Small Talk: Chili's

[Kalliste]

Good timing Glory.. then you get the easter weekend off and a bit of a break after your first week!

 

My bigger concern with peeing in a cup is that it'll overflow and be gross for everything involved.

 

That being said I've never had to provide pee for a drug test, my work does random drug and alcohol tests though, so maybe one of these days I'll need to.

[sacrebleu]

I've never had to submit to a drug test either. 

 

I think my second interview went well, had a phone interview today, and just got an email about scheduling an interview for a third job. This is heartening because I'm beginning to dread my current job. I was hired to do specific work, which is coming to an end, so I've been transitioning to a different position while wrapping up lose ends at my original job and I am coming to realize that I don't enjoy it (new job) at all. 

 

The thing that I hate about job seeking is the subterfuge. I mean, how many doctor's appt can I have before people start wondering what's up?

Edited March 12, 2015 by sacrebleu

[Glory]

I like dentist appointments. They lend themselves well to follow-ups.

Good luck with the job search!! What do you do again?

[EllieH]

 

I mean, how many doctor's appt can I have before people start wondering what's up?

 

Broken appliance, need to be home waiting for the repairman?  Picking up or dropping off someone at the airport?

 

I had to do a hair drug test for my current job, which was kind of traumatizing**!  Mostly because I showed up thinking it would be urine, and when they called me back, the tech was standing there holding a pair of scissors and asking if I had a preference where they should cut.  And they cut out a chunk, not just a few strands!

 

**Not about passing it, I was not worried about that.

[Kalliste]

Wow I've never heard of a hair drug test.. why would they need so much of it? I'd have suggested they take some of the pubes :P

 

I've found migraines are a good excuse for sickies. Can you work from home in your role? Maybe do the 'need to be home' for a thing and then duck out for interviews and come back.. they'll never know.

[King of Birds]

I mean, how many doctor's appt can I have before people start wondering what's up?

Just about as many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll tootsie pop:  Three.  Also, since most of you are women, you could just do some hand motion and say "there's something going on down here" That's always something NO ONE wants to hear about further.  (Glory's office knew something was up when she wouldn't drink with them after work.)

 

You know what? It's been like, forever since ... you had a poll! And Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day!

 

"I thought I had what was a respectable amount of pee. It was not."- Glory

Edited March 13, 2015 by King of Birds

[Kalliste]

I had a guy say "I need to sort out this issue I'm having and go home" and was directing in his crotch area.. apparently he has a bladder issue or something but at the time all I thought was he was going home sick to masturbate.

 

I don't know which option to choose in the poll!

[smrou]

Well, "Make a boiled dinner", which is the only thing I ever do for St. Patrick's Day (and which I do intend to do) wasn't an option. So I went for being in line for the English crown.

[King of Birds]

I for reals and truly LOL'd at Kalliste's post. I did not equate "something going on down there" with masturbation. NOW, I certainly will.

 

I don't get all of you clicking on 'English crown." That's like, the most negative answer for St Patty's day. (check again, smrou)

 

And - don't you TRY to wear something green?

 

Oooops, forgot my ps.

 

"I thought I had what was a respectable amount of pee. It was not."- Glory

Edited March 14, 2015 by King of Birds

[possibilities]

I for reals and truly LOL'd at Kalliste's post.

I'm still laughing over it.

 

I don't get all of you clicking on 'English crown." That's like, the most negative answer for St Patty's day.

We're an uncommonly hostile group?

[sacrebleu]

I'm just a little surprised the poll doesn't include consuming alcoholic beverages as an option. 

 

Happy Pi Day!

 

I had a weird interview on Friday. I applied for this job at the beginning of the year. Apparently they thought I was overqualified, but the position above that job became open and they liked/remembered my resume and contacted me. However, the guy failed to mention that they wanted me for the different position when he scheduled the interview, so I hadn't familiarized myself with the job description/responsibilities etc.

 

So I essentially tried to explain why I was qualified for a position without knowing what the position was. (I mean, I had an idea since it was just a higher level than the position I had applied for, but damn-- a little heads up would have been nice)

 

So, I'm thinking the place doesn't really have its act together. Which I kind of knew. And the job would be a PR/spokesperson thing, so I would be responsible for talking to the press about how this place is doing. Hmmmmmmm.

