Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252993 times)

kudy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #50 on: December 09, 2012, 02:10:42 PM »
I've never heard of a party that wasn't completed covered by the employer. Of course, it may be BYOB, but I've never paid to attend a party.

Alan2

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #51 on: December 09, 2012, 03:31:18 PM »
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WTF it's the social norm for workers to pay to attend a Christmas party?

I work for Local Government, and yes, we have to pay for our own Christmas Party.  Using Tax-Payers money for it would be wrong.

Ty Webb

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #52 on: December 09, 2012, 03:53:57 PM »
Not overheard, but seen on Facebook: An acquaintance bought a purse for $900 and rather than feeling shame and guilt they posted a picture of it as if they had accomplished something!

PJ

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #53 on: December 09, 2012, 05:38:06 PM »
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WTF it's the social norm for workers to pay to attend a Christmas party?

I work for Local Government, and yes, we have to pay for our own Christmas Party.  Using Tax-Payers money for it would be wrong.
Yes, some of my less well funded social services jobs in the past, although tickets fell more in the $20-40 zone (plus cash bar).  And for the same reason - tax payer funded. 

happy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #54 on: December 09, 2012, 11:01:24 PM »
Yup, I'm a public servant, no free parties on the tax-payer. Parties were all organised by the workers themselves, not the managers so the cost is self -imposed.

Forcus

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #55 on: December 11, 2012, 09:20:42 AM »
I work(ed) at a very profitable division at a Fortune 50 company and they moved it to a party you had to pay to get in. I declined. So I think it's not just governmental anymore.

swick

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #56 on: December 11, 2012, 10:31:47 AM »
Not quite at work but in my local grocery store:

Customer number 1 Standing in front of the potato chips:  *Big Sigh* "I have Terra Chip Tastes and an Old Dutch Budget"

Customer number 2 wandering past: : "I have a sack of potatoes and a fully stocked spice cabinet"

Made my day:)

sheepstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #57 on: December 11, 2012, 01:19:05 PM »
Yup, I'm a public servant, no free parties on the tax-payer. Parties were all organised by the workers themselves, not the managers so the cost is self -imposed.

As one US taxpayer, I would not begrudge y'all the use of the already paid-for office to have a potluck and byob party...

I love this thread but none of the examples from my own workplace are quite so pithy as to be easily encapsulated. 

prosaic

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #58 on: December 12, 2012, 06:06:12 PM »
$800 a month on WEED?

Honest Abe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #59 on: December 12, 2012, 06:17:12 PM »

c

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #60 on: December 12, 2012, 08:30:53 PM »
I cannot tell my "overheard at work" story as I was so horrified I gave the guy a link to this site.

Dicey

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #61 on: December 16, 2012, 09:59:49 AM »
I was once in the home office for a regional meeting when I heard someone in a cubicle say "I'd hate to pay her Nordstrom bill". It took me a while to figure out that they meant me! I had to laugh, as I was saving for my first house at the time and had a year's salary in the bank. Of course I had no credit card balances.

All the same, part of me wishes that I had resources such as MMM way back then. When I think of all the money I did spend on clothes and shoes in those early career years, (Hello, Nordstrom? I sure did shop there, but at least I paid it off every month.) I could just give myself a huge facepunch.

Nords

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #62 on: December 16, 2012, 10:28:19 AM »
Him: Nah, I wouldn't know what to do with myself and besides, I want to be able to afford a comfortable retirement and if I work for another 5 years my pension goes up to just over $100K and another $100K payout, which will certainly help.
I left the conversation thinking WTF!
Sounds like a terminal case of "Just One More Year!" Syndrome...

