It's Tough Being a Girl

I just renewed my subscription to Wired Magazine, and when I checked my email for my confirmation, something about the email caught my attention.
On the left side of the email, running all the way down, were ads for other magazines that I might be interested in based on my subscription to Wired.

Pretty standard, right? Well, here's what I found interesting. The 3 magazines advertised were: GQ, Men's Vogue, and Details. All magazines with a male target audience.

The geek community really needs to make us girls feel more welcome.

Why A + B + C = Crap

A)Being female +
B)the youngest person at my job and +
C)still in school =
A bad combination when you want to be taken seriously in your career.

Case in point:

Last Friday, one of the guys from a different office than the one I work out of was having problems with his laptop. I'll leave out all the geek-talk, but basically he could still get email but he got nothing when he opened up Internet Explorer.

He didn't call to discuss this problem. He emailed me about it, and I was in the middle of dealing with over 20,000 locked files that employees needed access to. So, it wasn't my top priority. Throughout the day, I would email a suggestion and he would give it a try and report back. Nothing worked.

On Tuesday, I was down at that office to help Michelle with all the archiving. I got there before the employee with the broken computer, so I went to his office and had a look. Turns out the problem was one of the first things I told him to check, which he told me was how it was supposed to be. Anyway, I fixed it and then also happened to notice an icon on his desktop for Limewire. I checked on it, because I've removed the program before, and sure enough, it had been reinstalled. The last time it was used also happened to be the day his computer stopped working correctly.

So before I went back out to start helping Michelle, I sent a quick email to the office manager, who is my direct supervisor, about the laptop. I didn't wait for a response. I went back out front with Michelle and we started working our way through some files. Broken-Computer Employee walked in and asked if I'd fixed his computer. I said yes. He asked what was wrong, so I told him his DNS server was pointed to a specific IP address and that our network will not support that, especially since he was pointed to the IP address of the copy machine, and last time I checked, copy machines don't provide Internet access.

He seemed kind of confused and asked how that happened. I had a pretty good idea that he'd let his kid use the computer again, because that's how it happened last time (oh yeah, this is a repeat problem), but rather than accuse someone who wasn't even there, I just said, "I don't know how it got changed. But I do know that it doesn't change itself."

He kind of gave me a dirty look and then headed down the hallway, muttering under his breath. Michelle and I shot each other a glance and went back to work.

A few minutes later, he came walking down the hall and said, in a rather demanding tone, "Sarah, come into my office for a minute." I stood up, Michelle told me I didn't have to go, but I headed down anyway. I walked into his office and he got up, shut the door, and told me to have a seat. This is when I knew that this was going to get "interesting."

He began by telling me that he doesn't work for me. (No kidding) He also mentioned that I don't work for him, but he didn't say it quite as matter-of-fact as he said that he didn't work for me. He said that we worked for a company and that we were co-workers and that we needed to stick together and not take problems to other people that should just be addressed with the other person.

Side Note: The office manager is my direct supervisor, and I report back to her about computer problems since she needs to be aware of what employees are doing with their computers so she can give this information to the owners. I do this with any computer problem I fix, whether the employee is my best friend or someone I can't stand. That's just how business works. Also, over the last two years with the particular employee that this all involves, I have come to learn that he thinks he's - for lack of a better way to describe it - the shit. He always has an opinion on something or a way to improve what's going on. He has also, on at least one occasion, told me that I don't really know what I'm doing when it comes to computers because he told his brother about some of the stuff I said and he said I was wrong. Nice.

Back to story: Then, he said that I was accusing him of being a liar. (Those words, or anything close to those words, never came out of my mouth) He said he didn't know how the DNS server got changed and when he said that he didn't know, that's exactly what he meant. He said that he does not let his kids touch his computer on the rare instance that he takes it home, but that if they do use it without his permission, there isn't really anything he can do about that. Then, he again pointed out that he doesn't work for me and that when I have an issue with him, I should come to him. (Which is not what I have been instructed to do by my supervisor - and the owners, for that matter.) He then added that I am new to my career and that while he hated to have to word it like this, it needed to be said. "This is something you need to work on, and I'm glad that I can be the one to point this out to you."

