Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252634 times)

FatCat

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10850 on: October 19, 2015, 10:28:39 AM »
UPDATE:
The guy was deadly serious when he ask me if it was my milk. I would have been pissed if he was joking about it, but he wasn't.
Anyway, I mentioned milk today in a different context and he told me he wanted to explain his comment for the other day: He was asking me it was milk from my farm animals, as some months earlier I mentioned that my DH wants to get a cow or a goat. But his English is not perfect (he's latino), and it came out wrong, and when everybody started laughing he was too embarassed to explain himself.

Weirdly enough, I would have just assumed he was asking about milk from your farm animals. It's not at all unusual for people to bring their own milk to work here from their own goats or cows. Asking someone in the lunchroom if they're using their own milk or their own eggs or their own vegetables is not odd at all.

But regarding the question as it was assumed in the situation... If he was asking if it was your own personal human milk as a joke, I would be pissed too. If he's legitimately asking because he's doesn't know that it's an inappropriate question to ask, then I wouldn't be mad about it.

wkumtrider

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10851 on: October 19, 2015, 11:31:48 AM »
A coworker flew his family of 4 to TX to purchase a new truck and drive it back home (about 840 miles one way).  Apparently he saved $12,000 buying it in TX instead of his home town, so even with the airfare, hotel, and gas cost he still came out ahead.

Rollin

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10852 on: October 19, 2015, 11:44:16 AM »
I think it's offensive and unfunny.  It's not sexual harassment as I would define it, but it's unpleasant.  People targeting others with jokes about personal/sexual subjects is all too common, and after the thousandth time or so, it gets old, so old.  Also people saying "Lighten up" and "It's just a joke!"  Maybe one time, it's just a joke.  After dozens and dozens, it feels like bullying.  Now, maybe you don't think so, and maybe you think it's funny or harmless or good clean fun or whatever.  But recognize that some people don't.  My response to the "joker" would be, "What is wrong with you?"

He (the poster above) didn't say "it was just a joke" he said Harden the ....up.  There is a difference.  Now on to more foam - where do you buy your pickles and do ya like the dill or Polish better (sorry if I offend the bread and butter people)?

Kitsunegari

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10853 on: October 19, 2015, 12:23:10 PM »
UPDATE:
The guy was deadly serious when he ask me if it was my milk. I would have been pissed if he was joking about it, but he wasn't.
Anyway, I mentioned milk today in a different context and he told me he wanted to explain his comment for the other day: He was asking me it was milk from my farm animals, as some months earlier I mentioned that my DH wants to get a cow or a goat. But his English is not perfect (he's latino), and it came out wrong, and when everybody started laughing he was too embarassed to explain himself.



Weirdly enough, I would have just assumed he was asking about milk from your farm animals. It's not at all unusual for people to bring their own milk to work here from their own goats or cows. Asking someone in the lunchroom if they're using their own milk or their own eggs or their own vegetables is not odd at all.

But regarding the question as it was assumed in the situation... If he was asking if it was your own personal human milk as a joke, I would be pissed too. If he's legitimately asking because he's doesn't know that it's an inappropriate question to ask, then I wouldn't be mad about it.

I wasn't mad about it, just speechless. It didn't occur to us that could be talking about farm animals because we work in the middle of a big industrial city, and farm animals are as rare as albino crows here. 

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10854 on: October 19, 2015, 12:33:34 PM »
I think it's offensive and unfunny.  It's not sexual harassment as I would define it, but it's unpleasant.  People targeting others with jokes about personal/sexual subjects is all too common, and after the thousandth time or so, it gets old, so old.  Also people saying "Lighten up" and "It's just a joke!"  Maybe one time, it's just a joke.  After dozens and dozens, it feels like bullying.  Now, maybe you don't think so, and maybe you think it's funny or harmless or good clean fun or whatever.  But recognize that some people don't.  My response to the "joker" would be, "What is wrong with you?"
I can see this, but for me, it would be context.

A gay guy, non-American, who grew up sheltered and clearly didn't know what was appropriate, saying that?  I'd shrug it off and maybe start teaching him what was appropriate.

Someone else who should know better, and who says stuff like that often?  Totally different, because then it becomes a thing.  (And honestly, I did have to deal with harassment at work at the hands of a gay guy.  Not "sexual" harassment, but just general being an asshole harassment.)

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10855 on: October 19, 2015, 01:28:29 PM »
A coworker flew his family of 4 to TX to purchase a new truck and drive it back home (about 840 miles one way).  Apparently he saved $12,000 buying it in TX instead of his home town, so even with the airfare, hotel, and gas cost he still came out ahead.
Wow, that one's got a few layers on it!  I actually understand the motivation to fly somewhere to get a better deal on a car, especially if you live in the upper midwest and go to a warmer climate to get a rust-free car.  But taking your whole family down there?  That's a bit wasteful.  The idea of spending so much on a truck that it's even *possible* to save $12k is mind-boggling.  $12k is the *most* we've ever spent on a vehicle!

enigmaT120

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10856 on: October 19, 2015, 01:51:39 PM »
A coworker flew his family of 4 to TX to purchase a new truck and drive it back home (about 840 miles one way).  Apparently he saved $12,000 buying it in TX instead of his home town, so even with the airfare, hotel, and gas cost he still came out ahead.