Monkey stache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #63 on: December 16, 2012, 05:16:59 PM »
My favorite so far: "I want to get a new car because I just HATE my Mercedes. It makes me look like a Republican grandma".  Ummm...can I have it?

boy_bye

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #64 on: December 17, 2012, 06:10:51 AM »
my colleague's wife wrecked her car last week. for the third time in recent history. colleague was upset, and said, "this is gonna cost me like 30 grand." i asked him why not just get a used car for half that or even less -- and he wouldn't even consider it, not for a second. no reason why either. weird.

Khao

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #65 on: December 17, 2012, 08:20:01 AM »
my colleague's wife wrecked her car last week. for the third time in recent history. colleague was upset, and said, "this is gonna cost me like 30 grand." i asked him why not just get a used car for half that or even less -- and he wouldn't even consider it, not for a second. no reason why either. weird.

I'd tell him to get a new wife.

Forcus

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #66 on: December 17, 2012, 09:02:36 AM »
my colleague's wife wrecked her car last week. for the third time in recent history. colleague was upset, and said, "this is gonna cost me like 30 grand." i asked him why not just get a used car for half that or even less -- and he wouldn't even consider it, not for a second. no reason why either. weird.

I'd tell him to get a new wife.

Big ugly 80's 4 door with tires bolted to the side, tugboat style, until she improves her driving.

NumberCruncher

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #67 on: December 17, 2012, 09:13:46 AM »
I was once in the home office for a regional meeting when I heard someone in a cubicle say "I'd hate to pay her Nordstrom bill". It took me a while to figure out that they meant me!

That's also super sexist! Two strikes!

gdborton

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #68 on: December 17, 2012, 09:45:05 AM »
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That's also super sexist! Two strikes!

No it isn't.  I'd hate to pay anyone's bill that imo overspends on clothing.  Just because she happens to be a woman doesn't make the statement sexist.

NumberCruncher

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #69 on: December 17, 2012, 10:42:32 AM »
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That's also super sexist! Two strikes!

No it isn't.  I'd hate to pay anyone's bill that imo overspends on clothing.  Just because she happens to be a woman doesn't make the statement sexist.

It's sexist because the statement wasn't true, but was an assumption. See the rest of the comment I trimmed from:

"I had to laugh, as I was saving for my first house at the time and had a year's salary in the bank. Of course I had no credit card balances.

All the same, part of me wishes that I had resources such as MMM way back then. When I think of all the money I did spend on clothes and shoes in those early career years, (Hello, Nordstrom? I sure did shop there, but at least I paid it off every month.) I could just give myself a huge facepunch."

She does make a comment to have spent more than she perhaps should have, but not to a point of blatant excess. The main thought about this to me was that the "Nordtrom bill" commentor did not know anything about her life, but assumed that because she looked well dressed and was a woman, she must have horrific clothing bills (You'd never hear someone comment "I'd hate to pay his Armani bill"). Regardless, not a work-appropriate comment to make, especially when there are baseless assumptions afoot.

*end rant*  >.>

gdborton

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #70 on: December 17, 2012, 10:52:16 AM »
That's still wrong. Seeing a lot of different newish looking clothes that you recognize from Nordstrom, and assuming that there is a spending issue doesn't make you sexist.  I don't see how the statement is any different because she is female, Nordstrom also sells mens clothing.  Maybe she is chinese, does that also make it a racist statement?  Or christian, is it now also an anti-religion statement?

NumberCruncher

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #71 on: December 17, 2012, 11:07:56 AM »
That's still wrong. Seeing a lot of different newish looking clothes that you recognize from Nordstrom, and assuming that there is a spending issue doesn't make you sexist.  I don't see how the statement is any different because she is female, Nordstrom also sells mens clothing.  Maybe she is chinese, does that also make it a racist statement?  Or christian, is it now also an anti-religion statement?

This is getting way off topic, but it's sexist because women spending money on lots of shopping is a stereotype (as is men having to pay for the exuberant shopping of their wives), and the original comment (as far as I can tell), was based on nothing else but outward appearance.

