The grumpy thread

[Roobarb]

Challenging day at work today - mainly due to frustration. Guess I’m luckier than most, it doesn’t happen that often.

 

What’s making it worse is I’m on a self imposed diet, to trim down for summer.

 

What I could do with a packet of custard creams / chocolate hobnobs (or both) with a cup of tea right now...

[Captain Furious]

I have my PDF in an hours time (AKA PDR, PMF, PDP or whatever other acronyms are used to describe "Performance Review" these days)

 

Expect job related grumpiness incoming in approx. 2 hours.

[dozeydustman]

Just had car park fine final demands for that poxy Focus I had in January and sold after 3 weeks. Send V5 off myself. Checked with DVLA it's still registered to me.

 

That car was a pile of shite to drive, gave me nothing but aggro when I owned it and is still causing me hassle 4 months after I got rid of it.

[AMC Rebel]

Is it just me? ( I am for once, prepared to be told it is).

 

Went for lunch with my Girlfriend and daughter to a farm shop/cafe.  Chose a table outside as it's nice weather.  After we sat down I notice two powerfully built company directors huddled over a laptop.  Geoff's progress on the network issues is apparently good, but there are some other things that need addressing going forward etc.- yep, they are having a loud conference call at their table in the full sight and hearing of the whole yard.

 

I regard this as rude and arrogant in the extreme - if I wanted to be included in your fooking business meetings, I'd come and sit in your fooking office!

 

But maybe I am just getting old an grumpy.

 

If the other two hadn't been there, I'd have sat down at their table - since they obviously felt everyone should be included in their fucking business. 

[Kiltox]

I have my PDF in an hours time (AKA PDR, PMF, PDP or whatever other acronyms are used to describe "Performance Review" these days)

 

Expect job related grumpiness incoming in approx. 2 hours.

Even though I might not be employed past 5pm tomorrow I fucking love being a contractor. You can stick all that shite!

[dozeydustman]

Is it just me? ( I am for once, prepared to be told it is).

 

Went for lunch with my Girlfriend and daughter to a farm shop/cafe.  Chose a table outside as it's nice weather.  After we sat down I notice two powerfully built company directors huddled over a laptop.  Geoff's progress on the network issues is apparently good, but there are some other things that need addressing going forward etc.- yep, they are having a loud conference call at their table in the full sight and hearing of the whole yard.

 

I regard this as rude and arrogant in the extreme - if I wanted to be included in your fooking business meetings, I'd come and sit in your fooking office!

 

But maybe I am just getting old an grumpy.

 

If the other two hadn't been there, I'd have sat down at their table - since they obviously felt everyone should be included in their fucking business. 

 

 

No it's not just you, Rebel. It annoys me as well. I don't mind people having personal phone conversations in a cafe or similar provided they keep the conversation to themselves. Also people who talk at a reasonable volume level but then insist on shouting when they're on their dog & bone, or use speakerphone for no good reason.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

..... people who talk at a reasonable volume level but then insist on shouting when they're on their dog & bone, or use speakerphone for no good reason.

 

[Captain Furious]

Even though I might not be employed past 5pm tomorrow I fucking love being a contractor. You can stick all that shite!

 

If I ever leave\end up forced out of here I plan on contracting, and a large part of it is because you don't have to buy into all the 'corporate vision' bullshit

 

Anyway it all went off fairly smoothly, I'm getting a new boss (kind of knew that already but its now official) in terms of career progression its pretty much a sideways step, but it gets me one step closer to God because my new manager is golfing buddies with the IT Director.  It also means I'll be the most senior engineer on that team which possibly paves the way to getting some underlings and onto a management contract, we'll see...

 

Got a payrise too although that was pretty much a given.  It's nothing to get excited about but coupled with the cost of living rise earlier this year it about keeps ahead of inflation.

 

So all in all, my grump is basically that I don't have anything to grump about and I thought I would have.

[AMC Rebel]

Even though I might not be employed past 5pm tomorrow I fucking love being a contractor. You can stick all that shite!

I used to love that too, sadly the work dried up.

