Ugh ugh and ARRRRGH!!!!
So, iknow i've been guilty of not keeping up on this thing. the reason i keep falling behind is that i have like 3 REALLY big things i wanted to post about, and i keep putting that off cause they'll be long and i want to do it justice. and cause i put that off, i don't put anything else up.
but now i want to vent about a few things. this last week has been some sort of weird hell week, or something.
monday at work, i get in & there's a problem in the cleaning room. nobody noticed except me. things were sent out with this problem. i know, cause i called them back. i found it right off. it did not fix. we had to shut it down. and i had to ARGUE about calling those parts back with the person left in charge. she kept saying "oh thats not much, they're not all like that" but it was a RESIDUE. they're supposed to be CLEAN. it wasn't a stain thats already been tested and shown as harmless. this was something else. and i had to argue with her about it. thankfully, the argument didn't last long. it was more that she was being hopeful i'd let it go.
tuesday saw the problem fixed and then jeanie and i spent the day playing catchup to what amounted as 2 shifts worth of stuff that had been sitting around waiting to go.
wednesday i was now on the floor and i was trying to set up for the days job and couldn't find something i needed. got talking to one of my co-workers about the problem and i had mentioned i had a solution in mind for it. i've had it for about 1 1/2 years to be frank, but never had the opportunity to implement it or discuss it with anyone other than noting to higher ups that i had it. he asks me to explain it. i do. he raises one point of difficulty. i explain how it wouldn't present a problem. i grab my stuff and try to get my job started. he then calls me and says 'come here'. and i'm like, 'can i get this job started at least?" i mean its the beginning of the shift, and i'm not going to stand around doing nothing and make our time longer for setup and make jeanie do all the work. we DO get watched.
finally he comes over and complains that my plan would NEVER work and we should do it X way. and i'm like, X way? C'mon....we've DONE that already. it's already been tried. and it failed. otherwise i would NEVER have had to come up with a new idea. but he's poo-pooing my idea for the stupidest of reasons while i'm basicaly clinging to the fact that WE'VE DONE HIS idea already and it DID NOT WORK.
so i'm completely frustrated cause he just won't listen. now i'm not saying my idea is a winner, but quite frankly, you don't do the same things and expect different results. isn't that the definition of crazy? I'm sitting there wondering if i should say anything to my boss, i don't want to be a complainer, but i'm really kinda...upset about it. it just seemed so unreasonable. and about an hour after we started work, *I* get called over by the boss.
to paraphrase she said, "I'm not yelling at you or anything, i understand what you're doing, but i'm just telling you this so you can advance here. we don't want to discourage new ideas and if people poo-poo other peoples ideas, then they won't bring them forward anymore. even if the idea has already been tried 10 years ago, it might work differently now because the company is different. we have to work in a team and see what everyone agrees to"
I wanted to slam my head into a brick wall. i really did. so he went and complained about me to her. he complained that i'm not a team player (thats pot calling kettle, first off. he is NOT a team player and NOBODY likes working with him) and he is the ONLY PERSON, and this is the ONLY TIME i've ever said "thats not going to work". i have ALWAYS written down or pursued other peoples ideas for improvements (i have been left in charge of this thing ugh!)and i have encouraged people to speak up.
and i feel i have a VERY good reason for saying "that wont' work" and i also feel that my version of the idea would leave no room for forgetting this step like his has and still does. yes, i'll still discuss it with folks before implementing anything, see if there are other variations but come ON!
so i nodded and went "okay fine" but i still don't agree with it. she has NO idea what the idea we want to talk about is. i feel if she had heard the whole thing (which she was in no mood to do) she might have smacked her own head with a "nikki's idea jsut MAKES MORE SENSE" kinda thing.
Later that night
some jobs go through with Serial Numbers. we have to match them up with the computer. we have now gotten line printers that will automatically synch up with the computer they are on. but we have had problems in the PAST with the test computers NOT MESHING UP with the database computers that save the file information from the test. we've always been required to doublecheck our S/N before we start our job, cross referencing from computer to computer. i don't see why the addition of printer directly connected to the test computer would suddenly mean we don't check the DATABASE computer. because apparently, thats what is happening.
so when i got on a job last night, i DID the double check. to make things simple - test computer tested as S/N 2 *and printed accordingly*, but the database computer saved it as S/N 1.
when i pointed this out, my partner and the lead person didn't seem to understand the problem. i tried to break it down really simply. if a customer wanted to check the data on a part labeled as s/n 2, they would really be getting data from the valve behind it because the database didn't match up. they were all ONE off. they decided it was a LAG affect on the computer. i tried to explain that the last time the job was tested was 2 weeks ago. there should BE NO LAG affect on that.S/N 1 was tested (according to test computer) and SHOULD HAVE BEEN in the database, but it was NOT. all that information in the file is date and timestamped. i ran one valve all night when i had checked for numbers. it showed that i had run one valve all night. it just showed it with the WRONG FRICKING NUMBER! how hard is that to understand?
but no, they thought it was a glitch so they made me run 4 more and then check. "look its fixed now!" they said. And i'm looking at the database. "no its not. that says we just ran 4 valves (which we did) and that we just saved the information for valve s/n 5. this label? says 6!!!"