I would be very surprised if the commenter recognized any of the clothes from Nordstrom's, and even if they had, they would have no way of knowing if the clothes were actually thrifted or otherwise obtained cheaply.

If you make the replacement comment "I'd hate to pay his Nordstrom bill," it sounds even more out of place.

Jamesqf

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #72 on: December 17, 2012, 11:20:57 AM »
This is getting way off topic, but it's sexist because women spending money on lots of shopping is a stereotype...

Is it sexist if it's true, or is is just accurate reporting?  Women do tend to have more interest in clothing & fashion, and spend a lot more money on such things.  Or spend time, if they do their shopping in thrift shops vintage clothing stores.

gdborton

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #73 on: December 17, 2012, 11:25:43 AM »
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This is getting way off topic, but it's sexist because women spending money on lots of shopping is a stereotype

So saying anything that goes along with a stereotype automatically makes you an asshole?  I think you are making a lot of assumptions about the character of a person that you've never met, based on a single sentence without context.  You don't even know the sex of the person that said it, nor their relationship to the poster. Is it still sexist if the person speaking was her mother?

Quote
was based on nothing else but outward appearance

It's pretty hard to guess someone's clothing bills without outward appearance.

NumberCruncher

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #74 on: December 17, 2012, 11:34:38 AM »
This is getting way off topic, but it's sexist because women spending money on lots of shopping is a stereotype...

Is it sexist if it's true, or is is just accurate reporting?  Women do tend to have more interest in clothing & fashion, and spend a lot more money on such things.  Or spend time, if they do their shopping in thrift shops vintage clothing stores.

Stereotypes are often based on snippets of truth, but probably not as much as you'd think. This seems relevant, but at least one of the links is dead: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/12/28/women-and-money-slaying-stereotypes-and-facing-reality/

Even if a stereotype is at least partially based on truth (as the article says, women do spend more on clothing, but total spending on "wants" is on par with men), that doesn't mean it's a good thing to go around acting on it. If an Asian man or woman at work talked about being in a car crash, should you instantly assume they were at fault because we all know "Asians are bad drivers"? Of course not.

I think it becomes very problematic when we take stereotypes and apply them to individuals, especially in the workplace.

NumberCruncher

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #75 on: December 17, 2012, 11:40:10 AM »
Quote
This is getting way off topic, but it's sexist because women spending money on lots of shopping is a stereotype

So saying anything that goes along with a stereotype automatically makes you an asshole?  I think you are making a lot of assumptions about the character of a person that you've never met, based on a single sentence without context.  You don't even know the sex of the person that said it, nor their relationship to the poster. Is it still sexist if the person speaking was her mother?

Quote
was based on nothing else but outward appearance

It's pretty hard to guess someone's clothing bills without outward appearance.

Notice I did not assume the commenter's sex - men and women can be sexist, and yes, sometimes women put each other down in ways like that. My mom has made some sexist comments before. Not out of spite, it's just casual sexism - assumptions.

You also don't have to be an asshole to be sexist. Most sexism today is present in small ways, like the original comment.

And guessing clothing bills - 1) why does it matter/why would you comment about clothing bills at work?  2) as I said before, you can have nice clothes without paying a lot of money. There's a Banana Republic shirt in my closet that retails for like $75 that I got for ~$2 from a laundromat clearing out unclaimed items.
« Last Edit: December 17, 2012, 11:43:29 AM by NumberCruncher »

gdborton

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #76 on: December 17, 2012, 11:48:04 AM »
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I said before, you can have nice clothes without paying a lot of money

That would just make him wrong, not a sexist.

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You also don't have to be an asshole to be sexist.

Maybe a matter of opinion, but I think you are wrong here too.

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sometimes women put each other down in ways like that.

How is this a put down?  I'd hate to pay for the flight tickets of MMM going to florida, I'd hate to pay MMM's mortgage ($400k house OMG),  I'd hate to pay for the fuel for Airforce One, I'd hate to pay for a new roof in my apartment.  All of those are fine statements, but as soon as it aligns with a stereotype, it becomes taboo?

