The Virgin Review

Since I moved to this great city, I've encountered (among the many likes and loves) several dislikes and hates.  This tends to be one of those little nit-picky things that sits on the back-burner until I'm so pissed off one day that it becomes the biggest problem in my life.

Yesterday was just such a day.  As I got on the subway at 4th street/Ave. of the Americas, I saw it.  It was that pretty turquoise bag from Tiffany & Company, accompanied by a purse/work tote, in the gentle hand of New Yorker. 

Why does this bother me so?

Well, I find it amusing when people carry their lunch in 'chic' shopping bags.  We buy groceries in grocery bags, so why do we put groceries in shopping bags that make everyone aware that once upon a time we bought something at an expensive store.  Please…

If you can afford a wine glass from Tiffany's, you can afford a bag big enough to carry your lunch and work stuff.  If you can't afford a real lunch box, carry your food like the rest of us…in a grocery bag, the way you bought it. 

As you will come to see, most of the things under this category will be concerning work.  Now, I hate to be that person who bitches non-stop about work, because I actually really like my job and enjoy it quite thoroughly.  I have found that it isn’t the job that I hate, but the people.  Not all the people, but those people, the ones who would ruin the work experience no matter where they were or what they were doing. 

Let me digress.  I think that email is a great addition to the work environment, it speeds things up, it helps to keep record of conversations…it’s SPEEDS things up.  But, it also makes people, rude, obnoxious, and bold.  I have found that people get very testy over email; even my boss finds it necessary to reprimand me over the net, which is so frustrating.  But, it is colleagues who really piss me off.  Herewith attached one such e-cat-fight:

Me: “Hi [name] – can you order text files (in word) for [company’s email].  They need chapters 21 and 22.  Please cc me.”

Colleague: “Since I've been cc'ing you on my requests for quite some time, I'm a bit confused with why you keep telling me to cc you.  When you say cc me, are you talking about cc'ing when I order the files or do you actually want to receive the files as well?” 

Seriously?  It really bothers her that I remind her to cc me.  I mean it's my time I am wasting with the additional typing.  I don’t understand?  If I didn’t ask her to cc me and she didn’t, whose fault would it be?  Mine.  So, why would I risk it? 

Me: “No, I don't need the files; the way you've been doing it is fine.  It's just habit because I find that with some people, if I don't ask, won't cc me and then I can't track anything.  I'll stop if it bothers you.

"Please note the modest, "I'll stop if it bothers you."  Ha!  Let's see who can be cattiest.

I hate it when my boss asks me to do something prefacing with a statement like, "I really hate to ask you to do this" or "I'd do it myself, but I'm just…so crazed."  Really?  I mean, I'm going to have to do it, whether it makes you feel bad or, God forbid, I want to and if you "hate to ask" than don't.  Other classic favor charmers are "Will you do me the biggest favor?" – the blunder here, being the actual question, because we all know this isn't a question and "I know this isn't your job, but…"  I love my boss, don't get me wrong, but come one… 

Oh and my response to input in the ladder, "You're so crazed?"