[Kiltox]

If I ever leave\end up forced out of here I plan on contracting, and a large part of it is because you don't have to buy into all the 'corporate vision' bullshit

 

Anyway it all went off fairly smoothly, I'm getting a new boss (kind of knew that already but its now official) in terms of career progression its pretty much a sideways step, but it gets me one step closer to God because my new manager is golfing buddies with the IT Director. It also means I'll be the most senior engineer on that team which possibly paves the way to getting some underlings and onto a management contract, we'll see...

 

Got a payrise too although that was pretty much a given. It's nothing to get excited about but coupled with the cost of living rise earlier this year it about keeps ahead of inflation.

 

So all in all, my grump is basically that I don't have anything to grump about and I thought I would have.

My company’s vision and mission statements are modelled around Cavcraft’s attitude to “work’s dos”

[New POD]

The pikeys have set up camp in the car park of the local Sainsbury's.

 

Can I be pedantic?

1) It's not a camp unless there are tents. Are there tents? and if so how did they fix them to the car park. 

2) Sainsburys doesn't have ' between y and s  

3) pikey is none PC and you probably ain't allowed to use such an insulting term on the internet.  

[Kiltox]

Can I be pedantic?

1) It's not a camp unless there are tents. Are there tents? and if so how did they fix them to the car park.

2) Sainsburys doesn't have ' between y and s

3) pikey is none PC and you probably ain't allowed to use such an insulting term on the internet.

Errr....

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Can I be pedantic?

1) It's not a camp unless there are tents. Are there tents? and if so how did they fix them to the car park.

There are indeed, in amongst the caravans. The tents appear to be the pop-up type so often seen in Calais, Paris, Glastonbury, etc.

 

2) Sainsburys doesn't have ' between y and s

Actually it does. Otherwise the company would be J. Sainsburys. Which it isn't.

 

3) pikey is none PC and you probably ain't allowed to use such an insulting term on the internet.

I'll make a note to use it more often, so.

[Pillock]

Sainsbury's never used to have an apostrophe.

I was going to correct someone on the internet on this very matter last week but I checked with my tame Sainsbury's employee I keep lying around and home and she told that yes, indeed, it's been like that for "fucking ages".

[Kiltox]

Sainsbury's never used to have an apostrophe.

I was going to correct someone on the internet on this very matter last week but I checked with my tame Sainsbury's employee I keep lying around and home and she told that yes, indeed, it's been like that for "fucking ages".

Are you sure?

 

Given it’s named after the founder, Mr Sainsbury, and it would therefore be his store, it’s definitely grammatically correct now....

 

Did someone correct them “fucking ages” ago?

[MarvinsMom]

I have my PDF in an hours time (AKA PDR, PMF, PDP or whatever other acronyms are used to describe "Performance Review" these days)

 

Expect job related grumpiness incoming in approx. 2 hours.

 

i hate shit like this, the current employer though LOVES this sorta stuff.

 

i have to look forward to this years in July. so ihave decided to make it a "game" and see how snarky, stupid and/or rediculous answers i can give to the usual dumb questions.

 

you know the sort, "what are your career goals" and "where do you want to be in 5 years time" that sort of thing.

 

last year, my career goal was "not to get sacked"

 

the year before it was "to be living up a mountain in New Zealand somewhere, with a bloody big dog, and a gun"

 

and the year before was "to be the town drunk, so i can spend all day shouting obcenities at the Herring Gulls on the sea front, cos someone has to do it....."

 

my gaffer is starting to think that i don't take the "performance review" seriously. 

 

but hey, one year i was told that "i had no commitment to the job" even though i live 140 miles away from the office, and are in digs away from home all week.

 

wha tthe hell do they want? blood???

[New POD]

Even though I might not be employed past 5pm tomorrow I fucking love being a contractor. You can stick all that shite!

 

Today I very nearly told my hiring manager not to bother chasing his boss for a contract extension for me, at the end of June, because I've never worked anywhere where EVERY single procedure and system is designed to allow someone else to fuck up your mind and make every single hour of your working day be taken up by PURE MUDA.