Quote
I think it becomes very problematic when we take stereotypes and apply them to individuals, especially in the workplace.

I think people casually throwing around negative labels at people is a problem, especially in the workplace.

boy_bye

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #77 on: December 17, 2012, 02:21:22 PM »
gdborton, numbercruncher didn't call anyone a sexist. s/he pointed out a sexist comment. which lots of people casually make, all the time, man or woman.

sexism isn't a particular way of being an asshole. it's a built-in system of assumptions and biases that limit women. it's part of the cultural air we breathe, and all of us have at least some of it in us, just by virtue of being raised in that cultural air.

it's the same reason why some women say things like "i mostly hang out with men, women bore me / are too catty / never talk about anything important" or some black folks are shown to have biases against others of their race in studies ... we live in a sexist, racist culture. for that reason, we all have the capacity to be biased ... and when we don't acknowledge that -- when we get up in arms about whether something is sexist or racist or not instead of looking at it critically -- is when our biases tend to rear their ugly heads even more.

Dicey

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #78 on: December 17, 2012, 02:42:12 PM »
I'm amused by all this sexist stuff. The forum topic is "Overheard at Work". I was flattered at the time the statement was made and did not consider it sexist at all. Other details: the commenter was a woman whom I knew to be in a less robust financial situation. She was apparently envious of my well-dressed appearance. Had she known the truth of the differences in our bank balances, she would most certainly have been even snarkier. I just thought it was funny that she was making extended assumptions based only on my appearance.

One of the things I like about MMM is that he realizes half the fun is finding a way to "pass" without spending the money. It takes no skill to overspend. It does take skills to have a nice house because you used your own sweat equity to improve it, a decent car because you bought it used and maintain it well, or a nice working wardrobe without spending a fortune. However, I still wish I had spent less on clothes and saved more. Nothin' sexist or even gender specific about that.

Blackbomber

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #79 on: December 17, 2012, 03:28:37 PM »
... It takes no skill to overspend. It does take skills to have a nice house because you used your own sweat equity to improve it, a decent car because you bought it used and maintain it well, or a nice working wardrobe without spending a fortune...
Well said

sheepstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #80 on: December 17, 2012, 04:21:52 PM »
I wouldn't say it's sexist because of the focus on clothing but because of the sort-of assumption implied that someone else was paying for her clothes.  I mean, it's true that the other person's co-worker bought his wife a new car--sometimes couples consider large purchases like cars to be joint purchases like that; or sometimes men do buy their wives things like that.  But if one of your female co-workers totaled her car, your first instinct wouldn't be to say, 'Gee, guess your husband's going to have to buy you a new one, ha ha!" because it's not 1950 and it would be bizarre.

That said, I didn't interpret it that way originally.  I can see someone saying something like, 'I'd hate to pay his/her phone bill," just as an alternate way to say "I estimate that this person subscribes to telephone usage with a pecuniary level far higher than I would be comfortable with."


You also don't have to be an asshole to be sexist. Most sexism today is present in small ways, like the original comment.


+1


sexism isn't a particular way of being an asshole. it's a built-in system of assumptions and biases that limit women. it's part of the cultural air we breathe, and all of us have at least some of it in us, just by virtue of being raised in that cultural air.

it's the same reason why some women say things like "i mostly hang out with men, women bore me / are too catty / never talk about anything important" or some black folks are shown to have biases against others of their race in studies ... we live in a sexist, racist culture. for that reason, we all have the capacity to be biased ... and when we don't acknowledge that -- when we get up in arms about whether something is sexist or racist or not instead of looking at it critically -- is when our biases tend to rear their ugly heads even more.

+1

cbr shadow

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #81 on: December 18, 2012, 10:01:18 AM »
Back on topic and away from the sexist talk..

