The Cubicle Chronicles: Part 7

Misery Loves Company...

Good morning everyone. I'm going to start blogging again more regularly and will even try to add some structure along the way. I'm not quite sure about which direction I plan to take, but I'm thinking about including a personal finance piece on Tuesdays. There is definitely a need. I won't dip back into my old Econ textbooks from college to reveal any supply and demand charts, however, I plan to discuss the everyday money issues that we all face. I need to pull some ideas together. In case folks don't know, the country may be headed towards a recession, are you prepared? Do you know what a recession is? Think on it for a bit.

I haven't been writing about the happenings of my office in a while. I don't like to dwell on it too much, because I'm just trying to deal and cope like everyone else. What can I say? Bills got to be paid. Therefore, I have to go to work. Most folks have to. So I won't trip. But something funny happened to me yesterday. A co-worker walked up to me and said that he was in the dog house with me. Say what? Rewind the recording. He thought he could seek a comfort zone in me hoping that we could vent together. I don't think so. I work alone.

I had to explain the difference to him. They stopped inviting him to meetings recently. I get invited, but I prefer not to go unless it's something really important. My office likes to meet too much. We meet to discuss another meeting. We've got pre-game meetings and post-game meetings. It's a wonder how any work gets done. I told Mr. Co-Worker that everybody knows that I'm a little frosty, because I had been passed over for promotions in the past. The new supervisors have tried to right that wrong by giving me a bonus and giving me something that resembles a promotion with more money. Let's not get crazy. I'm not lovey dovey with the supervisors. We just have an understanding. I get the work done. We're cool. Mr. Co-Worker just recently tore his drawls on the fence of life at work. What did he do? He bragged about telling the boss off and making her cry, because he was upset about how she handled a situation. **Clutch the pearls**



Is His Bark Worse Than His Bite? I'm Not Trying To Find Out...

Now I'm all for vocalizing one's concerns, but there is a thing called going too far. All I've got to do is think about my mortgage and that pretty much puts things in perspective for me. Call me a punk. *lol* I don't care. Sista over here got to eat. So if I feel like I'm about to get upset, I'll go out to lunch or walk around the building or leave a little early. It rarely happens. That works for me. But once you start to shout and curse out your boss, what makes you think that you won't get written up? Why is my co-worker so surprised? I know he was frustrated as we all can get. But really, I'm not trying to be a part of that act. As far as I'm concerned, it's every man for himself at work. I've got to tend to my own concerns (bills, bills, bills) rather than getting caught up with other folks' problems. I can' t get involved with every uprising in the office.

Every time I see Mr. Co-Worker, I try to get away and fast. A few weeks ago, I sprained my ankle. You should have seen me limping down the hall trying to get away from Mr. Co-Worker. Looked like I was doing the cabbage patch. I'm not alone. The other co-workers try to get away from Mr. Co-Worker too. Once he gets you in a corner, you're trapped. He's going to get loud, stay a long time, and pretty much let everybody know in the office consisting of more than 100 people that you're in cahoots with him. He's not only badmouthing the bosses. He's badmouthing other folks who don't have anything to do with his situation all. He just perceives that anyone in good graces with the bosses to be suspect. It's like dog doo. Why can't people wipe their shoes on their own carpet? Being the wimp that I can sometimes be, I take pity on folks, listen to them, and say a few encouraging words. I hate that enabler role. So every now and then another co-worker will rescue me by calling and pretending to make me report to a very important meeting. What can I say? Someone loves me at the office or at least cares. But catch this. That's not the only personnel situation going on at the office. I just wished those walking volcanoes would realize that this is not the best time to be without a job given this economy.

Well, I better get ready for work and get ready to play the office therapist. Have a great day!!! ... :-)