You thought we were going to pay you for that?

May 21, 2009 at 7:53 pm (Rants, Work)

I need to start this post with the following disclaimer:

**Yes I have a job.  Yes I am happy to still have a full time job that has benefits.  Yes I realize things could be a hell of a lot worse.  Yes I am being a whiner.  But this is my reality to whine about.**

I love my job in the sense that no day is ever the same, I am constantly learning new things and get to deal with a awesome group of people for the most part.

That said, my boss the wanker is a tool and the recent onslaught of cutbacks, pay freezes, etc is enough to make a girl want to just throw in the towel.

A little over a year ago we laid off over 100 people.  As a direct result, my responsibilities increased 50%.  The layoffs occurred right around the time of my annual review.  Needless to say I was not surprised when I was told there would be no pay increase that year.  I sucked it up, enrolled in a couple of University courses and was happy just knowing they would pay me back for that.

Fast forward to two months ago.

We laid off another 35 people.  None in our office as its already a skeleton crew to begin with.  With these new layoffs came job consolidations and some additional new responsibilities.  I was offered a new job, complete with a shiny new title and a whopping amount of additional responsibility.  The kicker?  No money.  Oh, and no more money for school.

There was no option to turn this down.  It was pretty much, “If you can’t do it, we will find someone who will.”  And lets be honest.  I have bills and kids to take care of.  This adult thing sucks monkey balls.

So, I put in the extra hours and worked week ends to get myself up to speed on all the new programs I was responsible for (on top of my already existing job) and thought I had a pretty good hold on everything.  Figured I would suck it up till the new fiscal year and ask for an increase then.  I would have proved I could handle the job and the money sacrifice.

And then the other shoe dropped.  Three weeks ago we found out we had to take a pay cut – 10%.  It’s across the board.  Management and worker bees.

So now, essentially, I am carrying twice the work load since I started four years ago and making just slightly more than when I started.  And I’m pissed.  Frustrated.  Disappointed.  Stressed.

Yes I have a second job but I have that for a reason.  95% of that income goes to pay for WB University costs.

This doesn’t even really have anything to do with money.  It has to do with an overwhelming frustration towards work that I have been carrying around for a couple weeks now.  I dread going in.  Usually have a headache by noon and have been known to come home and bite people’s heads off for absolutely no reason.

I’m just disillusioned and feeling stuck.

6 Comments

The one where I risk legal action

July 8, 2008 at 1:12 pm (Family, Rants)

We have a new nickname for WG’s “mom”.  SkankyAssHo (SAH) compliments of Jen.  I do love Jen’s ability to be snarky.  You will soon learn how fitting the title actually is. 

I have refrained from blogging much about the on going legalities of getting WG to our house permanently in fear of backlash.  We have a signed agreement that has cleared the courts, so I am free to say what I please.  I also have permission from Rhino to vent on line.  I do believe that’s because he’s tired of me losing my shit on him.

First, the SAH showed up at WG’s grade 8 graduation in a leopard print slip dress with spiky heels.  She’s my age (almost 40) and has that overly tanned, too many vodka’s look about her.  She then proceeded to paw at Rhino and touch him through the entire ceremony and reception.  Didn’t matter what he did to uncling/claw from her, she was like Paris Hilton in front of a hand held video camera.  I was apparently transparent that night.  And to think I went to all the trouble of getting purty.

Apparently, SAH thought by reconnecting with Rhino, they might actually “reconnect” if you get my drift.  And the rock on my left hand and our cohabitation doesn’t seem to be a deterrent.  We are receiving calls at any given hour for and not limited to: car battery, plumbing issues, locked out, drunk and needs a ride home, lawnmower will not start, etc.  You get the drift.

Unless it directly pertains to WG’s well being – Rhino declines.  The 2:15am call from a bar because she was too drunk to drive home (thank god for some living brain cells!) - WG was already spending the night and I told her to call a cab.  Then turned the ringer down.

Her requests via her lawyer are laughable.  She wants 13 years of back child support.  For a child she hid from it’s father.  She expects to be rewarded for inexcusable and abhorrent behaviour.  Seems the sky is purple and raining $100 bills in her world.

We have settled on paying her 3 months of back mortgage payments, 2 credit card bills and the remaining 13 months of car payments.  I feel we’re being too generous but on the same hand would sell my house to get WG out from under her.  The woman is caustic and unhealthy.  I wish I could have some sympathy but I don’t.  She has no hidden deep dark secret.  She is not having mental issues.  She is a self absorbed, petty individual who only sought out Rhino so as to cash in on her child.

I would like to note here that she has a full time job at which she makes the same amount of money I make working 2 jobs.  If I can pay my bills, so can you SAH.  I also manage to supply food, recreation, clothing, a University education and one on one time with my kid.  It can be done so stop the whining.

