(no subject)
I found this hiding in my work computer. I've been cleaning it out - Word has been going around that they are laying people off so I'm just making sure I leave nothing behind ;o) Anyway enjoy - It's my rant from about a year ago.
People are so arrogant. I work at a newspaper. Now this is a big freaking company. Were talking 400ish employees, several departments. I’m not going to memorize everyone and really who could blame me? Today I received a call asking for Mike Henning*. The name is somewhat familiar so I quickly ask
“Is he a reporter?”
The woman on the other side says “You don’t even know?” and laughs.
(Ya know cause yes isn’t sufficient. I continue to flip through trying to find his name on the employee listing)
“How can you not know?”
“Well we have over 400 employee’s here I don’t know everyone. That is why I asked if he was a reporter. That would make my search much quicker.”
(I pause waiting for her to take the hint of tell me the damn department he is in. She simply scoffs.) “So if you could tell me that information this would go quicker.”
“Can you just get me someone who know’s the employee’s there?”
“Oh ma’am I found Mike. He is a reporter however he doesn’t work in our building you are going to have to call 555.1212 to talk to him”
She hangs up. No thanks nothing. So I thought about it and it occurred to me she had no idea who she was calling for. Otherwise she would have just answered. Also the moron called advertising, not the damn news room. Hence how she got me. So ya know what lady?? ..i..
This happened earlier this month with another reporter. Do people think they are like celebrities or something? Course I was never really good with celebrities, I don’t care much or what new thing Britney is trying to do to lose her kids. Or Angelina’s new adoption. But it’s kind of funny when I tell someone where I work and they always almost ask me “Do you work with *insert random reporters name here*?” With such excitement. What’s the big deal?
Anyway I have more ranting on people. Some woman got her picture taken. Now to publish your picture in the paper you have to give us consent. That is kind of a given to avoid law suits ya know? So she calls advertising (apparently people in my county are kinda stupid when it comes to reading, why do they subscribe to the newspaper?) and is almost crying and talks to one of our temps. The temp sends her off to the newsroom and then comes over to me a little concerned if she did the right thing, so she told me the story. Woman got her picture taken. Says she looks like she weighs 300lbs and wants an apology and wants us to retake pictures of her, this time more on the flattering side. She said the pictures destroyed her life. People at work make fun of her and walking down the street people point and laugh. Really… come on… if your large and you can’t accept it then don’t take pictures. Hell… The article was about a group of people who exercise in the park. How did we all the sudden destroy your life? Okay well I figured meh, Newsroom took care of her and that’s that. A couple of days pass and my phone rings.
“Advertising”
(Screams of crying into my ear - Awesome)
“I’m upset!”
“I’m sorry, what’s the matter?”
“I want the manager!” (I have 4 in my department)
“To better assist you in talking with the right manager can you tell me the problem?”
“NO!”
“Okay then which manager?”
“Just the manager”
“…Advertising manager?”
“NO!”
“Ma’am if you don’t tell me I have no idea which manager you should speak with. To avoid having you transfer all over it would help if you gave me a little direction.”
“ I don’t have to tell you anything!”
“That is no problem, I’m just trying to get you headed to the right area. I’ll send you to the classified manager and you can go from there. Is that ok?”
“What the hell would I do with the classified manager?? I want a manager now!”
(okay wtf…)
“Ma’am which manager then?”
“The newspaper manager.”
“One moment please.” So I send her off to the press manager. I’ll admit I just wanted to get rid of her at this point.
“Advertising”
“I WANT A DAMN MANAGER NOW!”
(Aw hell it’s her again.)
“To assist you better it would help if you would let me know the basic’s of the problem so that I can get you to the correct manager.”
“You have no damn business knowing. I want the newspaper manager.”
“Well I sent you to him.”
“That’s the wrong one!”
(at this point I think she realized how bloody stupid she sounded…)
“I got my picture taken in the newspaper and it made me look like I was 300lbs and I demand you retake the pictures and I want a public apology now!”
“Okay that would be something the newsroom deals with let me get you that manager. One moment ma’am.”
“Don’t send me to the guy I talked to last time.”