I did that.  Well, I flew to Phoenix AZ to get my '04 Honda Insight and drove it home.  They're so expensive here in Oregon for some reason that if you could stand all the driving, you could make money doing it.  I hate driving.  But yeah, I got the car, plane tickets, lodging for two nights, food from stores, and a little for gas for way less than what higher mileage examples were going for in my area.  And I got to see Joshua Trees.


gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10857 on: October 19, 2015, 02:05:58 PM »
"If you can stand to do all the driving" ... yes, all that horrible seeing the beautiful country we live in... it's a vacation!

"I think it's offensive and unfunny" I want to start a company where people who use that phrase aren't hired. I don't really even care what it's referring to. Oh no, it's offensive. Life is hard being offended.

maco

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10858 on: October 19, 2015, 02:07:25 PM »
"If you can stand to do all the driving" ... yes, all that horrible seeing the beautiful country we live in... it's a vacation!

"I think it's offensive and unfunny" I want to start a company where people who use that phrase aren't hired. I don't really even care what it's referring to. Oh no, it's offensive. Life is hard being offended.
I get the impression there are a lot of people who just don't get that the idea "that's offensive" is in no way a new thing, just a new phrasing. The old phrasing was "them's fightin' words."

FatCat

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10859 on: October 19, 2015, 02:08:31 PM »
A coworker flew his family of 4 to TX to purchase a new truck and drive it back home (about 840 miles one way).  Apparently he saved $12,000 buying it in TX instead of his home town, so even with the airfare, hotel, and gas cost he still came out ahead.
Wow, that one's got a few layers on it!  I actually understand the motivation to fly somewhere to get a better deal on a car, especially if you live in the upper midwest and go to a warmer climate to get a rust-free car.  But taking your whole family down there?  That's a bit wasteful.  The idea of spending so much on a truck that it's even *possible* to save $12k is mind-boggling.  $12k is the *most* we've ever spent on a vehicle!

I'm guessing they took the whole family so they could turn it into a road trip vacation.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10860 on: October 19, 2015, 02:21:51 PM »
A coworker flew his family of 4 to TX to purchase a new truck and drive it back home (about 840 miles one way).  Apparently he saved $12,000 buying it in TX instead of his home town, so even with the airfare, hotel, and gas cost he still came out ahead.
Wow, that one's got a few layers on it!  I actually understand the motivation to fly somewhere to get a better deal on a car, especially if you live in the upper midwest and go to a warmer climate to get a rust-free car.  But taking your whole family down there?  That's a bit wasteful.  The idea of spending so much on a truck that it's even *possible* to save $12k is mind-boggling.  $12k is the *most* we've ever spent on a vehicle!

I'm guessing they took the whole family so they could turn it into a road trip vacation.

If that's the case, then this would be definitely anti-antimustacian (apart from possibly getting a truck in the first place).

Le Barbu

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10861 on: October 19, 2015, 02:39:44 PM »
I think it's offensive and unfunny.  It's not sexual harassment as I would define it, but it's unpleasant.  People targeting others with jokes about personal/sexual subjects is all too common, and after the thousandth time or so, it gets old, so old.  Also people saying "Lighten up" and "It's just a joke!"  Maybe one time, it's just a joke.  After dozens and dozens, it feels like bullying.  Now, maybe you don't think so, and maybe you think it's funny or harmless or good clean fun or whatever.  But recognize that some people don't.  My response to the "joker" would be, "What is wrong with you?"

He (the poster above) didn't say "it was just a joke" he said Harden the ....up.  There is a difference.  Now on to more foam - where do you buy your pickles and do ya like the dill or Polish better (sorry if I offend the bread and butter people)?

I don't buy pickles since I usually bring my own

Nangirl17

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10862 on: October 20, 2015, 11:24:32 AM »
Was chatting with a student and she said, "Oh, you should check out ___ (new store to the area), it's great!"
I mentioned that I had driven by it the day before and saw it, but had no reason to go in, since I didn't need anything there.
She gave me the strangest look as if she couldn't comprehend why I wouldn't go in just to "shop"


BDWW

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10863 on: October 20, 2015, 04:35:56 PM »
Was chatting with a student and she said, "Oh, you should check out ___ (new store to the area), it's great!"
I mentioned that I had driven by it the day before and saw it, but had no reason to go in, since I didn't need anything there.
She gave me the strangest look as if she couldn't comprehend why I wouldn't go in just to "shop"

The city I live outside of has been going on a boom for the last couple decades(doubled in population in the last 15 years). Anyway, there's always some new construction, or new store coming to town. People always get excited and talk about it at work. "Do you know what's going in at the corner of such and such?" Me aloud: "No idea" internally: "Don't know, Don't care." I'm not lacking in places to get what I need to live now, and some new trendy store/restaurant is not going to change that.

nobodyspecial

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10864 on: October 20, 2015, 05:48:25 PM »
Same here - except the new construction is always a condo tower or a boutique mall replacing the cheap ethnic food market that was there.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10865 on: October 20, 2015, 05:56:44 PM »
"If you can stand to do all the driving" ... yes, all that horrible seeing the beautiful country we live in... it's a vacation!

