allowed to fire her, and they couldn't send her out to deliver mail again (not after getting a doctor's note saying that she was allergic), so they ended up shuffling her to a new position that they "erased" after a week so that they could fire her and claim that it had nothing to do with her allergy. Never work for the post office.

 
Not to toot my own horn, but I just made and ate the most delicious breakfast burrito ever.  Well, it would have been better with bacon, but I don't have any bacon.  Breakfast is the most delicious meal ever.  I would eat it 3 times a day if I could but people would think I was weird.  Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and garlic salt.  On a tortilla covered with half an inch of sour cream.

And this is where John looks at me and asks how I haven't had a heart attack yet.

To quote (or misquote, it's been a few years) a famous saying, "The only thing you can't eat for breakfast is lunch and dinner." I assume that goes for the other meals as well. 

 
It's official.  I no longer give a fig.  If they want to fire me, let them fire me.  I'll just file for unemployment until I find another job.

I just got an e-mail chastising me after my first call of the day.  Why?  Oh, this is fun.  The name on the screen was spelled Tesera.  So, I pronounced it as it was spelled.  The woman corrected me and said, "It's Teresa."  Cleary a typo.  I apologized, she accepted, and we got on with the survey.  So, the supervisor e-mailed me saying common sense would dictate me figuring out that it was a typo and calling her Teresa to begin with.  Really?  The world is full of unusual names.  I actually think Tesera would be a cute name.  I love unusual names.  So, my give a damn isn't just busted - it's been disintegrated.

Tesera isn't all that unusual. It may be hitting too close to home to say this, but several of my customers are named Tesera. Around here, it's as common as Mary, April, and Ashley. So, the supervisor is full of 

, but you knew that anyway.

 
No, not paid leave.  That would just be way too easy.

I have no idea how many weeks of unemployment I can get.  I don't know how that works at all - I've never been on employment or even applied for it.  No one ever pronounces my name correctly.  Most people call me Uh-leesh-uh or Uh-lees-ee-uh.  It's actually pronounced Uh-lish-uh.  Guess how upset I get when people pronounce it wrong?  I don't!  I don't give a fig!  The spelling of my name is fairly common, but the pronunciation my parents used usually does not accompany the spelling.

They didn't mark me below or write me up.  They called it a "verbal warning."  Yet we are repeatedly told that we must read the script and all the pat responses ver batim.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but ver batim means word for word, correct?  Meaning, I need to read to the names ver batim as well, right?

Absolutely.

 
If they have a HR department, I don't know anything about it.

Oddly enough, now that I've decided I don't give a rat's hind end, I'm not having the slightest problem with yawning.  Yay.  And if they want to to force me to quit, they'd better settle in for a long ride cuz I'm more stubborn than anyone I've ever met.  And I don't back down.  I've mentioned the abusive ex - he would hit me and throw me down and I'd get back up and he'd throw me back down again and tell me to stay down.  So I got up again, looked him in the eye, and said, "No, hit me again.  Feel like a man yet?"  Probably got me hit more, but it helped me hold on to my self respect.  It's possible that I'm too stubborn for my own good at times.

Congrats on the not giving a fig! 

 Life is so much easier when you just don't care. (It's how I survived middle school.)

 
Despite my weird family, I like receiving gifts and cards

A friend just had something from Amazon shipped directly to me and another package from her is arriving later this week

I haven't opened the Amazon box yet but I'm having fun imagining what might be inside. I'm pretty sure it's not coloring books because I told my friend I had plenty of coloring books to keep me busy for awhile. My supervisor has a gift for me and my co-worker, more German chocolates I bet

I think we'll get them tomorrow since I'm off on Thursday and Friday.

I love the suspense before opening a present. While it's wrapped it can be anything  (well, with certain size limitations) and it's always wonderful to see what people get you. Me, I like surprising people. There's just something satisfying about that look that says, "She did that? For me? Really?" I might not get to see it this year, but I'll pretend I did. 