"well, its not that big of a deal..." they said. "if you think its problem, why don't you call the technician? Or wake our boss up at home and ask her?" technician overhears and says "whats going on?" we explain and he looks at them like he couldn't believe he had to say it "Stop the job. DO NOT TEST." our lead person shrugs. "well whatever. i dunno. YOU can call our boss and ask her what to do. i'm not waking her up."
i didn't feel it was NECESSARY to call her. how hard is it to say "there is something wrong here. we will stop. we will leave a note on WHY we stopped." ?? but there it was. the person in charge was giving me grief about stopping the job, so i HAD to call the boss to get the final word on it. she seemed like "why are you asking me this?" as well as she told me "stop the job."
so we went to another line. similar setup. differnt test computer and printer, different job. started that. i checked it. SAME PROBLEM. i was ACTUALLY ASKED "so now what do we do?" What do we DO???? WE STOP THE FRICKING JOB! if it wasn't a good thing for the OTHER job, what makes it okay for THIS one???
Midnight
and then i get texts from my sister saying how her phone is being turned off and could i do her a favor? I'm sitting here thinking 'oh god, she wants me to add a phone to my plan. i can't do that." thankfully, my sister isn't that stupid, though she has often made me wonder.
no, she says mom went to buy, i dunno, boost minutes or something for her phone, but instead the cashier gave her a phone card. so she's asking me if she can give me the card towards my next bill (and how the hell do i put a card that you're supposed to use on any phone so you can make calls, not use as a credit card ONTO MY BILL??) and i can float her ten so she can keep her phone on...and all *I* can think is...why can't mom just take the card BACK to the store and exchange it for the proper one? but by the time i can answer, jess's phone is already turned off.
Today
we spent way too much on groceries, which caused me to be concerned about the cost of my 4th of july trip. rick questioned me on the price of tickets. i told him. he disbelieved. he went to look it up and said "am i on the right site? this says the fair doesn't open until the weekend after."
i looked. he was on the right site. so all my 4th of july plans have been busted. we had a date miscommunication with the friends we were going to stay with. they won't even be around that weekend, so we can't even just visit and skip the faire.
the date change didn't even occur to me since for 11 years i've been going to this fair off and on - but ALWAYS on the same weekend - 4th of july weekend. i've never known it to open later. EVER. but apparantly it does. which the planner on the other end knew. Now i made a note and i put the dates of my plan IN the note. i discussed it widely. and i tagged all those involved so they would not miss the note. but she never even noticed.
and i never noticed that her official invite had different dates on it. so i guess we're both to blame for that.
and that, my friends, has been my friggin' week.
but now i want to vent about a few things. this last week has been some sort of weird hell week, or something.
monday at work, i get in & there's a problem in the cleaning room. nobody noticed except me. things were sent out with this problem. i know, cause i called them back. i found it right off. it did not fix. we had to shut it down. and i had to ARGUE about calling those parts back with the person left in charge. she kept saying "oh thats not much, they're not all like that" but it was a RESIDUE. they're supposed to be CLEAN. it wasn't a stain thats already been tested and shown as harmless. this was something else. and i had to argue with her about it. thankfully, the argument didn't last long. it was more that she was being hopeful i'd let it go.
tuesday saw the problem fixed and then jeanie and i spent the day playing catchup to what amounted as 2 shifts worth of stuff that had been sitting around waiting to go.
wednesday i was now on the floor and i was trying to set up for the days job and couldn't find something i needed. got talking to one of my co-workers about the problem and i had mentioned i had a solution in mind for it. i've had it for about 1 1/2 years to be frank, but never had the opportunity to implement it or discuss it with anyone other than noting to higher ups that i had it. he asks me to explain it. i do. he raises one point of difficulty. i explain how it wouldn't present a problem. i grab my stuff and try to get my job started. he then calls me and says 'come here'. and i'm like, 'can i get this job started at least?" i mean its the beginning of the shift, and i'm not going to stand around doing nothing and make our time longer for setup and make jeanie do all the work. we DO get watched.
finally he comes over and complains that my plan would NEVER work and we should do it X way. and i'm like, X way? C'mon....we've DONE that already. it's already been tried. and it failed. otherwise i would NEVER have had to come up with a new idea. but he's poo-pooing my idea for the stupidest of reasons while i'm basicaly clinging to the fact that WE'VE DONE HIS idea already and it DID NOT WORK.
so i'm completely frustrated cause he just won't listen. now i'm not saying my idea is a winner, but quite frankly, you don't do the same things and expect different results. isn't that the definition of crazy? I'm sitting there wondering if i should say anything to my boss, i don't want to be a complainer, but i'm really kinda...upset about it. it just seemed so unreasonable. and about an hour after we started work, *I* get called over by the boss.