"I think it's offensive and unfunny" I want to start a company where people who use that phrase aren't hired. I don't really even care what it's referring to. Oh no, it's offensive. Life is hard being offended.
I get the impression there are a lot of people who just don't get that the idea "that's offensive" is in no way a new thing, just a new phrasing. The old phrasing was "them's fightin' words."
In my experience, the ones who are most likely to get "offended" by some trivial thing are the least likely to have the gumption or courage to fight out in the open.  It's all behind people's backs with management, who will often be afraid of letting someone face their accusers.

wileyish

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10866 on: October 20, 2015, 09:05:43 PM »
This morning's surprise...

Me: filling water bottle at sink.
CW: You know they restocked the machine, right? (There is a machine in our office that sells soda, gatorade, bottled water, etc.)
Me: Yeah, but this is free.
CW: Yeah but its so gross - people wash dishes in that sink, how can you drink water from it?
Me: Uh... but the water from the tap is... well... you know what, you're right, I oughta be buying water instead. Eyeroll. Return to desk with water bottle.

I wanted to point out that I also eat off the dishes washed in the unsanitary sink, but opted not to.

People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.

Every few years I replenish the stock of silverware at work with pieces from a thrift store. Not sure if coworkers are tossing them in the trash or taking the pieces home, but the forks have a tendency to walk off frequently.

As I was filling the tray with freshly washed thrift store forks once:

CW: "Ewww, gross. Those are used? I’ll stick to the disposables. I’m a germaphobe."
Me:  “So you never eat at restaurants that use real silverware?”
CW: Startled stare.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10867 on: October 20, 2015, 09:15:16 PM »
This morning's surprise...

Me: filling water bottle at sink.
CW: You know they restocked the machine, right? (There is a machine in our office that sells soda, gatorade, bottled water, etc.)
Me: Yeah, but this is free.
CW: Yeah but its so gross - people wash dishes in that sink, how can you drink water from it?
Me: Uh... but the water from the tap is... well... you know what, you're right, I oughta be buying water instead. Eyeroll. Return to desk with water bottle.

I wanted to point out that I also eat off the dishes washed in the unsanitary sink, but opted not to.

People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.

Every few years I replenish the stock of silverware at work with pieces from a thrift store. Not sure if coworkers are tossing them in the trash or taking the pieces home, but the forks have a tendency to walk off frequently.

As I was filling the tray with freshly washed thrift store forks once:

CW: "Ewww, gross. Those are used? I’ll stick to the disposables. I’m a germaphobe."
Me:  “So you never eat at restaurants that use real silverware?”
CW: Startled stare.

1. Round of applause for pet rock comparison. :D

2. I do the same thing at my work. Every few months I hit up a charity store and stock up on a couple of dozen pieces, usually about 15 cents each, run it through the dishwasher twice then take it to work. My colleagues know where they come from but I'm fortunate that they are far too excited about the prospect of having forks to be concerned.

wileyish

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10868 on: October 20, 2015, 09:28:11 PM »
This story has two parts, both of which really opened my eyes to my coworkers’ relationship to food/the environment/their own wallets.

Part I

We had a potluck yesterday with about 40 attendees. Counting the two dishes I brought there were a total of four homemade dishes. Everything else came from a bag, a box, a plastic tub, or takeout from a restaurant. Even the salads came from bags, with each ingredient wrapped in individual packaging. Salad! In a bag! We intentionally had the potluck on a Monday so that people would have time to prepare a dish over the weekend and not be rushed on a weeknight. And we live in an area where fresh, local, seasonal produce is wildly abundant and affordable.

Part II

During cleanup of this event I saved the remnants of one of the salads (ya, it was one of the bagged dishes, but I hate wasting food) for part of my lunch today. My boss was in the break room while I was rooting around in the refrigerator for it this afternoon and said that she threw it away.

Boss: “I won’t eat leftover salad.”
Me: “Oh, I don’t like to waste food. I was going to eat that.”

She reached into the waste bin and retrieved the Ziplocked bag for me. Awkward silence for a few beats. I already have a reputation for being a weird-oh in the office, so I declined rather than adding “the lady who eats trash salad” to the list.

Rezdent

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10869 on: October 20, 2015, 09:49:16 PM »
This story has two parts, both of which really opened my eyes to my coworkers’ relationship to food/the environment/their own wallets.

Part I

We had a potluck yesterday with about 40 attendees. Counting the two dishes I brought there were a total of four homemade dishes. Everything else came from a bag, a box, a plastic tub, or takeout from a restaurant. Even the salads came from bags, with each ingredient wrapped in individual packaging. Salad! In a bag! We intentionally had the potluck on a Monday so that people would have time to prepare a dish over the weekend and not be rushed on a weeknight. And we live in an area where fresh, local, seasonal produce is wildly abundant and affordable.

Part II

During cleanup of this event I saved the remnants of one of the salads (ya, it was one of the bagged dishes, but I hate wasting food) for part of my lunch today. My boss was in the break room while I was rooting around in the refrigerator for it this afternoon and said that she threw it away.

Boss: “I won’t eat leftover salad.”
Me: “Oh, I don’t like to waste food. I was going to eat that.”

She reached into the waste bin and retrieved the Ziplocked bag for me. Awkward silence for a few beats. I already have a reputation for being a weird-oh in the office, so I declined rather than adding “the lady who eats trash salad” to the list.