Because apparently, I need to work on disobeying my supervisors and do whatever he says instead.

He ended all of this by saying again that he doesn't work for me and that I do not have the authority to act like he works for me. He also mentioned that another thing I could work on if I wanted to succeed in my career was letting power go to my head. (Look who's talking, huh?!)

Then, he closed the conversation by telling me that he was sorry that he had to get angry with me about this, but that somebody needed to put me in my place. Then, he said that the door was closed so that I could apologize in private without having to worry about being embarrassed about people hearing me apologize.

So I told him I was sorry that he thought I had accused him of being a liar.

But that's all I said. He then started talking about how crappy the computers run around here and how he has done stuff with his computers at home that has made huge differences and maybe I could do those same things here to help improve the network. Oh, and at one point in the conversation he told me that he just wasn't sure what I was thinking because I was being so straight-faced. Yeah, because I guess that over the last 50 years nobody ever told him that it helps to keep emotions in check while you're at work.

Yeah. Whatever, prick.

Not Cool

Did you know that when you call Fed Ex Customer Support and get that voice-navigated menu thing and you say something that it tries to register it, it makes a quiet computerized blip (for lack of a better word) noise that sounds just like the noise the aliens made in Signs to communicate with each other. Not fun at 8:15 in the morning!

The Politics of it all

I have a point, I promise.

I used to hate election season. All the lying and cheating and scandal that goes on just never appealed to me. But lately, I've taken quite an interest in what's going on in the world politically, and I found out that politics is a way of life for Americans, and that's an unfortunate thing.

Think about politics. What comes to mind? Obama winning Iowa? Hillary winning New Hampshire? The fact that there's a Southern Baptist running again? (And we all know how great that turned out last time.) How they all have something very appealing that they are going to do once in office, although you know that it's more likely than not that none of what they promise will actually happen.

And that's the key right there. None of what they promise will actually happen. They make all these promises to get ahead and get the power they want. Why do they want the power? Maybe they have a secret hidden agenda. Maybe they want to be set for life. The point is, politics is not about running a nation or even running a business. Politics is about stabbing someone else in the back to get ahead for your own good.

Watching political debates makes me laugh. Why? Because they are arguing about running a country, but I can see similar arguments going down at work.

I guess that because we are all humans with a sinful nature, I shouldn't be surprised about what happens in the government, business, and the world. But, I am. Maybe I just am figuring this all out a little bit later than others.

When Tuesday rolls around, or whatever day your state's primary election is, you can vote for anyone you choose. Just remember, though, that it doesn't matter. Popularity is for all the wrong reasons and it's just a matter of time before everyone who voted for the person who won decides they don't like them and claims to have not voted for them in the first place.

It's just like business. Everyone is always covering themselves at no expense. For instance, let's assume that some guy from another company that you are doing a joint project with has been emailing and calling you and basically pushing work he should be doing off on you. Why? Because he asked someone at your job for one thing and they had told him to ask you to do it. So, he started skipping the middle man and sending request after request to you. When you started to get multiple demands rather than an occasional request, you say something about it. His response? Someone at your office had told him to have you do all the work. So not true! But, if it came down to losing the partnership, what were his options, really? Admit he was shoving work on you or cover himself at someone else's expense?

Every day, those are the kinds of things that get dealt with. When I was working at McDonald's, although I enjoyed the job, I craved a fancy business job where I could dress up and sit at a desk and do important things. Now I have that job. And, surprisingly, I enjoyed McDonald's much more. For starters, I was friends with the people I worked with at McDonald's. Why? Because it made the day better. No one really sticks around too long at McDonald's, so the politics of it all are far less than they are anywhere else. Sure, everyone wanted more, but if you made friends with your coworkers and managers, you realized that for that job, it wasn't worth the fight. And what happened? You enjoyed yourself.