Edited March 14, 2015 by sacrebleu

[King of Birds]

Hey Kev, frenchtoast, etc - you need to find some black sand. That's what they used at Fenway to melt the snow. Here's Fenway today.

 

TV: Very much enjoying Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt + Last Man On Earth. 

 

With Glory getting a new job, sacrebleu writing about interviewing - it's like this is the Watercooler! We need some more wacky work stories.

[Too Late Kev]

Black sand, huh? That's an amazing transformation.

[smrou]

Here's Fenway today.

Wow. That's pretty amazing.

[King of Birds]

Reference of Fenway with snow. I think they started around March 5?

 

Of course, all of New England needs to melt. A friend of mine from Boston (for the MA, she's in Chestnut Hills- I know!) posted "Boston breaks all time seasonal snow fall record with 2.9 on Sunday, reaching a total of 108.6"

 

You all need black sand now!

[possibilities]

sacrebleu, I would not want to do PR for a firm that doesn't have its act together, but then again, I don't know what the salary is. And I tend to have a very low tolerance for professional incompetence, so I might not be a good gauge on this sort of thing. If you like putting out fires and being a hero to your comrades, it might not be too bad.

 

My kitty is vomiting every other day. She is energetic and bright eyed and seems fine otherwise. But she pukes a few hours after about half her meals. Sometimes she will eat again right after. It's a mystery. Doesn't seem to be hairballs. I had a roommate 30 years ago with a cat like that, who seemed to just be a routine puker, but I find it disturbing. I don't know if I should worry, or just accept it as a quirk. She shows absolutely zero signs of being otherwise ill.

 

The black sand thing is really clever! I read somewhere about how people painting their roofs white would help keep things cooler in the summer. I didn't think about how black sand could cause the ground to heat up faster, but I guess it's the same idea.

[Kalliste]

Today I SMSed a guy who is notoriously late.. he had about 2 weeks leave and it was great. Since he's been back I've had to contact him everyday asking where he is.

 

Today, at 10AM, his response was that he was on the way and commented how he was fighting the cold weather which I translate as "I couldn't be bothered getting out of bed because it was cold". For those of you still struggling with snow, his idea of too cold is about 10°C/50°F

[Glory]

50! That's grilling weather! 

 

Possibilities, I hope your cat is just a pucker and there's nothing wrong with her!

 

Watercooler was one of my favorite TWOP threads! I miss it. I don't think I have too many crazy work stories, however. I do have one co-worker that I've never gotten along with. Every other person in my 10 person department has congratulated me on my new job except for her. It's kind of comical at this point. 

[King of Birds]

Maybe she interviewed for the same new job you got?

[smrou]

My kitty is vomiting every other day. She is energetic and bright eyed and seems fine otherwise. But she pukes a few hours after about half her meals. Sometimes she will eat again right after. It's a mystery. Doesn't seem to be hairballs. I had a roommate 30 years ago with a cat like that, who seemed to just be a routine puker, but I find it disturbing. I don't know if I should worry, or just accept it as a quirk. She shows absolutely zero signs of being otherwise ill.

My cat's been puking about every other day, too. But she's had bouts of puking before. Twice now, about a year apart, she went through a pretty scary period when she was puking pretty much daily and stopped eating almost entirely. It would start with her puking every few days and throwing up food (not right after eating, though) and then progress to eating less and less and puking more frequently and throwing up bile. I took her to the vet both times and had various tests done and made changes to her diet and eventually (after about a month or two) it just stopped. She never had any symptoms other than the puking and lack of appetite--was always energetic and everything--and the vet never figured out what was wrong.

 

Anyway, I'm worried that might be happening again. So far she's eating but she's throwing up at least a couple times a week. She did throw up a hairball, but that was a couple of weeks ago and the puking hasn't stopped. I think as long as she otherwise seems fine I won't worry about it. Taking her to the vet is so expensive and having had so many appointments in the past where they basically say, "Well, we can't find anything wrong with her and since she has no other symptoms I wouldn't worry too much!" makes me reluctant to bring her in again. 

 

This isn't helpful, I realize, since I have no answers for you. But I have sympathy!