 
Tonight I was monitored by the supervisor I went to when I was being marked down for something I was doing right - the one who caused the people marking me down to have to get retrained.  She's not the one who's been riding my butt and had nothing to do with any of the e-mails I've been sent.  In fact, I sent her a quick e-mail after I got the e-mail about the Tesera/Teresa thing.  I think she hijacked my monitoring after that.

#001 (12-20 20:02  by Halliena) Uses the who's calling pat response and confirms the correct respondent. Polite closing. 
#002 (12-20 20:05  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Confirms the correct respondent. Nice pace. Sincere closing. 
#003 (12-20 20:01  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Stops when interrupted. Nice pace. Entering the answers given correctly. 
#004 (12-20 20:04  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Nice pace. Redirects when given an off scale answer at Q1. 
#005 (12-20 19:58  by Halliena) Speaking clearly. Uses the "correct person" and the "would you be willing to answer...." pat response to keep the correct respondent on the phone. Redirects correctly at Q2. 
#006 (12-20 20:12  by Halliena) Speaking clearly. Reading the Alamo survey verbatim. Redirects correctly at Q2. 
#007 (12-20 20:00  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Reading the survey verbatim. Nice pace. Stops when interrupted and redirects correctly at Q1. 
#008 (12-20 20:07  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Uses the who's calling pat response and confirms the correct respondent. Reading the survey verbatim. Redirects correctly at Q1. 
#009 (12-20 20:08  by Halliena) Speaking clearly. Confirms the correct respondent. Nice pace. Entering the answers given correctly. 
#010 (12-20 20:10  by Halliena) Well mannered tone. Reading the survey verbatim. Readings the hot alert correctly. Polite closing

She's a little lower on the totem than Carol, but hopefully high enough to make my life a little less miserable by taking over my monitoring as often as possible.  She unofficially told me she feels like I'm being treated unfairly, but I'm not gonna risk getting her in trouble by bringing that up to anyone else.

Good idea. Well, all I can do is wish you the best of luck with your job. 

 

[Alicia88]

 
Our town doesn't have  a tech store, except for the one he works at. I can't get him a present from the store he's working at!

You could always get him an Amazon gift card.  Amazon is the best.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 
Our town doesn't have  a tech store, except for the one he works at. I can't get him a present from the store he's working at!

As a note about the patio table thing, how dead set are you on a flat pack occasional table? Because I found this, http://www.thetoolworkshop.com/adamsmfgpatiofurnwhtsqsidetable8115-48-3700.aspx

(Behold the power of Google. 

)

The ONLY problem with that is that it is resin.  My plan is to cover the table with a vinyl tablecloth and staple it to the table at the edge, and the lower legs, so that it won't blow around, then top it with some heavy bit of "cutsy-pootsy" garden stuff to secure it during gusts of wind. I'll put a little slit in the side nearest the wall, and install the bed (tucked into the litter box) under there.   I may, however, order that one for my FRONT patio, which sees a lot of use during cool weather cause it gets the sun all day.

 

[Docs Mom]

Mamanyt1953 what about using double stick rug tape instead of staples ? Or get a vinyl cover big enough that you could tuck the edges underneath the legs ?
Just a couple of ideas...[emoji]128568[/emoji]

 

[Alicia88]

Kitties have been defleaed!!!

Has anyone ever used Frontline spray?  I didn't even know something like that existed.  Directions say to ruffle the fur and spray on back, belly, sides, and tail and to spray onto a glove and rub onto head and face.  I've heard of Frontline; it's supposed to be a good brand.  I've just never heard of flea meds that work like that.  The boys did not enjoy it at all.  They're all in various parts of the apartment pouting.

 

[raina21]

So, 6 years ago, my first cat, Snuffy went outside and never came home. At the time, I posted several LOST CAT ads. One was on a pet adoption site that had the option to post LOST PET ads. Well, 6 years later, some lady must have misread the post and she emailed me asking to adopt him! I emailed her back to tell her the bad news. Snuffy has been dead for 6 years! [emoji]128557[/emoji][emoji]128557[/emoji][emoji]128557[/emoji]

Seriously, I don't even know how she found that ad, I can't imagine how far she had to scroll back to find that ad.

