Sims 2

I'm addicted again to Sims 2 University. I don't think I have played it in years, since residence maybe. I made Die Höhle Household with Jer, Em, and I. If you know us, you know that the above is a fairly accurate depiction.

The Dudes

"Hey pretty girl, did you go to college?
Did you get your BA with all that knowledge?"
--From the song 'Bing Bong Brothers' by Incredibad

Bell Canada Quote

Our home phone line is broken again and I'm so angry about it. So enraged because it was supposed to be fixed last week, I actually told the Bell guy I was talking to that, "I am so close to hell I can feel the burning."

Rat or Mouse?

The issue discussed in the previous post escalated the second day. The co-worker was very condescending and made a comment to me that was actually mean and hurtful. I gathered myself and after informing my own boss of the incident I decided to bring it up with the co-workers boss. For the most part I was supported in this, it is the mature, professional, and decent thing to do. Part of me felt like a rat going behind their back and tattling. Also what good would it do? It could lead to more pain and mistreatment further down the line too. I also felt meek and pathetic, running to a superior I felt comfortable with instead of handling the issue with my peer. For someone who prides myself in good conflict resolution, I shirked away from this challenge. Going to their boss was very difficult, I was nervous and uncomfortable. It went really well though. I feel relived and happy to have done something about it.

Not My Job

I don’t really believe in the whole ‘Not My Job’ type attitude in the workplace. I think that everyone should focus on being a team, friendly and efficient. If asked to do something or to help out in someway you should always try to lend a hand to others and do what your told. Today I fell away from that principle when I got a call from a co-worker. They immediately asked if they could request help from me or if they needed to go through my boss first. For the past few months my boss has been instructing the rest of the team to direct all requests for my help through her, so as to keep me on track with the tasks I have been assigned and to weed out inappropriate or unnecessary demands on my time. This protection of sorts is both a good and bad thing. I responded to the co-worker by saying it depended on the task at hand. I help many people in the program on a whole number of things, without first checking with my boss, because the tasks are part of what I do. Help with travel, catering, location hunting and booking, general events and travel logistics. I was hoping that they were calling for something along these lines. It turns out it is a stupid and mindless task that I had helped out with last year, when I was in a different position within the program. I politely explained that I would be able to help with some aspects of it, but that I no longer have the equipment or computer program to do the first half of the work and suggested a more appropriate person. Not only is there a more appropriate and more obvious person for this job, but there are a number of other people that could have been called upon to help out that make more sense than asking me. I thought I had diplomatically dodged the bullet. I brought over some supplies and explained again to the co-worker that I was available for the second half of the task. I was then informed that they had not approached the correct person for the first part and then started to instruct me on what needed to be done. I tried to politely deflect again, though was slightly less successful. I returned to my desk annoyed. I just received another call from them saying that they themselves had done most of the first part and were ready for my help to finish it. Seriously, it is not my job!! Oh well, I need to be a friendly team player.

Trash and Treasure

I'm in a little break between the two summer semesters at school, which means that I don't have any readings. My nights are also empty without the three hour lectures on Tuesday and Thursday. It all starts again after the long weekend but I will enjoy the break while I have it. Part of me enjoying this break is being able to read for pleasure. For my birthday Ter gave me The Time Traveller's Wife which is an amazing book I read over the weekend. Complex, moving, emotional, interesting, riveting, and thought provoking I would suggest it to anyone. It is a great novel which is science fiction, philosophy, and romance. I am now reading Women's World Weekly which is this terrible American tabloid magazine focused on weight-loss, relationships, emotional health, and cooking. I love it because it is so cheap to buy and such a cheesy read. I can't get enough of the articles on Fourth of July crafts, berries that melt fat, and people who have experienced true miracles. I am going to have to head to the library this afternoon to pick up something a little more intellectual.

Birthday Boy

It is my dad's birthday tomorrow. I'm away camping for the weekend with Kristen and Taylor so won't get to talk to him but I'm sure he will have a great day, though he might have to work. He was born on June 21st which is the first day of summer and the summer solstice. The new boat is called Equinox partly because of this. So when everyone is having a lazy Saturday tomorrow I wish you a great start to the summer and a happy birthday to my dad.

Your Inarticulate

There have been a number of presentations done in the class I'm taking this summer. This one girl did hers the other day and I was shocked at how annoying I found her. I also quickly judged her are being a little dumb, but her presentation and the information she was sharing was just as good as the others. It was the way she talked. She constantly used the following words/phrases:
-like
-umm
-such as
-you know
-kind of
-sort of
I am known for a number of these, but the sheer extent she used them was unbelievable. To see that extreme an example and feel my horrified reaction to it has inspired me to really clean up the way I talk.