[smrou]

The black sand thing is really clever! I read somewhere about how people painting their roofs white would help keep things cooler in the summer. I didn't think about how black sand could cause the ground to heat up faster, but I guess it's the same idea.

I've never thought about black sand but I do always try as hard as I can when shoveling/snowblowing to get my driveway clear at least to the point that some of the blacktop shows through because that helps melt the snow/ice that remains if it gets any sunlight even if it's still below freezing.

 

Granted this works much better in places where the sun actually hits the driveway than it does at my house, however, where my driveway is pretty much 100% in the shade. (Yesterday as I drove home from work I was looking around and noticed that every driveway I went by was not only completely melted but dry after the overnight snow and then a day of warmth and sun, but my driveway still had big patches of snow on it. Lucky me. Today it's all melted, though. So warm!)

Edited March 17, 2015 by smrou

[possibilities]

That does help, smrou, because it gives me perspective that it's not necessarily a terrifying red flag and taking her to the vet is not necessarily going to resolve it. Since that matches my observations, but not my self-doubt, it's kind of a relief to hear your experience.

 

She seems hungry-- will sometimes eat again a few minutes after she vomits. And the puking isn't right after a meal, but usually a few hours later. I guess if it continues, I will have to tell her person (she's a foster) and do whatever he wants me to do about it. But if it passes, maybe it's like any of us who get indigestion from time to time?

 

What changes did you make to her food that you thought may have helped?

 

She's peppy and affectionate and otherwise seems great, so if it is anything significant, she sure hides it well.

 

Maybe she interviewed for the same new job you got?

That would be really funny.

[smrou]

What changes did you make to her food that you thought may have helped?

There aren't any changes I made that I actually think helped. The vet was concerned it could be an allergy or sensitivity to certain foods so they had me try a couple of different prescription foods with very limited ingredients and uncommon proteins--one was rabbit and I can't remember what the other one was--mostly to test for allergies by eliminating other foods from her diet. And I think before that for a while they had me feed her a prescription food that's specifically supposed to be very easy on digestion. None of that made any difference and I currently just feed her regular old Iams (mostly wet but also some dry). 

 

She's peppy and affectionate and otherwise seems great, so if it is anything significant, she sure hides it well.

I know one thing they always check at the vet is elasticity of the skin by grabbing ahold of some skin on the upper back and pulling it up then seeing if it snaps right back when let go. If it doesn't then that can be a sign of dehydration.

[possibilities]

I know that dehydration test, but hadn't thought of checking her for it this time, so thanks for the reminder!

 

Checked her just now and she doesn't seem to be dehydrated.

 

I guess I'm just going to watch her for a while.

 

We're having the weirdest weather today. It was blue sky and sunny and dry this morning and then this afternoon we've been having these sudden squalls-- like all of a sudden a very high wind will start blowing (like enough to almost knock over an adult) along with rain/snow/hail-- and it lasts just a minute or so and then back to totally calm, sunny, etc. We've had several incidents of this, spaced apart by at least an hour each time and only lasting a few minutes at most when it picks up. NOAA even sent a weather warning saying the high winds would make driving a car dangerous, especially ones that have roofs high off the ground. But in between these micro flare ups, it's completely still and sunny and dry. This is the kind of weather that I feel belongs in a novel where Something Strange Is About To Happen. I feel like I should be inspired by it to write something Magical or Weird.

[frenchtoast]

It was raining this morning by me, possibilities, and then it somewhat cleared up by afternoon. When I left at 5 there were a few drops, lots of wind and then all of sudden, pellets being blown all around. It made for quite the drive home. But, yeah, some really leonine March weather here.

[possibilities]

My helper and I kept thinking there might be a rainbow (snowbow?) but we didn't make time to go to the window and look for one. I wonder if that's a thing-- I don't think I've ever seen one in cold weather.

[Kalliste]

50! That's grilling weather! 

 

Possibilities, I hope your cat is just a pucker and there's nothing wrong with her!

 

Watercooler was one of my favorite TWOP threads! I miss it. I don't think I have too many crazy work stories, however. I do have one co-worker that I've never gotten along with. Every other person in my 10 person department has congratulated me on my new job except for her. It's kind of comical at this point. 