Office potlucks are the only time I will buy prepackaged prepared food.  And even then, I buy "safe" stuff like prepackaged salad the morning of the event.

In case the office gets sick from a potluck...well they can't blame me.

nobodyspecial

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10870 on: October 21, 2015, 12:10:10 PM »
In case the office gets sick from a potluck...well they can't blame me.
Really ?
My specially matured sushi has been my main method of promotion at work ;-)

FatCat

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10871 on: October 21, 2015, 12:39:33 PM »
During cleanup of this event I saved the remnants of one of the salads (ya, it was one of the bagged dishes, but I hate wasting food) for part of my lunch today. My boss was in the break room while I was rooting around in the refrigerator for it this afternoon and said that she threw it away.

Boss: “I won’t eat leftover salad.”
Me: “Oh, I don’t like to waste food. I was going to eat that.”

She reached into the waste bin and retrieved the Ziplocked bag for me. Awkward silence for a few beats. I already have a reputation for being a weird-oh in the office, so I declined rather than adding “the lady who eats trash salad” to the list.

I don't understand the aversion some people have to leftovers. I remember someone acting like it was disgusting that I was eating yesterday's pizza. They said they always throw the leftover pizza slices in the trash. I got a lecture about how unsanitary it is and I'm going to make myself sick with rancid food doing things like that.

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10872 on: October 21, 2015, 01:01:47 PM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.


cripzychiken

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10873 on: October 21, 2015, 01:12:19 PM »
There was a bake sale a week or 2 back to benefit someone's little brother going through cancer treatments or some other health issue.  People were asked to bake their favorite treats and bring them in.

There were about 15 items brought in - 3 sets of 'homecooked' tube-o-cookies, 2 frozen and baked pies, and the rest was just completely store bought.  There was one person that went to a local bakery the night before and bought a couple of 'day-old' items.

Anyways, the sister who was running the event (who was too busy to even bring in anything, but could sit and watch the table all day) complained that no one made anything from scratch and rolled her eyes at the lady bring in "that stale old cake" from the bakery.  She priced everything at crazy prices - $1/cookie for cookies that cost $4 for 3 dozen.  $2/cupcake ($15 for 30 cupcakes).  Although she did price the 'stale' cake at $1/slice ($4.50/slice at the bakery).  That one sold out quickly, nothing else did.

They only made about about $50, couldn't figure out why.

Rollin

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10874 on: October 21, 2015, 01:16:15 PM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.

Same here, but skip the trip to the fridge.  I'm still alive.

BTW - we waste a significant % of food in this country (and that contributes quite a bit to green house gases).  It is rather disgusting. So those that think leftover are disgusting they really ought to get a grip on the real problem.

tanzee

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10875 on: October 21, 2015, 01:29:49 PM »
Quote
I don't re-wear dirty clothes. I've gotten too used to clean clothes all the time. After a while you can tell the difference.

Facepunch for hedonic adaptation. http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/10/22/what-is-hedonic-adaptation-and-how-can-it-turn-you-into-a-sukka/

It's just a matter of opinion. To me the cost is negligible compared to the benefit. Living in a house is hedonic in that case. Everyone's deserves facepunches. Showering is hedonic. We don't need to shower that often. Having clean clothes is the same as showering to me.

We sweat 0.8-1.4 liters a day and lose 40,000 skin cells, which is nice. I prefer my jeans a few pounds lighter I guess.

Sounds like rationalizing to me.  We are destroying the planet.  It's not a matter of preference (or opinion) when we are above our ecological capacity. That doesn't mean we need to be perfect at all times.  But it certainly means that we should be challenging our sacred cows like never re-wearing clothes. 

tanzee

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10876 on: October 21, 2015, 01:33:38 PM »

It's just a matter of opinion. To me the cost is negligible compared to the benefit. Living in a house is hedonic in that case. Everyone's deserves facepunches. Showering is hedonic. We don't need to shower that often. Having clean clothes is the same as showering to me.

We sweat 0.8-1.4 liters a day and lose 40,000 skin cells, which is nice. I prefer my jeans a few pounds lighter I guess.

+1

Awhile back there was a thread where posters bragged about not showering or using soap, let alone laundry or deodorant. Over time the non-showerer gets used to it and claims they don't smell. But you know when you walk into someone's house and it smells a bit funky? yeah

But couldn't you argue that you're merely referencing a hedonically adapted culture where the norm is to cover up normal human smell with floral-smelling chemicals? 

tanzee

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10877 on: October 21, 2015, 01:37:45 PM »

Quote
May I add a non-money related one?

Coworker sees me pouring in my coffee milk from a recycled juice bottle, inquires about it, and I explain him I ain't drinking that dairy-fluff stuff they give for free, because it's not actual milk and I prefer knowing what I drink. He looks conspiratorially at me and asks me "Is it your own milk?". The guy next to me almost spit his coffee. (And no, I'm not lactating)


That's sexual harassment.

Nah, the guy is gay, and from a culture that didn't explain him much about female anatomy. He just has no clue how the female body works.
That doesn't make it not sexual harassment. Gay men can absolutely sexually harass women, just like straight women can sexually harass women.