 

[Margret]

 

 
No, not paid leave.  That would just be way too easy.

I have no idea how many weeks of unemployment I can get.  I don't know how that works at all - I've never been on employment or even applied for it.  No one ever pronounces my name correctly.  Most people call me Uh-leesh-uh or Uh-lees-ee-uh.  It's actually pronounced Uh-lish-uh.  Guess how upset I get when people pronounce it wrong?  I don't!  I don't give a fig!  The spelling of my name is fairly common, but the pronunciation my parents used usually does not accompany the spelling.

They didn't mark me below or write me up.  They called it a "verbal warning."  Yet we are repeatedly told that we must read the script and all the pat responses ver batim.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but ver batim means word for word, correct?  Meaning, I need to read to the names ver batim as well, right?

At this point it sounds like they're harrassing you to make you quit :/. Lots of companies do it---they don't have to pay unemployment if you quit. If the company has an HR department you should contact them.

I had the same thought as @Willowy.    This most recent warning, even if not written up, does smack of harassment.  I know you've been advised to document your interactions with the company and I just wanted to second that.  

You really do not want to quit and throw away your chance at unemployment.  

@Alicia88 (hmm, the @ system isn't working properly), isn't "professional" a wonderful word?  They can make it mean whatever they want it to mean.  Not figuring out that "Tesera" should be "Teresa" is unprofessional.  Not figuring out that the client has an unusual name is unprofessional.  Yawning is unprofessional.  Sneezing is unprofessional.  Providing sympathy to a client who's just lost her son in an accident is unprofessional.  Being a human being is unprofessional!  How dare you?!

I once baby sat a little girl whose name was "Elisha," pronounced "Alicia," and made up by her mother, who was very proud of it (idiot woman).  The mother was incensed when she would take her daughter to the pediatrician and the nurse would say "The doctor will see Elisha now," pronouncing it like the name of the Old Testament prophet.  Well, how was the nurse supposed to know?  We're talking about a toddler -- gender was not obvious.  Heaven forbid you ever encounter a client with a name like that!  (And that child must be a grown woman by now -- I seriously hope that when she turned 21 she had the great good sense to change the spelling of her name!)

I'm with everyone else on this one.  You have an abusive employer who is creating a hostile work environment for you.  Document everything.  Hang on to all emails and write down all verbal interactions immediately.  And while you're at it, document the way the script you're following makes the clients hostile.  Not every interaction, but enough of them to show exactly how unreasonable it is.

Margret

 

[Margret]

So, 6 years ago, my first cat, Snuffy went outside and never came home. At the time, I posted several LOST CAT ads. One was on a pet adoption site that had the option to post LOST PET ads. Well, 6 years later, some lady must have misread the post and she emailed me asking to adopt him! I emailed her back to tell her the bad news. Snuffy has been dead for 6 years! [emoji]128557[/emoji][emoji]128557[/emoji][emoji]128557[/emoji]

Seriously, I don't even know how she found that ad, I can't imagine how far she had to scroll back to find that ad.

These things have a nasty tendency to come back and bite you on the tush when you least expect it, don't they?  All of a sudden it feels like it just happened all over again.

Margret

 

[Margret]

 

 
Since your parents are offended by gifts, cards and free meals, does this mean you are off the hook when it comes to presents and other treats?  Or are they still expecting you to find the perfect thing? 

We don't celebrate Christmas or even birthdays so, no, gifts are not expected or even wanted

. It was so embarassing growing up watching my parents argue with relatives or neighbors when gifts are given  or over who pays the restaurant bill and tip

We used to have relatives in another country send musical birthday cards and the occasional box of homemade goodies but that stopped some time ago. My Dad would call the relatives up and yell at them for wasting their money to send us all this stuff and blah blah blah.