That happened to me too! Another team leader didn't even acknowledge that I was going until the day I left.

Same as one of my bosses.. she basically just ignored me after I had resigned.

 

I'd put it down to jealousy, you're getting out of there and they aren't.

 

 

Maybe she interviewed for the same new job you got?

That actually happened to me! The guy and I had been at the work place the same amount of time (we started the same day) but I was promoted pretty quickly to a team leader role. He applied for the new role but didn't have the required experience that I did so I got it.. there were no hard feelings he resigned a few weeks before me for a different role in the end.

[Glory]

Smrou, I hope your cat gets back to normal! 

 

I know she didn't interview for it (they only interviewed 3 people - I was very heavily recruited for the job) but it is possible she sent in an application and did not hear back. 

 

More likely, she's just an absolute snatch. 

 

Does anyone have a co-worker who is just so socially clueless that it's sort of embarrassing? Like, I have a co-worker who bee-lines any time someone brings in food. And he's not just sprinting down the hallway for free food. He's then loading up on stuff before anyone else can get there. One time, someone brought in one of those giant cookie trays from Costco and he told me he ate 22 cookies! TWENTY-TWO! In one day. Who does that? 

[Kalliste]

I used to work with a guy like that Glory.. he claimed he didn't like vegetables... a 35+ year old man that treated food like a kid does. So usually for work lunches we'd get stuff like pizza or something junky. One day we decided to test his 'I don't like vegetables limit' and got a Subway platter instead choc full of salad. He hovered around it 2 or 3 times and didn't take anything but ate a good chunk of the cookies.. after one afternoon tea we had that included a wheel of Brie.. he asked if he could take the left over, melted over the plate, brie home with him.

 

OH! and he claimed he was lactose intolerant but then would eat 2 - 3 chocolate bars a day.

 

The guy was a massive hypochondriac. We had someone come down with whooping cough once and he decided he thought he had it and had to go get tested that day without any symptoms.. then he found out that he'd probably have to stay home for 3 weeks if he did have it and miraculously he was ok.

[Too Late Kev]

Does anyone have a co-worker who is just so socially clueless that it's sort of embarrassing? Like, I have a co-worker who bee-lines any time someone brings in food. And he's not just sprinting down the hallway for free food. He's then loading up on stuff before anyone else can get there. One time, someone brought in one of those giant cookie trays from Costco and he told me he ate 22 cookies! TWENTY-TWO! In one day. Who does that? 

 

"Well, I like Pretzel Day." /Stanley

[Kalliste]

Yesterday I was an idiot and ran into a brick disguised as a door stop and now one of my toes is a nice shade of bruise and quite likely broken. huzzuh!

[Too Late Kev]

I used to accidentally kick things all of the time and break toes. Ouch. All you can do is tape the toe to the next one to help give it some support and therefore lessen the pain. :/  I finally started wearing slippers or crocs or shoes at all times except in the shower or if I'm lying in bed or on the couch. As soon as I'm vertical, something goes on the feet. Clumsy, party of 1!

 

ETA: I guess that should be "Clumsy, party of 2," because Kalliste will join me. Anyone else here who accidentally kicks things? How about hitting a shoulder on a door frame because you forgot your shoulder width? Not...that that's happened to me...lots of times, or anything. Just making conversation.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Too Late Kev

[smrou]

I've stubbed my fair share of toes, though my clumsiness is usually more along the lines of walking into things. Walking into the corners of tables and counters all the time and even just walking into doorframes. If I'm not paying attention it happens more often than it probably should that I go to walk through a doorway and kind of miss and bash my shoulder into the doorframe.

 

At any rate, I definitely think I qualify as clumsy-ish. 

 

I've only broken my toe once and it was by jamming it (very hard, apparently) into the edge of a carpet. I was drunk at the time (this was when I was in college) and didn't realize I'd injured myself until the next morning when I woke up and found dried blood all over my leg. When I jammed my toe I fell down and my knee landed on some jewel cases which broke and the plastic cut my knee. The first thing I did that morning with my broken to was to go in search of the shoes that I'd been wearing when I left my room the previous evening but shed at some point in my drunkenness so that I returned to my room barefoot. 