A coworker of mine speaks loudly on the phone about his financial situation.  He is an engineer like me but has been here for 9 years so I'm guessing he makes around $85-95k.  He was talking to his wife about their credit card debt ($28k!) and then about "another payday loan".  Then a few weeks later I hear him talking to another coworker about trying to pay down his CC debt (which was GREAT to hear - I really like this guy and would be happy to see him pay down his debt) but the following week bought a brand new $38,000 Jeep and bought a new Iphone 5 for both him and his wife.  wtf?  He also lives about an hour from work so he gets to sit through traffic on the highway twice daily in that gas-hog Jeep.
Paying down debt is difficult for anyone, especially if you're used to a fancy pants lifestyle where you buy whatever you want without much limit.  Also I think people justify making big purchases through seeing people in similar situations doing the same thing.

chucklesmcgee

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #82 on: December 18, 2012, 12:40:20 PM »
Also I think people justify making big purchases through seeing people in similar situations doing the same thing.

If you weren't instilled with any understanding that taking on that much debt is a poor choice and aren't the type of person who routinely challenges collective assumptions made by those around you, it'd be pretty tought o arrive at a different decision that what everyone else does. idk, I don't really fault other people's poor financial decisions too much unless it puts them in a bad situation and then they complain about it.

Forcus

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #83 on: December 18, 2012, 12:54:43 PM »
Also I think people justify making big purchases through seeing people in similar situations doing the same thing.

If you weren't instilled with any understanding that taking on that much debt is a poor choice and aren't the type of person who routinely challenges collective assumptions made by those around you, it'd be pretty tought o arrive at a different decision that what everyone else does. idk, I don't really fault other people's poor financial decisions too much unless it puts them in a bad situation and then they complain about it.

x2. I think 95% (or more) of people do not understand this and it's not (for the most part) really their fault until they become enlightened. I'm guessing that many do not ever reach that level.

gdborton

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #84 on: December 18, 2012, 01:19:04 PM »
Quote
If you weren't instilled with any understanding that taking on that much debt is a poor choice and aren't the type of person who routinely challenges collective assumptions made by those around you, it'd be pretty tought o arrive at a different decision that what everyone else does.

This reminds me of a study that I learned about in school, I wonder how much of the same thing is occurring on a broader scale when it comes to spending habits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPEDS-0jMgs

gooki

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #85 on: December 18, 2012, 02:10:32 PM »
A coworker of mine speaks loudly on the phone about his financial situation.  He is an engineer like me but has been here for 9 years so I'm guessing he makes around $85-95k.  He was talking to his wife about their credit card debt ($28k!) and then about "another payday loan".  Then a few weeks later I hear him talking to another coworker about trying to pay down his CC debt (which was GREAT to hear - I really like this guy and would be happy to see him pay down his debt) but the following week bought a brand new $38,000 Jeep and bought a new Iphone 5 for both him and his wife.  wtf?  He also lives about an hour from work so he gets to sit through traffic on the highway twice daily in that gas-hog Jeep.

Did you slap him with a wet fish?
« Last Edit: December 18, 2012, 06:28:46 PM by gooki »

cbr shadow

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #86 on: December 18, 2012, 04:07:35 PM »
I have no idea what a we fish is, but I'm confident I did not slap him with one. haha

kt

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #87 on: December 19, 2012, 01:42:42 AM »
Quote
If you weren't instilled with any understanding that taking on that much debt is a poor choice and aren't the type of person who routinely challenges collective assumptions made by those around you, it'd be pretty tought o arrive at a different decision that what everyone else does.

This reminds me of a study that I learned about in school, I wonder how much of the same thing is occurring on a broader scale when it comes to spending habits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPEDS-0jMgs

that's a really fascinating and eye-opening video. thanks for posting! i think you're right. but it also shows the power having a small-group of like minded people can have. which is encouraging!