 

I'm helping 3 different suppliers of bespoke automation, to deliver machines that work.  The 3 machines do different parts of the whole process, and will replace machines that were fucked about 10 years previously. The 3 suppliers are at different stages.  The order for one was given to them in November but as they didn't have any drawings of the parts, and they had other work, and their contract said the leadtime started when they had all the drawings, they did feck all until I started in January.  It took me a month to get full access to all the drawings and send them electronic copies and then they eventually started to design the kit.  The next company, I wrote the spec in February raised a capex and got it signed and held another contractors hand in purchasing to negotiate the contract.  We will most likely give them an order next week. (They have drawings) 

the third machine. I was bullied into raising a capex before I knew exactly what the machine had to do, so I took a ball park quote and added 1/3 and when the Capex was signed, found that the IT people want a fuck load of integration. So I've got them talking to the proposed supplier to agree what they want.

 

Anyway I digress. I asked in January, how I obtain parts for Developing and Proofing the equipment. They had a system. I used the forms and filled them in, and got 9 signature, which took to the end of March. Purchasing wouldn't sign it, because they would not be held accountable to timescales they couldn't meet. But if you don't sign it, I can't get them on order so I'll never get them.  If they come late, well then the equipment will be late, but if you don't sign the form they will NEVER come. Yesterday they agreed to it. 

I take the form to Planning. They've changed the form. If I don't use the right form they won't do anything. 

 

At this point I thought "Burn bridges and walk out into the sun and never return and let them sort it out themselves, or Suggest that you've had enough of this ballocks and that they really need to help you now, because you really really are fucked off with the whole fucking lot of them or sigh, and ask meekly if they could possibly help you to fast track the new form whilst thinking about the hourly rate" 

 

Obviously I thought about the hourly rate and didn't get angry, knowing that I've spent the best part of 50 hours trying to obtain 47 components which need to be made into 14 assemblies and the total value of these parts is less that the cost of my time trying to get them added to the plan. Actually working out the parts I needed took about 4 hours.  

I have also spent 10 hours sorting through rework and scrap bins obtaining samples which might be of use and 2 hours obtaining permission to remove them from site. 

 

I continue to put up with this because ££££ but I'm thinking maybe I should ask for a rate rise, based on the fact that they don't have anyone that can finish these tasks and it would take a new person 8 weeks to get access to the drawings, and if they say no to a rediculous rise, at least I can go and sell my soul elsewhere. 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

My other half used to regularly get asked to provide plans for future development.  She knew nobody ever actually bothered reading them so they were apparently littered with references to farmyard animals.  Never got called on it once.

 

When I've had the 'In 5 years' question, I usually answer with 'not dead'.

[Cavcraft]

Ah yes, work. Potential trouble brewing there.

 

 

Also, had the work's do Sat last. Brilliant night, got as pissed as you like and found the next cheapest double vodka place to visit too. Sadly though, there's possibly three entire Saturdays before I'm out again.

[BorniteIdentity]

i hate shit like this, the current employer though LOVES crap like this.

 

i have to look forward to this years in July. so ihave decided to make it a "game" and see how snarky, stupid and/or rediculous answers i can give to the usual dumb questions.

 

you know the sort, "what are your career goals" and "where do you want to be in 5 years time" that sort of thing.

 

last year, my career goal was "not to get sacked"

 

the year before it was "to be living up a mountain in New Zealand, with a big dog, and a gun"

 

and the year before was "to be the town drunk, so i can spend all day shouting obcenities at the Herring Gulls on the sea front, cos someone has to do it....."

 

my gaffer is starting to think that i don't take the "performance review" seriously.

 

but hey, one year i was told that "i had no commitment to the job" even though i live 140 miles away from the office, and are in digs away from home all week.

 

wha tthe hell do they want? blood???

I work in the most liberal, relaxed and cool place ever. But if you played that card, you’d be the first person to be fired in 8 years.

 

Why not actually play the game, be honest and straightforward and air any grievances in a sensible fashion? None of what you’ve said would get a laugh at a 5 year old’s Birthday party - never mind a professional environment.