[Glory]

smrou, I'm clumsy like you. I walk into things a lot. I think sometimes I get wrapped up in my own head and forget things like spatial awareness are necessary. If I was a D&D character my dexterity would be like a 6. 

[Kalliste]

My issue is less about door frames and more about door handles. I've hurt myself on them more time than I'd like to think about :P

[King of Birds]

Kalliste, did you really break your toe?

 

Glory, the type of person who can eat 22 Costco cookies ... well he must be of "a certain size." If you see him bee-lining, don't you want to be before him in line, and not after?  Bring your rollerskates to work, is what I'm saying.

 

smrou! After all this time, we find out you partied hard in college. Kudos!

 

"If I was a D&D character my dexterity would be like a 6."

(my new signature line)

[Kalliste]

Uncertain KOB. It sure looks like it. The entire toe is basically a bruise right now. I'm prob going to go to the doctor tomorrow to make sure I don't have to worry about it (as mentioned above, tape it and forget it) and, you know, to give myself a 3 day weekend/4 day week :D

[possibilities]

I tripped getting out of bed lastnight to go to the bathroom, and managed to mangle the nail on a toe. I don't even know how it's possible, since Ikeep the nails short. But in the dark I kind of twisted it back into place and then covered it with a sock. I am afraid to look closely at it in the light so have been averting my eyes all day. I know this is insane.

 

The real problem in my house is that the doors have old fashioned latches (it's a very very old house and I think these are original latches) that work sort of like levers that jut out past the door frame. It looks like something you would find in a barn more than an apartment. Anyway, I have caught an arm or a sleeve on them while going though an otherwise open door countless times. Very very painful if it's an arm. Very rippy if it's a sleeve.

 

Then there's the time I can't blame on the architecture. I was going around the corner and my arm flung out past me at a wildly uncontrolled angle and my hand smashed HARD into the door frame. It looked like I had slammed it in a car door. I for sure thought something was broken, and went to the ER for XRays. The hand was black! And I could not wiggle the worst finger at all. But it turned out to just be soft tissue damage, i.e. bruising, and the immobility was just because it was swollen to hell.

 

RE deviled eggs on a slab of bacon... I like bacon and I even like deviled eggs, but that combo sounds like a dangerous risk in the stomach department. I would not want to try it at a stadium event.ETA: I th

 

ink the food thing was something I saw in another thread. No, I am not randomly generating gross food scenarios just for Chilis, I'm simply confused about where I am. Must have had too many drinks at the Dundees ceremony.

Edited March 22, 2015 by possibilities

[Kalliste]

Meant to be going to Oliver Brown's today for our pre-anniversary (anniversary is tomorrow, monday, we decided to do a weekend thing).. it's a chocolate cafe.. bf, however, decided to schedule outside hrs work thing today.. meant to have been over 30mins ago.. who knows when it will actually be done.. my chocolate lunch is slowly disappearing.

[King of Birds]

possibilities saw my post in the Parks & Rec/ Ron Swanson thread ... here.

 

Google Oliver Browns! That was some lunch for Kalliste. I like how there are hot drinks, cold drinks and "indulgences."

[Kalliste]

I know! Adult living at it's finest :P

 

Still here.. still waiting, he might have finished the work but needs to shower. So close and yet so far.

[Too Late Kev]

RE deviled eggs on a slab of bacon... I like bacon and I even like deviled eggs, but that combo sounds like a dangerous risk in the stomach department. I would not want to try it at a stadium event.

 

Just give me all the bacon and deviled eggs that you have.

 

ETA: I think the food thing was something I saw in another thread. No, I am not randomly generating gross food scenarios just for Chilis, I'm simply confused about where I am. Must have had too many drinks at the Dundees ceremony.

 

You might want to plant a big one on a cute coworker.

 

 

... my chocolate lunch is slowly disappearing.

 

Chocolate lunch? Please and thank you.

[Kalliste]

Still waiting!

 

I actually just went and cleaned my pantry.. I was sick of stuff just being everywhere and well, there was a potato mishap.. I didn't know that potatoes went into liquid form but apparently they do and when they do that they leak all over your pantry and smell pretty terrible.