About 25 years ago, we visited my parents for Christmas.  My brothers and their wives came too, so it was a big family get-together.  And the parents of one of my sisters-in-law invited themselves, unfortunately.  They didn't believe in giving gifts for Christmas (probably thought it was pagan or something), but they knew that we celebrated Christmas that way so they brought along gifts for all of us.  They didn't actually know any of us, so they had no chance of choosing something people wanted (well, they could have asked their daughter, but that would have made too much sense), and they weren't actually willing to spend any money on gifts, so they explained (bragged, really) that they had taken some gifts from the poor box in their church!  When they saw the horrified looks on our faces they then said "Oh, it's okay.  We've donated so much to that box over the years that we're entitled to take something from it."  They're both dead now, so perhaps I shouldn't be saying bad things about them, but I will never understand that family.  And my sister-in-law is so normal!

Margret

 

[Alicia88]

 
About 25 years ago, we visited my parents for Christmas.  My brothers and their wives came too, so it was a big family get-together.  And the parents of one of my sisters-in-law invited themselves, unfortunately.  They didn't believe in giving gifts for Christmas (probably thought it was pagan or something), but they knew that we celebrated Christmas that way so they brought along gifts for all of us.  They didn't actually know any of us, so they had no chance of choosing something people wanted (well, they could have asked their daughter, but that would have made too much sense), and they weren't actually willing to spend any money on gifts, so they explained (bragged, really) that they had taken some gifts from the poor box in their church!  When they saw the horrified looks on our faces they then said "Oh, it's okay.  We've donated so much to that box over the years that we're entitled to take something from it."  They're both dead now, so perhaps I shouldn't be saying bad things about them, but I will never understand that family.  And my sister-in-law is so normal!

Margret

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I think it's . . . idiotic isn't the word I'm looking for but I'm tired and it's closish . . . to not say true things about people just because they also happen to be negative and the people you're talking about are dead.  The truth is still the truth.  I mean, no one is going to say Hitler was a great humanitarian just because he's dead, right?  There's a difference between maligning someone's character and stating facts.

 

[margd]

 
About 25 years ago, we visited my parents for Christmas.  My brothers and their wives came too, so it was a big family get-together.  And the parents of one of my sisters-in-law invited themselves, unfortunately.  They didn't believe in giving gifts for Christmas (probably thought it was pagan or something), but they knew that we celebrated Christmas that way so they brought along gifts for all of us.  They didn't actually know any of us, so they had no chance of choosing something people wanted (well, they could have asked their daughter, but that would have made too much sense), and they weren't actually willing to spend any money on gifts, so they explained (bragged, really) that they had taken some gifts from the poor box in their church!  When they saw the horrified looks on our faces they then said "Oh, it's okay.  We've donated so much to that box over the years that we're entitled to take something from it."  They're both dead now, so perhaps I shouldn't be saying bad things about them, but I will never understand that family.  And my sister-in-law is so normal!

Margret

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

      

 

 

 
This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I think it's . . . idiotic isn't the word I'm looking for but I'm tired and it's closish . . . to not say true things about people just because they also happen to be negative and the people you're talking about are dead.  The truth is still the truth.  I mean, no one is going to say Hitler was a great humanitarian just because he's dead, right?  There's a difference between maligning someone's character and stating facts.

I feel the same way.  Still,  I probably wouldn't break the news to the deceased's wife at his funeral that he was a liar, thief and cheated on her with her best friend.  There is a time and place for the truth!  

 

[Alicia88]

Very true.  I would say she deserves to know, but maybe later after the grief has settle and in private.  Or, not at all.  Depends on the situation.  I mean, if people are talking about it behind her back, she should probably know.  Otherwise, why ruin her happy memories?  Tough call.

Then again, I had an elderly family friend.  Her sister-in-law was one of those spiteful types.  Well, the sister-in-law was caught cheating so her husband (family friend's brother) was leaving her.  She was ticked about it so she decided to show up uninvited to a family gathering and told the family friend she needed to get off her high horse because her deceased husband had had a short affair with someone the sister-in-law knew.  Whole bunch of family drama, but the point is, my family friend had done nothing wrong.  She invited her brother to the family event but not his cheating wife - normal behavior.  She wasn't a gossip.  She believed in keeping dirty laundry inside.  So, the cheating wife decided to bring up a hurtful bit of the past that could have just stayed there and tainted a very sweet woman's memories of her late husband.