“That’s no problem who was it so I know who to avoid?”
“I don’t know.”
“… Well.. Does Ralph Pokensi* sound familiar?
“No”
“Okay I’ll transfer you to him.”
I guess all went well cause she didn’t call back.
Two days later I was asked to cover for the switchboard while she ran something to the back. NP. I sat down at her desk and spun in the chair a few times and her phone rings.
“Thank you for calling, how may I direct your call?”
(Bawling and whimpers is all I hear.)
“Hello? Are you okay?” (I figured it was an obituary)
“You took a picture of me and it’s destroying my life! I demand an apology!”
(What are the fucking odd’s dude? Seriously…)
“ Ma’am I’m sorry. Give me a moment and I’m going to get you the newsroom editor.”
I send her off and the switchboard comes back. I tell her I couldn’t believe how the hell that happened. And I continued on upstairs to drop some papers off. I head back down stairs and pass the switchboard again and her phone is ringing. To help her out I pick it up.
“Thank you for calling, How may I direct your call?”
“I need to talk to a manager. And not the news manager *shrieks* he called me an ugly pig. And that my whore ass should just deal with it.” (Sobs hard).
(Wow seriously… what the fuck did I do. Someone is laughing their ass off right now.)
“Wow ma’am I’m sorry. Do you know who said that?!” (I was seriously stunned. No manager would say something like that… no matter how frustrated they were.)
“No…(and she goes to the point where I can’t understand her mumbling in her tears.)”
“Ma’am I’m sorry but I really don’t know who else I can send you too at this point. I sent you to the highest person in the newsroom.”
(Now we are not supposed to direct any calls to the publisher unless they are really important. Generally this is where I would connect her to the publisher’s assistant, but she was on vacation. I decide to call the publisher first and see what he would like.)
“Ma’am give me a moment I’m going to try to find someone that can take care of you. It might take a little but stay on the line ok?”
“Yes”
I call the publisher and explain all the history on this woman. He is appalled at the story and a tad miffed. I felt bad because usually his assistant can take care of these kinds of customers but really what else could be done? He told me to send her up, and I did. It’s been a month since I last heard from her.
People are so arrogant. I work at a newspaper. Now this is a big freaking company. Were talking 400ish employees, several departments. I’m not going to memorize everyone and really who could blame me? Today I received a call asking for Mike Henning*. The name is somewhat familiar so I quickly ask
“Is he a reporter?”
The woman on the other side says “You don’t even know?” and laughs.
(Ya know cause yes isn’t sufficient. I continue to flip through trying to find his name on the employee listing)
“How can you not know?”
“Well we have over 400 employee’s here I don’t know everyone. That is why I asked if he was a reporter. That would make my search much quicker.”
(I pause waiting for her to take the hint of tell me the damn department he is in. She simply scoffs.) “So if you could tell me that information this would go quicker.”
“Can you just get me someone who know’s the employee’s there?”
“Oh ma’am I found Mike. He is a reporter however he doesn’t work in our building you are going to have to call 555.1212 to talk to him”
She hangs up. No thanks nothing. So I thought about it and it occurred to me she had no idea who she was calling for. Otherwise she would have just answered. Also the moron called advertising, not the damn news room. Hence how she got me. So ya know what lady?? ..i..
This happened earlier this month with another reporter. Do people think they are like celebrities or something? Course I was never really good with celebrities, I don’t care much or what new thing Britney is trying to do to lose her kids. Or Angelina’s new adoption. But it’s kind of funny when I tell someone where I work and they always almost ask me “Do you work with *insert random reporters name here*?” With such excitement. What’s the big deal?
Anyway I have more ranting on people. Some woman got her picture taken. Now to publish your picture in the paper you have to give us consent. That is kind of a given to avoid law suits ya know? So she calls advertising (apparently people in my county are kinda stupid when it comes to reading, why do they subscribe to the newspaper?) and is almost crying and talks to one of our temps. The temp sends her off to the newsroom and then comes over to me a little concerned if she did the right thing, so she told me the story. Woman got her picture taken. Says she looks like she weighs 300lbs and wants an apology and wants us to retake pictures of her, this time more on the flattering side. She said the pictures destroyed her life. People at work make fun of her and walking down the street people point and laugh. Really… come on… if your large and you can’t accept it then don’t take pictures. Hell… The article was about a group of people who exercise in the park. How did we all the sudden destroy your life? Okay well I figured meh, Newsroom took care of her and that’s that. A couple of days pass and my phone rings.