NumberCruncher

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #88 on: December 19, 2012, 09:00:30 AM »
Just got raise notices today - I got 3.18% increase and was fairly okay with that, given the current economic situation (fiscal cliff! The horrors!).

My boss was unimpressed by the raises set forth by the powers that be:
Me: "eh, puts food on the table."
Him: "Barely."

He is almost certainly making well over 100k, we get good healthcare and benefits, and he can barely put food on the table? I know he was saying it in partial jest, but still...he is in the top 5% of families in the US and is complaining?

Another quote: "Sure sweaters are cheaper, but then you factor in the gas to drive to the store and lunch from the food court..." -_-

noob515

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #89 on: December 19, 2012, 10:44:13 AM »
Another quote: "Sure sweaters are cheaper, but then you factor in the gas to drive to the store and lunch from the food court..." -_-

Because of course you HAVE to eat the nasty mall food while you're doing your holiday shopping.  (bleck!)

And a 3.18% increase from $100k+ "barely" puts food on the table?  That sounds like my office.  We're federal employees, and many of the old-timers have complained that we haven't gotten a cost of living increase in 2-3 years.  I just think "you're making $130k-155k, and you're complaining that you didn't get a 1.5% bump? STFU". 

Oddly enough, one such complainy-pants is a man who's fairly mustachian - he and his wife pull in $250k - $300k of household income with no mortgage or other debt.  But he recently blew $100k to remodel their kitchen - and they hardly ever cook.  In fact, they finished the remodel a few weeks before Thanksgiving, and they got take-out for Thanksgiving dinner. 

NumberCruncher

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #90 on: December 19, 2012, 10:50:45 AM »
...he recently blew $100k to remodel their kitchen - and they hardly ever cook.  In fact, they finished the remodel a few weeks before Thanksgiving, and they got take-out for Thanksgiving dinner.

??!!!!?!?!!!

That is insane...I can see spending a chunk of change on your kitchen if you use it and it makes you happy, but $100k? If you're spending $100k on a kitchen, it better be your livelihood

Khao

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #91 on: December 19, 2012, 11:04:20 AM »
I can't even imagine how you can have a kitchen worth $100k! Is everything gold-plated or what?

Blackbomber

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #92 on: December 19, 2012, 11:18:43 AM »
One could never have a kitchen WORTH 100k (at least not a working person), but as someone renovating my own kitchen now, it is EASY to spend that much just in materials. Hire a contractor, and it gets even easier. If you doubt this, go to a low end store like Home Depot or Lowes, and price out a backsplash with all of the little natural stone tiles and trim. I haven't actually done this, because I knew there was no freaking way I could spend that. But my cabinets are nothing special, and they cost between $200 - $900 EACH (that is for a 24" x24" x 90" cherry pantry piece).

EDIT: Ok, I thought about it, and maybe I shouldn't have said it would be EASY for me to spend $100k just in materials, but it can certainly be done on a larger kitchen (mine is 15'x15').
« Last Edit: December 19, 2012, 11:29:17 AM by Blackbomber »

DoubleDown

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #93 on: December 19, 2012, 11:23:21 AM »
I see that all the time here in the Wash. DC area. I've known several people who spent $100k on just a kitchen, and some that spent up to $150k! They are all very proud of them and gleefully explain how it cost so much because they wanted it to be "nice." One paid $40k alone to convert from electric to gas cooking and having the gas line brought in. Shockingly there seems to be no lack of contractors who are happy to cater to their desire to spend that much...

I don't understand it -- upon buying my house I got the very old kitchen plus three bathrooms gutted all the way down to the studs and sub-floor and completely renovated by a great contractor, for about $28k. That included replacing the plumbing, electrical, appliances, tubs, showers, everything. I don't think their $100 - $150k got them anything better, we have all the same bells and whistles (granite, stainless steel, fancy cabinets, ceramic tile, etc.). They just paid more and consider it a status symbol that they did so.