to paraphrase she said, "I'm not yelling at you or anything, i understand what you're doing, but i'm just telling you this so you can advance here. we don't want to discourage new ideas and if people poo-poo other peoples ideas, then they won't bring them forward anymore. even if the idea has already been tried 10 years ago, it might work differently now because the company is different. we have to work in a team and see what everyone agrees to"
I wanted to slam my head into a brick wall. i really did. so he went and complained about me to her. he complained that i'm not a team player (thats pot calling kettle, first off. he is NOT a team player and NOBODY likes working with him) and he is the ONLY PERSON, and this is the ONLY TIME i've ever said "thats not going to work". i have ALWAYS written down or pursued other peoples ideas for improvements (i have been left in charge of this thing ugh!)and i have encouraged people to speak up.
and i feel i have a VERY good reason for saying "that wont' work" and i also feel that my version of the idea would leave no room for forgetting this step like his has and still does. yes, i'll still discuss it with folks before implementing anything, see if there are other variations but come ON!
so i nodded and went "okay fine" but i still don't agree with it. she has NO idea what the idea we want to talk about is. i feel if she had heard the whole thing (which she was in no mood to do) she might have smacked her own head with a "nikki's idea jsut MAKES MORE SENSE" kinda thing.
Later that night
some jobs go through with Serial Numbers. we have to match them up with the computer. we have now gotten line printers that will automatically synch up with the computer they are on. but we have had problems in the PAST with the test computers NOT MESHING UP with the database computers that save the file information from the test. we've always been required to doublecheck our S/N before we start our job, cross referencing from computer to computer. i don't see why the addition of printer directly connected to the test computer would suddenly mean we don't check the DATABASE computer. because apparently, thats what is happening.
so when i got on a job last night, i DID the double check. to make things simple - test computer tested as S/N 2 *and printed accordingly*, but the database computer saved it as S/N 1.
when i pointed this out, my partner and the lead person didn't seem to understand the problem. i tried to break it down really simply. if a customer wanted to check the data on a part labeled as s/n 2, they would really be getting data from the valve behind it because the database didn't match up. they were all ONE off. they decided it was a LAG affect on the computer. i tried to explain that the last time the job was tested was 2 weeks ago. there should BE NO LAG affect on that.S/N 1 was tested (according to test computer) and SHOULD HAVE BEEN in the database, but it was NOT. all that information in the file is date and timestamped. i ran one valve all night when i had checked for numbers. it showed that i had run one valve all night. it just showed it with the WRONG FRICKING NUMBER! how hard is that to understand?
but no, they thought it was a glitch so they made me run 4 more and then check. "look its fixed now!" they said. And i'm looking at the database. "no its not. that says we just ran 4 valves (which we did) and that we just saved the information for valve s/n 5. this label? says 6!!!"
"well, its not that big of a deal..." they said. "if you think its problem, why don't you call the technician? Or wake our boss up at home and ask her?" technician overhears and says "whats going on?" we explain and he looks at them like he couldn't believe he had to say it "Stop the job. DO NOT TEST." our lead person shrugs. "well whatever. i dunno. YOU can call our boss and ask her what to do. i'm not waking her up."
i didn't feel it was NECESSARY to call her. how hard is it to say "there is something wrong here. we will stop. we will leave a note on WHY we stopped." ?? but there it was. the person in charge was giving me grief about stopping the job, so i HAD to call the boss to get the final word on it. she seemed like "why are you asking me this?" as well as she told me "stop the job."
so we went to another line. similar setup. differnt test computer and printer, different job. started that. i checked it. SAME PROBLEM. i was ACTUALLY ASKED "so now what do we do?" What do we DO???? WE STOP THE FRICKING JOB! if it wasn't a good thing for the OTHER job, what makes it okay for THIS one???
Midnight
and then i get texts from my sister saying how her phone is being turned off and could i do her a favor? I'm sitting here thinking 'oh god, she wants me to add a phone to my plan. i can't do that." thankfully, my sister isn't that stupid, though she has often made me wonder.
no, she says mom went to buy, i dunno, boost minutes or something for her phone, but instead the cashier gave her a phone card. so she's asking me if she can give me the card towards my next bill (and how the hell do i put a card that you're supposed to use on any phone so you can make calls, not use as a credit card ONTO MY BILL??) and i can float her ten so she can keep her phone on...and all *I* can think is...why can't mom just take the card BACK to the store and exchange it for the proper one? but by the time i can answer, jess's phone is already turned off.
Today
we spent way too much on groceries, which caused me to be concerned about the cost of my 4th of july trip. rick questioned me on the price of tickets. i told him. he disbelieved. he went to look it up and said "am i on the right site? this says the fair doesn't open until the weekend after."
i looked. he was on the right site. so all my 4th of july plans have been busted. we had a date miscommunication with the friends we were going to stay with. they won't even be around that weekend, so we can't even just visit and skip the faire.
the date change didn't even occur to me since for 11 years i've been going to this fair off and on - but ALWAYS on the same weekend - 4th of july weekend. i've never known it to open later. EVER. but apparantly it does. which the planner on the other end knew. Now i made a note and i put the dates of my plan IN the note. i discussed it widely. and i tagged all those involved so they would not miss the note. but she never even noticed.
and i never noticed that her official invite had different dates on it. so i guess we're both to blame for that.
and that, my friends, has been my friggin' week.