 

Yes, some of it can be tedious. But your approach to stopping the tedium is certainly different to mine. Then again, yours may end up being supremely effective.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Today I very nearly told my hiring manager not to bother chasing his boss for a contract extension for me, at the end of June, because I've never worked anywhere where EVERY single procedure and system is designed to allow someone else to fuck up your mind and make every single hour of your working day be taken up by PURE MUDA.

 

I'm helping 3 different suppliers of bespoke automation, to deliver machines that work.  The 3 machines do different parts of the whole process, and will replace machines that were fucked about 10 years previously. The 3 suppliers are at different stages.  The order for one was given to them in November but as they didn't have any drawings of the parts, and they had other work, and their contract said the leadtime started when they had all the drawings, they did feck all until I started in January.  It took me a month to get full access to all the drawings and send them electronic copies and then they eventually started to design the kit.  The next company, I wrote the spec in February raised a capex and got it signed and held another contractors hand in purchasing to negotiate the contract.  We will most likely give them an order next week. (They have drawings) 

the third machine. I was bullied into raising a capex before I knew exactly what the machine had to do, so I took a ball park quote and added 1/3 and when the Capex was signed, found that the IT people want a fuck load of integration. So I've got them talking to the proposed supplier to agree what they want.

 

Anyway I digress. I asked in January, how I obtain parts for Developing and Proofing the equipment. They had a system. I used the forms and filled them in, and got 9 signature, which took to the end of March. Purchasing wouldn't sign it, because they would not be held accountable to timescales they couldn't meet. But if you don't sign it, I can't get them on order so I'll never get them.  If they come late, well then the equipment will be late, but if you don't sign the form they will NEVER come. Yesterday they agreed to it. 

I take the form to Planning. They've changed the form. If I don't use the right form they won't do anything. 

 

At this point I thought "Burn bridges and walk out into the sun and never return and let them sort it out themselves, or Suggest that you've had enough of this ballocks and that they really need to help you now, because you really really are fucked off with the whole fucking lot of them or sigh, and ask meekly if they could possibly help you to fast track the new form whilst thinking about the hourly rate" 

 

Obviously I thought about the hourly rate and didn't get angry, knowing that I've spent the best part of 50 hours trying to obtain 47 components which need to be made into 14 assemblies and the total value of these parts is less that the cost of my time trying to get them added to the plan. Actually working out the parts I needed took about 4 hours.  

I have also spent 10 hours sorting through rework and scrap bins obtaining samples which might be of use and 2 hours obtaining permission to remove them from site. 

 

I continue to put up with this because ££££ but I'm thinking maybe I should ask for a rate rise, based on the fact that they don't have anyone that can finish these tasks and it would take a new person 8 weeks to get access to the drawings. 

I know a girl that does illustration for a web company.  She's been asked at least six times to re-do the animations she does in different formats but because the company are cheapskates, they're using out-of-date software.

 

So instead of spending a bit of money on a new version which can automatically do the file format shifting, they've been paying for her (at an hourly rate) to re-draw everything.  Which has cost them at least four times as much, even if they went company-wide with the software.

 

Short-sighted bollocks is all the rage, right?  Your's is on a much bigger scale but it happens all the time in a huge number of small ways.

[beko1987]

Blimey I'm glad I work where I do now! A bollocking is my boss saying something that I knew was an issue has been mentioned, usually whilst we have a rolly and no more is said, reviews are done in the pub, I get out of all the cs meetings because I'm not really cs any more...

 

I realise I'm very lucky, and it's making me feel I should stay there a while longer! I even get to make big boy project decisions now, and correct senior people who don't shout at me!

[New POD]

Errr....

 

44914283-B52D-4AF0-BED0-B08B76D9B4C4.png

 

Right. Bastard. Im rippin' up me nectarse kard wright know. 

[Captain Furious]

Our performance review process is actually fairly easy really, they simplified it massively a few years back, before that it used to be an absolute nightmare.

 

It’s basically an hour going through the objectives set last year, whether they were completed, if not why not....do you measure up to the key skills required in the job spec, new objectives for next year, training requirements, any other issues from either side.