 

[artiemom]

@Alicia88  

Sorry to say this, but it kind of sounds like what was done to me, at my last job....

Verbal warnings are considered 'legal' and a step towards termination. I never really knew that, until I consulted the employee handbook.. It was 3 verbal warning, then a written warning x 3 and then you were field...like you, it was a clear cut case of harassment.. with mind games...nothing I could do was right according to them.. they more I tried to improve things on my part, the more they considered my efforts to be 'wrong'......I could go on and on... it all happened after I broke my arm in a work accident, and became a liability to them...it turned into psychological harassment, which really inured my already fragile psyche.. I was rehabbing from the accident and had a lot a lingering pain from it. I tried fighting it, but in the end, they won...I was so close to having an actual harassment case, but in the end, my fragile psyche caved in---they made me so confused that I was not thinking  "appropriately'  ---- in short, they fired me 2 weeks before I was scheduled for shoulder surgery...

Harassment suits are very hard to prove--it is your word against theirs.. and they document everything..but I was close to going to court in order to sue them.. but I caved at the most intense time... It was my undoing...

I would not suggest you go to HR, if you can, in fact find one...it would make matters worse..just document everything...

as far as unemployment, the employer can block you from getting it, if you were fired.. You would then have to petition and go to an unemployment 'Officer" in a hearing where you present your side and your employer present their side.. then the hearing officer renders a ruling... that is where all the documentation comes in...you have to confront the representative of your employer; usually a lawyer--- and they can have witnesses... 

I did not do that, because they agreed to continue my workman's comp until I was able to find work, of some sort...turned out I never did.....but that is another story....and one I really do not want to go into....

All I can say, is "Good Luck"... and ((((Hugs)))))

 

[tallyollyopia]

 
You could always get him an Amazon gift card.  Amazon is the best.

Where do they sell those? There aren't any in my store, and I thought we sold everything. (At exceptionally high prices, might I add.) Great idea though!

 
The ONLY problem with that is that it is resin.  My plan is to cover the table with a vinyl tablecloth and staple it to the table at the edge, and the lower legs, so that it won't blow around, then top it with some heavy bit of "cutsy-pootsy" garden stuff to secure it during gusts of wind. I'll put a little slit in the side nearest the wall, and install the bed (tucked into the litter box) under there.   I may, however, order that one for my FRONT patio, which sees a lot of use during cool weather cause it gets the sun all day.

I see the problem. Well, it was a thought, and I wish you luck. 

 

@Mamanyt1953 what about using double stick rug tape instead of staples ? Or get a vinyl cover big enough that you could tuck the edges underneath the legs ?
Just a couple of ideas...[emoji]128568[/emoji]

Not bad ideas, but the table in question, as well as being primarily resin, might be too small for what she wants to do with it. 

So, 6 years ago, my first cat, Snuffy went outside and never came home. At the time, I posted several LOST CAT ads. One was on a pet adoption site that had the option to post LOST PET ads. Well, 6 years later, some lady must have misread the post and she emailed me asking to adopt him! I emailed her back to tell her the bad news. Snuffy has been dead for 6 years! [emoji]128557[/emoji][emoji]128557[/emoji][emoji]128557[/emoji]

Seriously, I don't even know how she found that ad, I can't imagine how far she had to scroll back to find that ad.

 

@Alicia88 (hmm, the @ system isn't working properly), isn't "professional" a wonderful word?  They can make it mean whatever they want it to mean.  Not figuring out that "Tesera" should be "Teresa" is unprofessional.  Not figuring out that the client has an unusual name is unprofessional.  Yawning is unprofessional.  Sneezing is unprofessional.  Providing sympathy to a client who's just lost her son in an accident is unprofessional.  Being a human being is unprofessional!  How dare you?!