The SAH parents are normal.  Scary normal considering what they produced.  WG’s Grandmother has already called me to introduce herself and to ensure they can still see WG.  As the relationship appears to be healthy and WG has expressed nothing but love for them, I assured her they would be no issues.  Something tells me these people are actually happy that their granddaughter is being taken moved away from their daughter.

Regardless of the drama, WG is coming to live with us as of August 23rd.  Permanently. 

WG is currently at WB’s camp and will be for 2 more weeks.  Then she is off to an Aunt’s in Bala for some R&R with cousins she loves and an Aunt and Uncle she can’t talk enough about.  We are going to co ordinate some days in between for decorating decisions on her room and shopping expeditions for accessories.  Official move in date is set and I can’t wait.  Finally someone to watch chick flicks (my secret love) with…sigh.

I just looked at my calendar and realized I have one teen moving in on the 23rd and one returning home to pack up his life and move on to his future on the same day.  Did not plan that emotional breakdown well now did I?

11 Comments

An open letter to Mother Nature

February 1, 2008 at 5:49 pm (Rants, Stuff)

b3554d714531998deaae5477f86f.jpg

 (actual picture from Burlington this morning)

Hi,

How are ya?  Judging by your performance so far today, I’m going out on a limb and guessing it may be your time of the month.

While I understand it is February and I do live in Canada, come on.  Today is overkill don’t you think?  It’s been snowing non stop since 4am (its now 6pm).  Around noon you seemed a little pissier than earlier and decided to pelt us with some ice and freezing rain.

I have shovelled my driveway and walk 3 times.  Looks like I haven’t bothered once today.

I ventured out to go to work.  Why I bothered with hair or makeup is beyond me.  I could have spent that extra 15 minutes in bed.  By the time I got in my hair was wet and frozen, mascara under my eyes and no trace of foundation.  No love for a fellow female??

The trek home 2 hours later (after realizing no one else was stupid enough to come in) was a blast.  A wintery blast of 50 km winds with thick wet snow and ice pellets.  Not feeling the sisterhood.

All I’m asking is that you get over this temper tantrum of yours by tomorrow.  I have hockey tickets and a reservation at a great place in the city.  I was thinking of doing a little shopping before hand.  See, I’m free of all work and child this weekend .  Can we work something out?  Do you need to talk?  A shoulder to cry on?

I’m open to making this work for both of us.  Call me.  We’ll talk.  Until then, I’m hitting the wine fridge.

4 Comments

And the trip prep starts

January 4, 2008 at 9:00 pm (Rants, Work)

My flight for Houston leaves Wednesday morning at 7:30am.  Nasty time.  I have to leave for the airport at 5:15am. 

I have to do laundry by Monday night to ship WB off to my Mom’s Tuesday. 

I have to pack. 

I have to work Saturday and Sunday at the pub. 

I have to colour my hair – have to being the operative words.  Lord those grays do multiply at a rapid pace. 

I have 3 speeches left to write and 2 presentations to finish. 

I have 56 updates that have to be posted for our web page. 

I have 26 things on my to do list at work that I keep moving forward a day.

So what’s a girl to do?  Go spend her Christmas gift cards :)

I bought 2 pairs of black dress pants in a size smaller than normal – yeah!!!

A white tee to go under our fugly convention shirts.  Promise to post a pic of me wearing the boxy oatmeal coloured one.  Ugghh.

A grey sweater with a shawl collar that is like butter to the touch.

A cute silk blouse with a small flower print that is reminiscent of a chinese tunic.

And all that?  $88.10.  I love me some already reduced prices with an additional 30% off.

And instead of starting anything, I’m off to drug my self up in the hopes of drying out my sinuses before I get on the plane.  Images of them exploding danced thru my dreams last night.  Lovely imagary.

Have a great week end everyone :)

2 Comments

Christmas hell part one

December 19, 2007 at 11:31 am (Rants, Wonder Boy)

  • Working doubles till Friday night
  • 15 gifts to buy and don’t finish work till 10pm.  Malls close at 9:30pm.  Anyone else see the issue?
  • Everyone is now coming to my house on the 23rd for dinner.  Did I mention WB was spending the 24th and 25th at his girlfriends?
  • Consultation for WB’s wisdom teeth: $154.94.
  • Estimate for extraction: $1325.00
  • Coverage: nil
  • University applications due by January 7th.
  • Work done on PSE (Personal Statement of Experience) = 0
  • WB’s present inclination to get it done = 0
  • My frustration levels as of 11am this morning = 15 on a scale of 1 to 10

 And how is everyone else coping this week???

5 Comments

A rant

October 23, 2007 at 11:59 am (Rants, Wonder Boy)

I had decided when I came back I wouldn’t talk about WB’s friend Andrew or the circumstances of his death out of respect for his family.

Unfortunately, there are way too many insensitive assholes out there and I am forced to address their ignorance.