 

As BI said just play the game, at the end of the day it’s mostly for my benefit, it usually results in them giving me more money and paying for some very expensive training courses that give me some free weeks holiday.

 

Gotta choose your battles

[New POD]

My company’s vision and mission statements are modelled around Cavcraft’s attitude to “work’s dos”

 

We have 2 work dos a years.

AGM requires the Admin assistant to take notes. She has to put in an expenses claim for the 60 miles to a nice hotel and has the option to sleep with the MD should she wish.  MD holds an AGM with himself then sole shareholder, whilst she (a mere admin assistant) disgarees with any potential tax avoidance ideas he has (Note to self must promote her to quality and compliance manager) 

Employee Christmas party is also held offsite. All employees get to sleep with the MD should they wish. MD will spend the HMRC allowable budget on 3 course meal and an overnight stopover in February , to avoid any other Christmas parties. 

We have a vision and mission statement. Cher and Ching 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Right. Bastard. Im rippin' up me nectarse kard wright know.

 

Strong in him the greengrocer is.

[Kiltox]

We have 2 work dos a years.

AGM requires the Admin assistant to take notes. She has to put in an expenses claim for the 60 miles to a nice hotel and has the option to sleep with the MD should she wish. MD holds an AGM with himself then sole shareholder, whilst she (a mere admin assistant) disgarees with any potential tax avoidance ideas he has (Note to self must promote her to quality and compliance manager)

Employee Christmas party is also held offsite. All employees get to sleep with the MD should they wish. MD will spend the HMRC allowable budget on 3 course meal and an overnight stopover in February , to avoid any other Christmas parties.

We have a vision and mission statement. Cher and Ching

Ahhh you fucker I do similar but I forgot about the EE expense claim in addition to mine!

[Parky]

Fucks sake.....

 

Leave work, receive email. The buyer of my laptop wants a return because it is faulty. The fault? A minor insignificant scratch near the headphone socket. PayPal account already frozen with huge overdrawn balance as I had spent the money (or rather son had). Have reconciled myself to a bumraping here so am going to respond just before the week limit is up. Make the time wasting fucker sweat.

 

Driving home on the M25. Is fecked because the traffic Wombles have closed two lanes because of an obstruction. But there is no obstruction there so instant ten mile jam. Well done Highways Agency, at least reopen the lanes when the debris or whatever is cleared.

 

Further round. The road has cleared, no traffic ahead, very little behind. Visibility is good and I am not far from home. Just passing junction 3 I notice the gantry has a 50 sign on it. Odd I thought, there is no traffic about but I had better slow a little just in case. As I passed the gantry at around 62mph, two flashes appeared in my mirror.

 

Then making my way around the Lakeside roundabout, an old biddy in a Mini starts beeping me and generally gesticulating in my direction. The window comes down at the lights and a torrent of abuse and profanity is proffered in my general direction. I have no idea what I am supposed to have done! I shrug and say “what on earth have I done?” To which the response was “you f###ing know, i’m Calling the police when I get in, they’ll f###ing have you for that”.

 

So, time wasting twat, doubled journey time, a speeding ticket, and abuse. All in all I have had better evenings!

 

I tell you just typing that out has made me feel a billion times better. Time waster can wait, see how it feels to have his money delayed as he did with me. The speeding ticket? May not get one, and if I do it won’t be the end of the world. Third time caught in 28 years, hardly a recidivist. And as for the old biddy, bring it. I would love to know what I am supposed to have done.

[New POD]

I am off to the pub now to discuss scotch. 

[anonymous user]

My Land Rover might be back next Wednesday, unfortunately on the way home tonight the courtesy car has stopped charging. I have stuck my partially working battery charger on it so hopefully there will be enough electricity to get me to work tomorrow, I don't think they will have another spare car so I'll either have to hire another one again or not go anywhere. Everyone who would normally loan me a car seems to be in the same boat. I've just been looking on ebay for something local for a few hundred quid as a stop gap, I shouldn't be choosy but there is nothing I can see that I would want to buy, that is likely to last a week or so. I suppose I should get on gumtree next.