 

How do I know this? Because of one us decided it was a good idea to put a few potatoes in a plastic bag on a random shelf in the pantry, forget about those potatoes and put tall bottles of stuff in front of them and forget about them even more until the pantry started to stink. I went to investigate, located said bag of potatoes and they dripped all down my arm *gag* I don't do so well with bad food.. I considered just cutting off my arm at that point.

 

So today I took everything out, wiped it all down, threw out the old stuff or stuff we won't use and put it all back, it smells better and I can actually see everything.

 

And even still, after all that, I am still waiting for my chocolate lunch.

[possibilities]

I think the rule for standing you up for lunch is that he now owes you TWO lunches of equivalent or greater decadence, unless he was delayed by a serious car accident or major catastrophe outside of his control.

 

I hate when people put perishable items behind non-perishable obstructions, defeating my organizational map. In fact, I probably need to live alone forever because I have developed so many systems for where things go and how they should be dealt with, I am not sure even a huge, huge dose of being in love would trump my desire to maintain household order. I have an inventory on my chest freezer and woe shall befall anyone who adds or removes items without updating The List!

 

I used to enjoy having a live-in partner, and roommates before that. But now? I am Queen of My Realm. Lucky I never had kids, because their Destructive Ways Of Kidness would thoroughly annoy me.

 

I'm not even that neat; I'm just systematic about my slovenliness.

[Kalliste]

He was still doing work... he's in the shower now so we'll see how much longer :P

 

And yes, perishable items either don't go in the pantry or they go somewhere you notice them.

 

I like the idea of a freezer inventory. Fortunately, my freezer isn't huge but I have all these random foods that end up in a pile. 

 

I'm not too bad with stuff having to be in certain spots, for me it's more food related. Like, if I make a toasted sandwich the pieces of bread have to match, basically they have to end up the same way they came off the loaf. No mismatched bread!

 

If I have dinner with vegetables, the vegetables need to be separated by type, none of this random assortment of vegetables on my plate.

 

I'm also glad I don't have kids.. mostly because I'd probably have to have a tidier floor and coffee table and put all valuable items up high. Those are the least of my worries when it comes to kids though :P kids and I just don't mesh well.

[Kalliste]

I have returned from the lunch of death.

We bought WAY too much stuff, but it was delicious just very hard to get through:

1 x Iced Chocolate

1 x Chocolate Thick Shake

2 x Waffles

1 x 'Choc mountain' sundae.

 

This for 2 people :P

 

Here is the sundae, it was massive. I believe it was meant to have 3 types of chocolate gelato but one smelt quite a lot like bubblegum, although we checked and bubblegum was pink.. so who knows.

 

[Pixel]

That looks amazing, Kalliste!

Does anyone have a co-worker who is just so socially clueless that it's sort of embarrassing?

I have one who will suggest taking up a collection for birthdays, not contribute any money to said collection, do the shopping as cheaply as possible, and pocket all the extra money or buy groceries for herself with the money. She also takes home anything left over from any party, whether she did the shopping or not. She literally never contributes any money at all. And, I'm not fat shaming, but she has a 9 year old daughter who weighs 180 lbs that she brings to work events (nobody else brings their kids) and I've seen her let the kid eat two full adult size dinners with appetizers. I feel like I'm watching child abuse when I see her letting this little girl actively work her way toward a short life span.

One time she actually confided in me that she'd made $50 on a party shopping trip, and that was after also purchasing a rotisserie chicken for herself.

Edited March 22, 2015 by Pixel

[Glory]

Glory, the type of person who can eat 22 Costco cookies ... well he must be of "a certain size." If you see him bee-lining, don't you want to be before him in line, and not after?  Bring your rollerskates to work, is what I'm saying.

 

He is not! That might be the worst part! He's got a super high metabolism and is pretty much stick thin. Not fair, I say!

Pixel, why does anyone let her do the shopping anymore? Her poor daughter!

[Pixel]

I don't even know, Glory. I've made sure everyone knows what she's doing, and they continue to let her do it. I don't contribute to office parties anymore because her scam disgusts me and I won't be a sucker.

[Kalliste]

Ugh Pixel, that is terrible. Maybe everyone is just too lazy to care? 

 

Her poor daughter, she probably gets teased a lot or will :(