Harassment is always in the eye of the beholder. If she didn't feel harassed, it wasn't harassment. There's no point in trying to convince someone to get offended at something that didn't offend them.
Just in case she was offended at the time and was then trying to rationalize it away after. Rationalizing rape away is common; why wouldn't it be for harassment?

Yeah the guy should be stoned to death, minimum.
Harden the f*ck up people, and give the poor gay guy a break, how dishonest is to put "rape" in the conversation here?
Wow, way to reducto ad absurdum. There are plenty of misunderstandings about definitions and lots of rationalizing in lots of situations. I gave an example, and you went to a weird place.

Perhaps he/she went to a weird place, but I hate it when people use a drastic example as a way of shutting down a discussion. My aunt flipped out when she found out I was a Christian because she doesn't believe that someone should be able to sin and then just ask for forgiveness and be absolved, her example was, "What if someone rapes my daughter," and then pointed at her 3 year old, and then glared at me as if expecting me to defend any such action.

I think some people are misunderstanding maco's comment. The "drastic example" situation that MgoSam brought up usually goes something like this:

X is bad.
Rape is bad.
Therefore X is as bad as rape.

Which is a dumb argument. But this isn't what maco said. They said something more like this:

X is bad.
Rape is a lot worse.
Even though rape is really bad, people often rationalize rape after the fact as being not as bad as it actually was.
If people can rationalize away the badness of rape, they can easily rationalize away the badness of X since it's not as bad as rape.

See? Not the same thing.

I think it's offensive and unfunny.  It's not sexual harassment as I would define it, but it's unpleasant.  People targeting others with jokes about personal/sexual subjects is all too common, and after the thousandth time or so, it gets old, so old.  Also people saying "Lighten up" and "It's just a joke!"  Maybe one time, it's just a joke.  After dozens and dozens, it feels like bullying.  Now, maybe you don't think so, and maybe you think it's funny or harmless or good clean fun or whatever.  But recognize that some people don't.  My response to the "joker" would be, "What is wrong with you?"


UPDATE:
The guy was deadly serious when he ask me if it was my milk. I would have been pissed if he was joking about it, but he wasn't.
Anyway, I mentioned milk today in a different context and he told me he wanted to explain his comment for the other day: He was asking me it was milk from my farm animals, as some months earlier I mentioned that my DH wants to get a cow or a goat. But his English is not perfect (he's latino), and it came out wrong, and when everybody started laughing he was too embarassed to explain himself.

Yeah I wasn't sure what all the hoopla and lynching from the other posters was about.  I was led to believe at first it sounded like what people thought of as sexual harassment.  But when I read and thought about it a bit more, I realized that maybe it was cow milk or something and maybe she had a cow or something.  We didn't know the whole background story that kitsune didn't provide so I thought, well you do put cow's milk into drinks so maybe that's what it was but we don't know.  Anyways I refrained from drawing conclusions until all explanations/evidence was presented...you know, innocent until guilty.

I wonder if that's something wrong with our culture.  It's impossible to convey all details, tone, imagery, of something happening at a particular moment in just text, few do that very well.  We're so quick to lynch people, hang'em on the cross by putting words into peoples' mouths to details we're missing.  I mean we weren't there so we can't cast judgement on the guy.  Kitsune knows it better than us that it was sexual harassment.  That's why she said it wasn't harassment.

It's an issue I'm seeing in comments from media and stories.  Guilty until innocent.  Fiction over fact.  Too many news stories I've watched where details are omitted or slanted to a direction to tell a specific narrative to generate shock, anger, and confirmation of their viewers' prejudices, biases.  You fill the details to fit your "idea" of what happened instead of what actually happened.  Like the Columbia student and the mattress looking to win the court of public opinion, and not the court of law.  We likely will never know what happens in these events so we fill in it ourselves based on our opinions.

It's why I can't stand strongly opinionated people, "extremists...I guess?"  Feminists, misogynists, conservatives, liberals, etc.  They already tell you the story w/out knowing what it is.  They jump to conclusions based on what they believe, not what it actually is and try to buy/manipulate thoughts/minds/influence that way which is really dangerous and the power of US media.  People let emotions and personal beliefs guide the facts on other peoples' stories they don't know about.  It's judging others w/out the background to judge to validate their world view w/out actually knowing the world.  Making people feel like they know everything and when in agreement, collect clicks and money.

This happened to me before on MMM forums.  I made a post some took offense to.  People lynched me.  I explained what I was better trying to say and actually said.  They all apologized and understood and some even agreed w/me later.  There was balance.  There's too much jumping to conclusions these days.  Unless you were there to experience it, we can only conjecture, not make firm statements.


Quite shameful and sad really.

+1

I couldn't agree more. 

Beaker

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10878 on: October 21, 2015, 01:39:07 PM »
Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. ... Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority.

Can't be! "Eating cold pizza" is so common that it's a cliche. At least that's what I thought. OT, but if you use a toaster oven to reheat it I think it's actually better than fresh in some cases - the crust crisps up a bit more.

BTW - we waste a significant % of food in this country (and that contributes quite a bit to green house gases).  It is rather disgusting. So those that think leftover are disgusting they really ought to get a grip on the real problem.

Seriously, it's frickin' ridiculous. John Oliver did a great piece on that a while back. It's an 18 minute video, but worth it.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10879 on: October 21, 2015, 01:39:25 PM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.