“Advertising”
(Screams of crying into my ear - Awesome)
“I’m upset!”
“I’m sorry, what’s the matter?”
“I want the manager!” (I have 4 in my department)
“To better assist you in talking with the right manager can you tell me the problem?”
“NO!”
“Okay then which manager?”
“Just the manager”
“…Advertising manager?”
“NO!”
“Ma’am if you don’t tell me I have no idea which manager you should speak with. To avoid having you transfer all over it would help if you gave me a little direction.”
“ I don’t have to tell you anything!”
“That is no problem, I’m just trying to get you headed to the right area. I’ll send you to the classified manager and you can go from there. Is that ok?”
“What the hell would I do with the classified manager?? I want a manager now!”
(okay wtf…)
“Ma’am which manager then?”
“The newspaper manager.”
“One moment please.” So I send her off to the press manager. I’ll admit I just wanted to get rid of her at this point.
“Advertising”
“I WANT A DAMN MANAGER NOW!”
(Aw hell it’s her again.)
“To assist you better it would help if you would let me know the basic’s of the problem so that I can get you to the correct manager.”
“You have no damn business knowing. I want the newspaper manager.”
“Well I sent you to him.”
“That’s the wrong one!”
(at this point I think she realized how bloody stupid she sounded…)
“I got my picture taken in the newspaper and it made me look like I was 300lbs and I demand you retake the pictures and I want a public apology now!”
“Okay that would be something the newsroom deals with let me get you that manager. One moment ma’am.”
“Don’t send me to the guy I talked to last time.”
“That’s no problem who was it so I know who to avoid?”
“I don’t know.”
“… Well.. Does Ralph Pokensi* sound familiar?
“No”
“Okay I’ll transfer you to him.”
I guess all went well cause she didn’t call back.
Two days later I was asked to cover for the switchboard while she ran something to the back. NP. I sat down at her desk and spun in the chair a few times and her phone rings.
“Thank you for calling, how may I direct your call?”
(Bawling and whimpers is all I hear.)
“Hello? Are you okay?” (I figured it was an obituary)
“You took a picture of me and it’s destroying my life! I demand an apology!”
(What are the fucking odd’s dude? Seriously…)
“ Ma’am I’m sorry. Give me a moment and I’m going to get you the newsroom editor.”
I send her off and the switchboard comes back. I tell her I couldn’t believe how the hell that happened. And I continued on upstairs to drop some papers off. I head back down stairs and pass the switchboard again and her phone is ringing. To help her out I pick it up.
“Thank you for calling, How may I direct your call?”
“I need to talk to a manager. And not the news manager *shrieks* he called me an ugly pig. And that my whore ass should just deal with it.” (Sobs hard).
(Wow seriously… what the fuck did I do. Someone is laughing their ass off right now.)
“Wow ma’am I’m sorry. Do you know who said that?!” (I was seriously stunned. No manager would say something like that… no matter how frustrated they were.)
“No…(and she goes to the point where I can’t understand her mumbling in her tears.)”
“Ma’am I’m sorry but I really don’t know who else I can send you too at this point. I sent you to the highest person in the newsroom.”
(Now we are not supposed to direct any calls to the publisher unless they are really important. Generally this is where I would connect her to the publisher’s assistant, but she was on vacation. I decide to call the publisher first and see what he would like.)
“Ma’am give me a moment I’m going to try to find someone that can take care of you. It might take a little but stay on the line ok?”
“Yes”
I call the publisher and explain all the history on this woman. He is appalled at the story and a tad miffed. I felt bad because usually his assistant can take care of these kinds of customers but really what else could be done? He told me to send her up, and I did. It’s been a month since I last heard from her.