Don't Be Petty, Tom

I have a zero tolerance attitude toward petty bullshit. Whenever someone is all freaked out about something that to me, seems unimporant, I look at that person confused. It is a sure sign that they live a charmed life so much so, that the fact that they think I left for lunch 15 minutes early becomes akin to me dropping the bomb on Hiroshima.

Last Friday was my boss's day off. But my boss has not life so she was here signing things and meeting with people. I had gone to lunch at 11:20 and she wasn't here yet. When I got back there was an email to myself, and my two co-workers she had sent at 11:40 saying, "Where are all you guys?" I didn't understand this as she has all our phone numbers and the logical thing to do if she really needed us, would be to call or text us. So I got back to a note on my computer that I was to tell my co-worker when I got back. So I did. Then, when my boss returned I asked, "Did you need me for something?" She said yes, and proceeded to ask where I had been. I told her I was at lunch. She then went on to say she came in at 11 and I wasn't here. I told her she was mistaken, but perhaps I had been away from my desk when she came in. She repeated herself several times while I told her again that I hadn't left for lunch at 11. I was biting back, "If I left at 11, I'd tell you I left at 11. If you are going to write me up or this is a verbal warning please let me know so I can figure out how quickly I need to find another job and get away from your toxic ass."

What was readily apparent to me is this had nothing to do with logic, or her having needed me to do something, and everything to do with her just wanting to be upset because she came in and there weren't 5 people falling at her feet to hear whatever she needed right away. It made no sense to me, and it made me realize that I need to get more proactive in seeking a promotion elsewhere.

You see, I can stay close-lipped for a pretty long amount of time when it comes to a work environment. I can smile and nod, and totally let things roll off of my shoulders for longer than would seem humanly possible, before I reach that place where my patience has been worn thin like the edge of a baby blanket, and I tell you exactly how I feel.

I'm not good at lying, and faking nice. When someone asks, "How are you?" I don't give the usual, "Fine." I tell them how I really am. I figure if they don't want to know, they'll learn to ask the real question or not ask me how I feel at all. I always say, "Good morning" or something similar. Because unless I give a shit how you really are doing, I don't ask. I fake nice at work because it's a necessary evil. But there are times when I have to look around for a hidden camera, because I think someone is being so ridiculous there's no way in hell that it isn't some elaborate ruse.

The only way I'm able to keep my calm when someone is being particularly strange about something unimportant is to realize they are blessed. Sweating the small stuff is a luxury afforded to the people who don't have any real stuff to worry about. I have enough of that and then some. So instead of getting mad at them for being so lucky, I try and think of it like, "They haven't had to go through a ton of shit in life, so to them, this IS the shit." That really doesn't work all that much, but hey, I try.

Happy picture of the day: this is a picture my friend and I got a few years back. I'm a vulcan and she is a jedi (obviously). We laughed while it was being done 'cause the artist was super creepy and said stuff like, "Look at me. No, look like you're looking right through me" and it was all we could do not to lose it while he was drawing. Christina noticed my symbol was upside down on my shirt. She totally won the nerd contest that day.