Same here, but skip the trip to the fridge.  I'm still alive.

BTW - we waste a significant % of food in this country (and that contributes quite a bit to green house gases).  It is rather disgusting. So those that think leftover are disgusting they really ought to get a grip on the real problem.

I love day old counter pizza.  There really shouldn't be anything on pizza that can't sit out for days (maybe the sauce but a good sauce is desiccated from baking and is fairly acidic).

There was a bake sale a week or 2 back to benefit someone's little brother going through cancer treatments or some other health issue.  People were asked to bake their favorite treats and bring them in.

There were about 15 items brought in - 3 sets of 'homecooked' tube-o-cookies, 2 frozen and baked pies, and the rest was just completely store bought.  There was one person that went to a local bakery the night before and bought a couple of 'day-old' items.

Anyways, the sister who was running the event (who was too busy to even bring in anything, but could sit and watch the table all day) complained that no one made anything from scratch and rolled her eyes at the lady bring in "that stale old cake" from the bakery.  She priced everything at crazy prices - $1/cookie for cookies that cost $4 for 3 dozen.  $2/cupcake ($15 for 30 cupcakes).  Although she did price the 'stale' cake at $1/slice ($4.50/slice at the bakery).  That one sold out quickly, nothing else did.

They only made about about $50, couldn't figure out why.

Why does it matter what the prices are?  I always thought the point of a bake sale was basically charity where you get a small treat for participating.  Kinda like giving blood... The value of the snack afterwards is irrelevant

maco

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10880 on: October 21, 2015, 01:58:55 PM »
Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. ... Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority.

Can't be! "Eating cold pizza" is so common that it's a cliche. At least that's what I thought. OT, but if you use a toaster oven to reheat it I think it's actually better than fresh in some cases - the crust crisps up a bit more.

My mom recommends a frying pan. I don't like crispy crust, though. I prefer either Chicago deep dish or...jumbo slice (thin and floppy) is Brooklyn style, right?

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10881 on: October 21, 2015, 01:59:15 PM »
Why does it matter what the prices are?  I always thought the point of a bake sale was basically charity where you get a small treat for participating.  Kinda like giving blood... The value of the snack afterwards is irrelevant


Speak for yourself. I was pretty disappointed when the Red Cross stopped giving Nutter Butter's away. I never buy them, but I sure as hell ate my fair share at the blood drive. :)



jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10882 on: October 21, 2015, 02:04:29 PM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.

left over pizza and good coffee for breakfast. Even better if you crack an egg on the pizza, dash of salt, pepper, and Tajin, toaster oven that until the yolk is firm to cooked based on your preference for the runny yellow gold. Mmm mmm mmm, so good!

FatCat

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10883 on: October 21, 2015, 02:09:41 PM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.

Same here, but skip the trip to the fridge.  I'm still alive.

BTW - we waste a significant % of food in this country (and that contributes quite a bit to green house gases).  It is rather disgusting. So those that think leftover are disgusting they really ought to get a grip on the real problem.

I think pizza left out over night is fine too. But in this case the fact that it was in the fridge made their opposition ridiculous to me.

Weirdly enough, these same two people became very sick later that same month from eating something I refused to eat. We were at a restaurant and all ordered the same chicken dish. I cut into the chicken and it was rather raw inside and there was some blood so I complained that I wanted it cooked more. The two people that previously told me how dangerous my pizza was ate it anyway since we were at a restaurant and it's rude to send food back to the kitchen. They were really miserable the next few days.

4alpacas

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10884 on: October 21, 2015, 02:26:17 PM »
Why does it matter what the prices are?  I always thought the point of a bake sale was basically charity where you get a small treat for participating.  Kinda like giving blood... The value of the snack afterwards is irrelevant


Speak for yourself. I was pretty disappointed when the Red Cross stopped giving Nutter Butter's away. I never buy them, but I sure as hell ate my fair share at the blood drive. :)
I don't give blood.  I trade my blood for donuts.

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10885 on: October 21, 2015, 03:42:05 PM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.

Same here, but skip the trip to the fridge.  I'm still alive.

BTW - we waste a significant % of food in this country (and that contributes quite a bit to green house gases).  It is rather disgusting. So those that think leftover are disgusting they really ought to get a grip on the real problem.

I think pizza left out over night is fine too. But in this case the fact that it was in the fridge made their opposition ridiculous to me.

Weirdly enough, these same two people became very sick later that same month from eating something I refused to eat. We were at a restaurant and all ordered the same chicken dish. I cut into the chicken and it was rather raw inside and there was some blood so I complained that I wanted it cooked more. The two people that previously told me how dangerous my pizza was ate it anyway since we were at a restaurant and it's rude to send food back to the kitchen. They were really miserable the next few days.

haha, thats awesome.

Threshkin

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10886 on: October 21, 2015, 04:24:16 PM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.

Same here, but skip the trip to the fridge.  I'm still alive.

BTW - we waste a significant % of food in this country (and that contributes quite a bit to green house gases).  It is rather disgusting. So those that think leftover are disgusting they really ought to get a grip on the real problem.

Cold Pizza and Warm Beer were staples for breakfast in my early 20s.  Whatever was left over and lying around from the party the night before.  Refrigeration?  Bah!

dorothyc

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10887 on: October 21, 2015, 11:29:21 PM »
I think pizza left out over night is fine too. But in this case the fact that it was in the fridge made their opposition ridiculous to me.