I once baby sat a little girl whose name was "Elisha," pronounced "Alicia," and made up by her mother, who was very proud of it (idiot woman).  The mother was incensed when she would take her daughter to the pediatrician and the nurse would say "The doctor will see Elisha now," pronouncing it like the name of the Old Testament prophet.  Well, how was the nurse supposed to know?  We're talking about a toddler -- gender was not obvious.  Heaven forbid you ever encounter a client with a name like that!  (And that child must be a grown woman by now -- I seriously hope that when she turned 21 she had the great good sense to change the spelling of her name!)

I'm with everyone else on this one.  You have an abusive employer who is creating a hostile work environment for you.  Document everything.  Hang on to all emails and write down all verbal interactions immediately.  And while you're at it, document the way the script you're following makes the clients hostile.  Not every interaction, but enough of them to show exactly how unreasonable it is.

Margret

I would add a caveat to this; don't go HR about it, but date and time everything. If worse comes to worse you can prove a pattern of psychological abuse--but they will use any  errors in your bookkeeping to throw the evidence out.

 
About 25 years ago, we visited my parents for Christmas.  My brothers and their wives came too, so it was a big family get-together.  And the parents of one of my sisters-in-law invited themselves, unfortunately.  They didn't believe in giving gifts for Christmas (probably thought it was pagan or something), but they knew that we celebrated Christmas that way so they brought along gifts for all of us.  They didn't actually know any of us, so they had no chance of choosing something people wanted (well, they could have asked their daughter, but that would have made too much sense), and they weren't actually willing to spend any money on gifts, so they explained (bragged, really) that they had taken some gifts from the poor box in their church!  When they saw the horrified looks on our faces they then said "Oh, it's okay.  We've donated so much to that box over the years that we're entitled to take something from it."  They're both dead now, so perhaps I shouldn't be saying bad things about them, but I will never understand that family.  And my sister-in-law is so normal!

Margret

One of my cousins' in laws are like that. One year, at Christmas, I made everyone personalized yarn dolls (when I make a yarn doll, I also make clothes for it, and I sew everything by hand). My DD's side of the family likes to throw huge parties that everyone is invited to; the neighbors, the family, the in-laws--we all love the Christmas season and we celebrate by sharing our feelings with everyone we can. (This incident took place back when I was in middle school, by the way.) Well, my cousin's father-in-law started in on me about how I was wasting precious time by making these individual gifts, so I tweaked his nose and said, "Well, aren't you an Ebeneezer. Watch out for Marley." All of my cousins laughed (except for the one related to him by marriage who burst out coughing). In retrospect, that was  kind of mean of me, but he wasn't being nice either. If you don't like Christmas, why would you go to a Christmas party?

 
Very true.  I would say she deserves to know, but maybe later after the grief has settle and in private.  Or, not at all.  Depends on the situation.  I mean, if people are talking about it behind her back, she should probably know.  Otherwise, why ruin her happy memories?  Tough call.

Then again, I had an elderly family friend.  Her sister-in-law was one of those spiteful types.  Well, the sister-in-law was caught cheating so her husband (family friend's brother) was leaving her.  She was ticked about it so she decided to show up uninvited to a family gathering and told the family friend she needed to get off her high horse because her deceased husband had had a short affair with someone the sister-in-law knew.  Whole bunch of family drama, but the point is, my family friend had done nothing wrong.  She invited her brother to the family event but not his cheating wife - normal behavior.  She wasn't a gossip.  She believed in keeping dirty laundry inside.  So, the cheating wife decided to bring up a hurtful bit of the past that could have just stayed there and tainted a very sweet woman's memories of her late husband.

Spiteful people just like to ruin it for everyone, don't they?

 

[margd]

@Tallyollyopia   You can always buy an amazon card at amazon, if you can't find the actual gift card.  True, there's no excitement to opening it but maybe you could make a card, or something.  You're so creative! View media item 394048
It seems I have competition for my favorite holiday candy!  

   Unfortunately, I can't indulge her. I just googled "is peppermint safe for cats?" and the answer is  NO!  Poor Chula.