I understand that with Andrew being shot, there is a natural progression from that to an assumption of drugs, etc.  And unless you knew Andrew or his family, it would be just that – an assumption.  And we all know what “assume” does, now don’t we?

I was there when a journalist stuck a tape recorder in a grieving mother’s face and asked how long her son had been dealing drugs.  I was there when my son punched someone in the face for saying in front of Andrew’s little sister: “He was obviously in a gang and dealing – what did you expect would happen?”

I’m here to set the record straight.

Andrew was in his second year of College and a straight A student.  He was active in his church, volunteered on a regular basis and was the lead singer for a local band.

Andrew tried to diffuse a bad situation at a house party the week before his death by asking 5 people to leave.  4 of those 5?  They hunted him down in a park a week later and shot him once, in the chest.  The 16 year old that was arrested admits he pulled the trigger because he will only go to jail for 2 years as a juvenile.  An autopsy proved Andrew had no drugs in his system.

Everyone needs to stop focusing on the sensational and start focusing on the fact a young man lost his life.  

8 Comments

Open letter to my new neighbours

August 29, 2007 at 11:53 pm (Rants)

So apparently it’s my day for rants.  Who knew??

It’s Wednesday people, not the weekend, and a massive party with ear splitting noise that would rival Indy 500 is not acceptable in this “hood”.

When I yell over the fence to “shut up and turn the music down” at 11:30pm, I don’t deserve the “You F%^^n whore, crawl back in your hole and leave us be.”

Dear God, are you seriously our future?  I am scared… very scared for my government pension all of a sudden.  And I’ve been paying into that sucker since I was 13.  According to the government, I am enititled to $256.32 a month at this point.  WOOT!!

So, when I tell you that trash talking makes no difference and I have no problem calling the cops….your response should be, “Sorry.  We’ll keep it down.”

Nope.  You decide to climb the fence yelling “I’ll teach you a f%^^^ lesson bitch.”  You’re what, all of 20 arsehole??  Don’t get the gaudy chains caught on the fence….that would be a shame if you harmed yourself…not.

So, when I used the portable in my hand to call the cops and report you and they came and shut you all down….who’s the f%%%%% bitch now????

Never under estimate an older neighbour who has connections. 

The College and University kids are back and the house next to me is a rental.  Going to be some good blog material from the looks of things…and pics if I can stand on the old paint can to see over the fence.

But for now….quiet.  They have been disbanded.

6 Comments

Dear Telus…you suck

August 29, 2007 at 2:00 pm (Rants)

August 29, 2007  

To The Office of the President, 

I have been a TELUS customer since December 2004.  In that time, I have experienced a serious decline in the level of customer service, culminating in the fight for the past 2 weeks to have a credit owed applied to my account. 

On July 27, 2007 I called in to question several charges to my son’s phone.  The calls were made in the evening, after 6pm and should have been a part of our Extended Shared Evenings & Weekends.  After being put on hold for 15 minutes, I hung up and emailed your e.Care department.  I received a call back approximately 20 minutes later from the CSR I had been dealing with to inform me a credit of 18.55 + applicable taxes would be applied to my next billing. 

Fast forward to August 22nd, 2007.  No credit has appeared on my August bill and when I call in; I am told the credit is still open for review.  What does that mean exactly?  The CSR was unable to tell me, just that it could not be applied till the individuals involved had closed it.   

While I was on the phone, I was questioning a charge of 4.67 for the Shared Evenings and Weekends package.  I was told this was because I asked to have the service added.  First and foremost, I never did.  Secondly, I already pay 10.00 a month for that and have since we switched to the Family Plan in September 2006. 

Again, after being on the phone for over 20 minutes, with no resolutions, I advised the CSR that someone better figure it out and call me back before the end of the day.  When Jordan called me back, he told me the credit for 18.55 was closed and would be on my September statement and that the 4.67 was TELUS’ error and would be on my September statement as well. 

Imagine my surprise to get a reply from your e.Care department telling me that my credit of 18.55 was clearly visible on my bill and they didn’t know why I couldn’t see it.  They also stated that I should be able to view a history of my transactions.  This is not the case.  I copy and pasted my last 2 ebills into my reply, to show that I am capable of reading and using the internet.  No where on my ebill as of August 29, 2007 does it show the amount of my Last Bill as your e.Care department seems to think it does.  Also, no where am I able to view a history of my transactions. 

I called back into your Billing department, as my frustration level had far exceeded what it should for 18.55, but then a lack of customer service and poor communication skills on the CSR’s parts will do that to a person. 

According to Christine in your Billing department, whom I gave my ID and password to, she was unable to see what the e.Care department can see and feel I am too illiterate to see.  She even stated that she thought it looked as though changes had been made to the format of the ebill. 