Weirdly enough, these same two people became very sick later that same month from eating something I refused to eat. We were at a restaurant and all ordered the same chicken dish. I cut into the chicken and it was rather raw inside and there was some blood so I complained that I wanted it cooked more. The two people that previously told me how dangerous my pizza was ate it anyway since we were at a restaurant and it's rude to send food back to the kitchen. They were really miserable the next few days.

I think that goes to show that they don't cook from scratch, so they have no clue about basic food safety.

Rezdent

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10888 on: October 22, 2015, 07:04:27 AM »

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

Even if it did, I don't think it's a big deal. I've eaten pizza left out over night plenty of times. Especially as a kid. Never got sick from it.

Same here, but skip the trip to the fridge.  I'm still alive.

BTW - we waste a significant % of food in this country (and that contributes quite a bit to green house gases).  It is rather disgusting. So those that think leftover are disgusting they really ought to get a grip on the real problem.

Cold Pizza and Warm Beer were staples for breakfast in my early 20s.  Whatever was left over and lying around from the party the night before.  Refrigeration?  Bah!

This just sounds so weird to me.  Trying to join those two words together in my mind; we have leftovers, and we have pizza, but we don't have leftover pizza.  Occasionally we intentionally make extras, but they're earmarked.

But if that ever happens, oh yeah.  I'm gonna eat it, assuming I win the race to the kitchen.  Refrigerated or not.

rockstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10889 on: October 22, 2015, 09:28:24 AM »
During cleanup of this event I saved the remnants of one of the salads (ya, it was one of the bagged dishes, but I hate wasting food) for part of my lunch today. My boss was in the break room while I was rooting around in the refrigerator for it this afternoon and said that she threw it away.

Boss: “I won’t eat leftover salad.”
Me: “Oh, I don’t like to waste food. I was going to eat that.”

She reached into the waste bin and retrieved the Ziplocked bag for me. Awkward silence for a few beats. I already have a reputation for being a weird-oh in the office, so I declined rather than adding “the lady who eats trash salad” to the list.

I don't understand the aversion some people have to leftovers. I remember someone acting like it was disgusting that I was eating yesterday's pizza. They said they always throw the leftover pizza slices in the trash. I got a lecture about how unsanitary it is and I'm going to make myself sick with rancid food doing things like that.

Note: This was a delivery pizza which arrived on schedule, sat on the table for an hour, and the leftover slices were put in a ziplock bag and refrigerated to be eaten the next day. It's not like the pizza was sitting at room temperature all night in case anyone is wondering. In my family this is a very normal thing to do with pizza. In hers, it was unthinkable. Someone else joined the conversation agreeing with her so I guess my family's leftover pizza routine is in the minority. They understood it was kept in the fridge. The idea that it was pizza from yesterday was just too much to handle.

I love leftovers - less work, flavor so are often better, saves money. What is not to like? I am not sure if the folks at work are at all reacting to ideas that a bunch of other people may have 'touched' the pizza, or if they just think that food doesn't keep. I am no germophobe, so unless someone with the flu had sneezed on the pizza, I would have eaten it even if it had been out a lot longer....

I challenge my immune system so it doesn't become a total slacker!

I'm guessing that doesn't apply to the 16 year old kids in the kitchen at the local pizza joint who "build" the pizza with their sometimes bare hands or gloves they forgot to take off when they used the restroom. Nobody likes to think about that.

Kitsunegari

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10890 on: October 22, 2015, 09:36:39 AM »
A boss brought in a huge pack of cherry tomatoes. While I was taking some, the closest workmate ask me "Are you gonna bring them home?". I guess my mustachian habits didn't go unnoticed...

nybeccaboo

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10891 on: October 22, 2015, 10:03:46 AM »
I work in a very anti-mustachian place.  Everyone eats lunch out every single day, my boss eats dinner out every night, they wear high-end designer clothes, etc. I'm the weird one who brings my lunch every day, wears "normal" clothes and doesn't have cable.

Because of the area I work in, I  have access to salary information, and while the majority earn a ton of money, a few of them, like me, have "normal" salaries. (I put normal in quotes because in my book, we're still paid above average.) Every single one of them complains about not being able to retire. The market dips and they freak out (while I clap my hands and yell SALE). I decided to snoop around and see what everyone in my group contributes to the 401(k) plan. We have a 4% match which isn't amazing, but it's still free money. Plus the plan is with Vanguard and the funds we can choose from are great.  I'm the only one who maxes out their contribution. In fact, the very highly paid employees (we're talking mid to high 6 figures) contribute 0%. We automatically enroll employees at 3% so they had to physically go in and change that number to 0%.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one because we don't have any special retirement plans for highly compensated employees. Why wouldn't you max it out?!

Today's comment took the cake, though -   "I can't believe what a great investment Valentino shoes are.  They just look so good on your feet."  SMH

trailrated

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10892 on: October 22, 2015, 10:11:02 AM »
Today's comment took the cake, though -   "I can't believe what a great investment Valentino shoes are.  They just look so good on your feet."  SMH

Don't worry, I am sure they "deserve" it. ;)

MishMash

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10893 on: October 22, 2015, 11:05:34 AM »
I just had to teach three coworkers how to use...get this...an ELECTRIC tea kettle.  As in put in water, flip button...wait, pour.  They had been microwaving their water (tea kettle is on top of the microwave) in WAX lined cups and couldn't figure out what the stuff was that was floating in it.  I informed them it was wax from the paper cups so they had two options, use the previously mentioned ceramic cups to microwave, or use the tea kettle. 

