Squished you, Peasanty!

Ok; I'm going to be self-indulgent. I've had a whole day chock-full of Stupid. First, at Eviljob: I had to go listen to someone talk about something. Being too descriptive about the Something would probably be way too identifiable, because it is something that is kind of like a final job interview--basically, this one person is about to go get sent off to Parts Unknown--maybe--and has to prove that she knows her shit. So a group of us have to go act like a class, basically. And that's like a final exam; after, we rate her and give feedback and The Powers That Be compile all of the ratings and feedback, decide if he or she (in this case a she) goes, and makes the ratings and feedback available for a coaching-type thing.

Usually, these go pretty ok. They're good because in theory, if you want to get loaded up in the slingshot we keep out back and hurled recklessly above the towering pines with your suitcase in one hand and handouts in the other, you'll learn your stuff, learn how to explain it well, figure out how to adhere to the outline and make it seem spontaneous, how to deal with glitches that will come up with no warning (we don't plan them, this isn't some Beat the Plebe exercise), and all of that. Of course, if you really don't want to go, then you can always just fuck this part up and you won't have to worry about it anymore. As far as I know, that has only happened one time, and it was pretty funny.

Butsoanyway.

The lady who was doing it today I frankly am not fond of. She's ok. That's it. In my opinion, she talks out of her ass too much, seems to have a problem admitting when she doesn't know something, and misunderstands things that (in my world) should be crystal-clear in your mind because they're fundamental. In short, I think she's a little egotistical, and a sloppy, lazy thinker. That doesn't mean she's Evil, just that I think she's in the wrong job. When you are in charge of explaining something to someone else, you have to leave your ego out of it, and do your best to arm that person to go conquor the world. You're all they have in some cases, and if you let your little issues interfere, then you are not only making yourself look like shit, but you're betraying them. And that makes you Scum.

Butsoanyway.

So I came in, and decided to sit by Gino rather than my manager, because my manager spends too much time watching the people around her, and it makes me self-conscious. Plus, Managerwoman was sitting up front, and Gino was sitting in back. Most of the other seats were taken, and the others that were available I thought might not work out. :-) I don't need to get busted passing notes or whispering. ;-) If Gino didn't have an image to maintain, he'd be the worst probably, but...anyhow...

Problem number one came up when Missykins tried to define one aspect of the Something. For whatever reason, she'd taken it upon herself to invent her own unique definition--not just personalise the provided definition in the leader's materials. Which is okay, as long as whatever you make up is *correct*.

We discovered that Missykins has a problem comprehending subsets. Sigh. Needless to say, because of this problem, Missykins has a much *bigger* problem explaining a subset relationship. It went something like this: "There are many different flavours of apples (yes, she decided to use "flavour"--not "type", "kind", or anything else that would be clearly understood). For example, a Granny Smith is not an apple. So if I ask you for an apple, you would have to ask me if I want a Granny Smith. [Ed. Note: HUH?!?!?] So it is important to know that of all the possible flavours of Granny Smiths (sic), I have to say Granny Smith because otherwise, I'm not just talking about apples."

Our example said nothing about "flavour", nothing about apples. And if you are compelled to offer up such an example, considering that an apple is something that can be tasted, you might want to steer clear of using "flavour". I mean, you're speaking to masses here. Think Lowest Common Denominator. Yes, there will be *someone* who misunderstands you, and thinks that (I don't know...something crazy...) we're only talking about things that can be tasted, or something. This is not a place for cute idiosyncrasies.

And yes, in my casual speaking, I will call something I like "Ancodia-flavoured", or for example, something that reminds me of (or is like) Squooshable as "Squoosh-flavoured", or something like that. I am capable of understanding flavour=type or kind. But not everyone is; this has to be accessible to the proverbial man on the street, and some of those men on the street are *very* literal-minded. Or think you're trying to act "cute". So that was my first problem.

Then, she messed up her example, and didn't even notice. And of course, she didn't correct it. Plus, she made the statement "...a Granny Smith is not an apple." Ummm...yes, it is. All day, even if it rains. You're only compounding the misunderstandings at this point, and we're not even ten minutes out of the gate. Subsets. Learn them. All Granny Smiths are apples, but not all apples are Granny Smiths. It's not *that* complicated.

I could detail everything else, but it would take too long. Gino kept me sane by letting me dig my nails into his arm when the urge to scream became too strong. What a waste of time. Of course I put this all into the review, and am sure enough others did, too. :-) I set my review on "burninate". She'll either clean it up, or they'll use someone else; someone else went this afternoon but I was gone by then, and there's at least one other someone else tomorrow.

Sigh.

And then, after I left Eviljob, I had another meeting about the RCMP stuff. That was just an exercise in stupid. Well, mostly. It had a few good parts. But some really dumb ones, too. I should probably not go into them, although I'm dying to. If I covered everything that happened, it'd be boring, I'd sound petty, and well... I'm still lying in wait to see what happens. Something's up there.

But I got to squish Sophie. :-D There. And richly-deserved, may I add. And then later, Doogie burninated her. Hee-hee. :-) This is the best job I ever played!

Tomorrow after Eviljob, I'm going to the mall with Nurse Betty. Nurse Betty's probably my best friend, at least in this state. I don't get to see Betty often, 'cos she lives almost two hours away from me. What's funny is that, in general, I'm not the biggest fan that nurses have ever had. But Nurse Betty's a good one; she knows her stuff, understands that Frustrating People Happen, and is intelligent enough to work independently and use her own judgement when appropriate. I keep telling her she should go into Admin. :-) Or teaching. She probably eventually will; I think it's just a matter of time until she figures out that she's as smart--if not smarter--than damn near every Supervisor and Admin person she runs into. Nurse Betty doesn't think enough of herself. I don't tell her all this as such, though; that would be rude. But it's also true.

So if I'm going to frolic in the mall all afternoon, I'd better get some sleep or I'll be testy. :-)

A squisha squisha!