As it stands right now, I have switched back to paper invoices instead of e bills as I can no longer trust the data you make available to me online.  It’s glaringly apparent it’s different from what is on your end, which creates a great sense of distrust.   

Apparently both of these credits have been applied to my bill and I should just accept that.  Unfortunately, after the ridiculous amount of time I have wasted going back and forth with TELUS about this, I am hesitant to take your word for this.  I will wait till I receive a hard copy showing this to be a concrete fact. 

I would also suggest that you hire individuals for your e.Care department who can actually read a customer’s complaint in its entirety and respond correctly to that complaint.  I routinely when asking questions thru email, have to send multiple emails just to get a full answer and to be quite honest, the condescending wording in the one received August 29th, 2007 at 1:22PM ensured I will be leaving TELUS in December 2007. 

I would appreciate a written reply to this letter within a suitable timeframe. 

Sincerely,

3 Comments

Some people should be neutered

June 15, 2007 at 2:20 pm (Rants)

Just to set the stage, I live in Burlington, ON.  Not a huge metropolis, but its not a one stoplight town either.

I got off the bus Monday night around 6pm.  I live near a fairly busy intersection.  There were 2 young girls ( 3 & 5) near the stop, no adults, holding a cell phone.  They looked a little scared, so I asked if everything was okay.  They wanted to call their Mom as they were too scared to complete their trip by crossing the intersection to Tim Horton’s.

That’s right, their “Mom” had sent them out to get here a coffee, with a cell phone they had no idea how to use.

I asked where they lived and offered to walk them home.  They both agreed and asked if they could hold my hand as we crossed the street.  I of course obliged and tried my best to entertain them while we walked.  The whole time I was seething inside at the general incompetence of their so called mother.

When we arrived at their home, we were greeted with their mother yelling obscenities into the phone, cigarette and beer in hand.  When she spotted us, she proceeded to direct the string of obscenities towards the girls for not having her coffee and me for “interfering” with her children.  She threatened me with calling the police because I had “touched” her kids.  Go ahead beyatch, I would like nothing better than to tell the police how I ended up with your kids.

Now, I’m not perfect.  WB and I have been on our own for 15 of his 17 years.  I had him when I was 20.  Yes I have made mistakes.  Yes I have screwed up.  But at no time have I intentionally put my son in harm’s way or jeopardized his well being.

If you are incapable of putting someone else’s well being before yours – you have no business having kids.  If once you have a child you don’t feel like your heart is walking around outside your body and you need to protect it – you have no business having kids.

2 Comments

Today’s randomness

June 14, 2007 at 8:14 pm (Rants, Wonder Boy, Work)

  • My son’s summer job is as a camp counsellor.  Therefore he needs a police check.  We got him one last year and I re confirmed today that they are good for 2 yeasr.  Imagine my surprise when the camp office called saying he needed a new one.  I re faxed the old one and called them back.  All was good.  2 hours later, they emailed me at work to tell me he needed a new police check.  I called and re faxed while on the phone.  Again all was good.  1 hour later, another email, same request.  Rinse, repeat.  Visual of me banging my head on the desk.
  • Our owners wife brought me lillies today.  The reason?  To cheer me up with everything I am going thru with my Dad right now.  Can you say bawl like a baby?  Well, not quite, but I did tear up – emotions are high these days – and she is such a wonderful person.  She also offered to drive me to the Hospital if I ever need it, as its a 45 minute bus ride every night after work.  I’ll never take her up on it, but the sincerity behind the offer warmed me.
  • The member who told me I was incompetant and didn’t do my job.  Dude, a little honey goes a long way.  What you needed from me I couldn’t do for you in 3 seconds over the phone and only asked if I could call you back once I had everything together.  Your response was to blast me and again, almost make me cry.  I don’t normally let asshats like yourself get to me and the fact you did – you’ll be waiting a lot longer for that info.
  • How does one teenage boy go thru the following in the span of 5 days:

2 containers of ice cream, 12 creamsicles, 10 gatorade, 2 cantaloupe, 6 bananas, 7 chicken breasts, a roast pork, 6 burgers, 2 boxes of granola bars and 3 lbs of strawberries?  And 10 shirts, 4 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, 8 underwear (WTF??).  He wasn’t even home Tuesday night.

  • All the people on the bus who didn’t give up there seat for the older lady with 4 bags of groceries.  Were you raised by wolves?  Where is your respect and common courtesy?  So, that dirty look you shot me when I loudly said “Don’t everyone get up anddo the right thing all at once.”  Don’t care!!!  I didn’t have the luxury of a seat and your 18 yr old ass can stand.
  • Dad is having a minor operation tomorrow to try and stop the bleeding in his stomach until he’s well enough to have the full surgery.  I’m scared and upset because I can’t be there.  I’ve missed too much work lately and I’m running out of vacation time.  I need everyone to keep their fingers crossed that everything goes okay until I can get there.

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