CW1:  Nah, I really don't want to wash a cup out (we have a dishwasher)
CW2:  What's a tea kettle and where is it?
Me:  The giant silver thing sitting on top of the microwave
CW3:  grabs tea pot, can't figure out how to open the top (a button on the handle)
CW2: grabs it, figures out how to open it, looks inside and goes "now what do we do"
Me:  thinking they were joking starts laughing....seeing deadpan faces replies Uuuuhhhh put water in it
CW3:  From where?
Me:  Theeee faucet but I guess you can use bottled if you have it (previous discussion that I didn't get into among them was how bottle was cleaner then tap)
CW2: Puts water in it, can't figure out how to put it on the stand so I showed him just to set it on the knob base and said "now you just flip the switch to turn it on"
CW1:  starts trying to push the red "in use" light and I'm like no...literally the giant switch on the handle and he flips the switch.

I parted the kitchen with them going "How do we know when it's done!!"  to which I replied when it starts making a noise it's drinkable temperature, if you want it boiling let it go until the whistle.

I seriously shit you not...that just happened, and they were NOT joking...and these guys are between the ages of 29 and 38...not ONE could figure out 1.  What was floating in their heated water and 2.  how to heat water in a freaking electric tea kettle.   I figured they would figure out the wax thing or that they were pulling my leg, but one of them mentioned it daily for over a week before I said anything.

Dollar Slice

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10894 on: October 22, 2015, 11:16:19 AM »
That is hilarious, MishMash.

Maybe this should become part of the interview process for new hires at your company. Can prospective employee X figure out how to use one of the simplest kitchen appliances of all time?

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10895 on: October 22, 2015, 11:21:08 AM »
Sadly, this was my office until I went and got us an electric kettle. I should add that everyone using it could figure it out, but it was funny that many people were nuking a wax cup full of water previously. I would have gotten an electric kettle much sooner had anyone requested it.

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10896 on: October 22, 2015, 11:36:05 AM »
I just had to teach three coworkers how to use...get this...an ELECTRIC tea kettle.  As in put in water, flip button...wait, pour.  They had been microwaving their water (tea kettle is on top of the microwave) in WAX lined cups and couldn't figure out what the stuff was that was floating in it.  I informed them it was wax from the paper cups so they had two options, use the previously mentioned ceramic cups to microwave, or use the tea kettle. 

CW1:  Nah, I really don't want to wash a cup out (we have a dishwasher)
CW2:  What's a tea kettle and where is it?
Me:  The giant silver thing sitting on top of the microwave
CW3:  grabs tea pot, can't figure out how to open the top (a button on the handle)
CW2: grabs it, figures out how to open it, looks inside and goes "now what do we do"
Me:  thinking they were joking starts laughing....seeing deadpan faces replies Uuuuhhhh put water in it
CW3:  From where?
Me:  Theeee faucet but I guess you can use bottled if you have it (previous discussion that I didn't get into among them was how bottle was cleaner then tap)
CW2: Puts water in it, can't figure out how to put it on the stand so I showed him just to set it on the knob base and said "now you just flip the switch to turn it on"
CW1:  starts trying to push the red "in use" light and I'm like no...literally the giant switch on the handle and he flips the switch.

I parted the kitchen with them going "How do we know when it's done!!"  to which I replied when it starts making a noise it's drinkable temperature, if you want it boiling let it go until the whistle.

I seriously shit you not...that just happened, and they were NOT joking...and these guys are between the ages of 29 and 38...not ONE could figure out 1.  What was floating in their heated water and 2.  how to heat water in a freaking electric tea kettle.   I figured they would figure out the wax thing or that they were pulling my leg, but one of them mentioned it daily for over a week before I said anything.

It's amazing that these people manage to get dressed and make it to work in the morning.  WTF.

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10897 on: October 22, 2015, 12:08:12 PM »
A electric tea kettle?
Like in a kettle but with inside you have a heater? Like a water heater just for tea?
How decadent!!
We use one pot for all small hot water needs. gas btw., no electric.
If they would have figured out that you need to use a spark to ignite the gas?

MishMash

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10898 on: October 22, 2015, 12:17:14 PM »
A electric tea kettle?
Like in a kettle but with inside you have a heater? Like a water heater just for tea?
How decadent!!
We use one pot for all small hot water needs. gas btw., no electric.
If they would have figured out that you need to use a spark to ignite the gas?

Exactly that.  It's a regular tea kettle but sits on a base that super heats the water when plugged in. *Insert evil idea to unplug kettle and see how long it takes them to figure it out tomorrow*
Starting a gas stove and not having an electric starter (I grew up with one like that)...I'm pretty sure they would have blown themselves, and the office, up.

AlwaysLearningToSave

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10899 on: October 22, 2015, 12:39:34 PM »
*Insert evil idea to unplug kettle and see how long it takes them to figure it out tomorrow*

Do it.