The Bearded Bank Builder

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #94 on: December 19, 2012, 12:10:03 PM »
My parents are planning on redoing their kitchen WHICH INCLUDES REMOVING A LOAD-BEARING WALL so they can have an island...They have had to pay large architecture fees and will be putting in a gigantic steel beam. This whole thing will cost well over $100k. Meanwhile, despite them being worth over $2mil, my 63 year-old dad still works in a job he doesn't like and wonders when he will be able to retire!!!

jp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #95 on: December 19, 2012, 12:19:35 PM »
If you try to stay on the cutting edge of kitchen design, spending $100k is not that astounding.  It is stupid of course, unless you are already FI, but I would think it is pretty common.  Floors, countertops, cabinets, a fancy range hood, and lighting are all expensive items.  I bet if I just started selecting things for my kitchen, I could get to $100k pretty quick.  Then I would just have to justify it by saying it is only another $400 per month on top of my $3000 per month mortgage for 30 years.  And to have exactly what I want... well, there is no price you can put on that.

noob515

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #96 on: December 19, 2012, 01:30:57 PM »
Really?  I can't imagine how you could spend $100k on a kitchen, let alone how spending so much is common.  My parents moved a lot when I was growing up, and my mother always redid the kitchen asap (floors, cabinets, the whole deal).  But she did a LOT of baking, and was always entering cooking contests.  She had recipes published quite a few times, went to the Pillsbury Bakeoff in Disneyworld, and actually won an entire set of kitchen appliances once (right AFTER we redid a kitchen - so we sold the stuff she won).  Even then, my parents never spent anywhere close to $100k, and we had fairly large kitchens. 

I think it's fine to want a "nice" kitchen.  But you don't need to spend $100k for a nice kitchen.  Do you really need a Viking stove, when GE makes a stainless steel stove that does the same thing?  I think it's exactly what DoubleDown said - it's a status symbol to some people if they can brag about having bought the most expensive brand thing out there.

DoubleDown

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #97 on: December 19, 2012, 02:12:21 PM »
Yeah and nowadays they typically post pix on facebook showing off their expensive remodels and viking ovens! Funny thing is the contractors they hire for these super expensive remodels typically drive big, new, expensive V8 or v10 diesel trucks that probably cost $60k. Wonder what paid for that?

But they're not the ones actually on site doing the work. Often the guys doing the actual work are illegal aliens or unskilled laborers hired for about $100/day that know absolutely nothing about plumbing/etc., and end up doing crappy work anyhow. Son of a bitch, a bona fide murderer and illegal alien from Guatemala was arrested just last week in our area for a notorious stabbing death of a young woman, arrested while working at a million-dollar home construction site. I'm sure he was an expert roofer or plumber though (sarcasm).

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/233602/158/Julio-Blanco-Garcia-Vanessa-Pham-Stabbing-Death-Suspect-Arrested-For-Murder-Violated-Immigration-Law

I bet the contractors now publish pix on facebook of their new expensive trucks, secretly thanking the schmoe who paid for it with their $150k kitchen remodel!

jp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #98 on: December 19, 2012, 02:13:31 PM »
^^ oh don't get me wrong, I obviously think it is ridiculous.  But as this whole subforum exhibits, people spend obscene amounts of money on absurd things.  I was just saying that if I took the type of mindset that price was no object and overhauled my kitchen, I could hit $100k pretty easily I think without anything too out of the ordinary (like gold plated knobs).

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #99 on: December 20, 2012, 07:44:40 AM »
I could probably spend $40,000 on my kitchen, but even though I could, I never would!

In about 4 or 5 years, we want to redo our kitchen, and I'd like to have to the ceiling cabinets, but I'm struggling with the fact that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the oak cabinets in there right now, other than I don't like them.  Maybe I can find someone with a similar layout, who'd like to buy these ones from me?  If not, I'll likely just have them resurfaced/painted.