But in business, things are totally different. You've got to "look our for number one!" Lie, manipulate, and complain your way to the top. That's what business is. You aren't friends with the people you work with in a job like that because, well, why would you want to be? They don't have your best interests at heart. So why bother? It's all about deceit and betrayal. Who would want to be friends with that?

Moral of the story:
Why am I spending so much time and money on a degree in business when, obviously, I can learn more about business from watching election coverage on TV?

Sarah's Hate List, Volume 6: Work Edition!

1. Name dropping. For example, last week I got a number of phone calls from someone claiming that the owner of the company I work for told him to get me to help him out. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But the overall point was that I had not been told to do the work this guy was asking for, nor did I have the time to do the work he was asking for. And I told him such. But, he thought that by telling me that "I talked to Daren and HE said for YOU..." I would shut up and do it. Not so!

2. Working on holidays. What a freaking joke. If you want to be a small business owner who is truly involved, then don't take December 15 through January 3 off of work and only give your employees December 24, 25 and January 1 off. I've worked New Year's Eve before and it's no big deal, but when nobody that we do work for is open...why do we have to be?

3. As discussed earlier this year, interrupting. When I answer the phone, let me say what I have to say before you start talking over me. And if you interrupt me to drop a name, chances are your call will go to voice mail even if the person you are asking for is standing right in front of me.

4. Getting work calls on the weekend and on my personal vacation days. Specifically, getting work calls on Sunday morning during church for something that is going to have to wait until Monday anyway. So really, why bother calling?! Although the best yet was a call at 7:45 am the day after Christmas, which I had taken off, followed by a call at 8:30 to apologize for the fact that someone else had called me. Really? Do these people hear themselves?

5. Other people using my computer.

6. The fact that because of the way vacation hours work here, I will not get a day off of work until probably the end of May.

7. How my scope of work changes depending on what someone wants me to get done.

8. The fact that I'm usually the first one to get here and the last to leave.

9. Responsibility given to me that I did not ask for, was not hired to be responsible for, and am not being paid for.

10. Dress codes not being followed. I am sick of showing up all dressed nicely because it's a Monday, and yet just because it's a Monday that is also a holiday, everyone else is in jeans...or sweats. Seriously.

11. That way that people talk down to you but disguise it to be more like giving you unrequested advice.

12. The fact that people judge me because I don't eat at all the expensive places around here. Maybe if I was making more money I would. But right now, I get paid about a tenth of what you make to do the same work so LEAVE ME ALONE!

13. People asking for my advice on something and then not taking it at all.

14. People expecting me to be okay with having to fix things that result from not taking my advice.

15. Stuff that I don't need/am not responsible for getting put on my desk, and then comments being made about my desk being messy.

16. My name being spelled wrong. Seriously? It's on like every piece of paperwork ever but when you write it down do you really forget the H?!

17. Being asked about my weekend/days off work. It's my personal time. If I want to share what I did with you, I will. But when you ask me, I will probably make something up because obviously I don't care for you to know or I would have already told you. And when I ask you back, it's just for the illusion of politeness.

18. Being asked the same questions over and over again, and giving the exact same answer over and over again, but nobody doing anything about it.

19. People calling/texting/emailing/instant messaging me on their day off. If you aren't here, I shouldn't have to deal with you.

20. Working on huge projects, turning them in, never hearing anything about them, and then being told 4 months later to do the same project again. Because nobody pays attention to what I do.

This Really Happened

This morning, on my drive to work, I encountered something I've never seen before.

I turned onto the entrance ramp for westbound I-94 and had to come to an abrupt stop. There, right in the middle of the entrance ramp blocking most of the lane was a vehicle. But the odd thing about this vehicle was that it was a Jeep without it's top, caked in mud, and missing it's driver's side rear wheel. It was also turned completely around and facing oncoming traffic. There weren't any people in the area, or police officers either, and the police station is like one mile down the road! It was odd, and luckily there wasn't any snow so I was able to drive through the grass to get around the Jeep.

Great way to start your morning, huh?!

Fact of the Day

Did you know that you can mail a cooler?