Venting Thread- Vent about anything.

[spectastic]

wondering how the hell I'm going to replace a motorcycle engine in the freaking apartment parking lot..

[shadowclaw]

In the middle of a heat wave with no ac... I'm pretty much melting right now

[spectastic]

disqualified from bike race for arriving late, even though I won two intermediate sprints and got 5th place...

silver lining: won another intermediate sprint in the pro race and sharing prize of tequilla with a chica after hiking/swimming 

Edited July 29, 2016 by spectastic

[TenaciousBushLeaper]

We are suppose to have this really nice computing cluster that's suppose to facilitate research, but really for more than half of 2016 it's been complete crap! How in the **** *** ******** universe does  a cluster this size get back up by a mere 300 jobs scheduled !?!?! ARRRGGGGGGGGH

Edited August 8, 2016 by TenaciousBushLeaper

[themmases]

Don't worry about responding, I just really need to get this out...

Today I am going home and firing a friend as a freelance client.

One of my best friends from a former job, and a manager from that job, started an editing company after I left. I have been doing some work for them for extra money and today my friend gchatted me at work to ask when I would be finished with something. I told her and I guess she didn't like that answer because she immediately started a new chat with the company owner who started telling me about a super-short turnaround time they had promised the client and never told me about. Not only was there no apology, they acted like I had done something wrong for proposing a longer timeline and lectured me about how important this client is to them. They already approved a longer timeline that I proposed after they told me in writing that there was no hard deadline, but today they acted like we had never discussed the timeline before at all. I told them I am in the middle of moving, and got a condescending response from the owner and pressure to return the project even faster.

I am also starting to feel like the whole thing is just shady. I signed on to do editing for authors whose first language isn't English, and to give advice and critique analysis plans. But this assignment is basically to ghostwrite their intro and discussion, and do their literature review for them. They also don't seem to get that it wasn't OK to contact me at work, or to treat me like their employee when I am just a freelancer. Based on the times that the company owner contacts me, I am pretty sure she is conducting company business while she is at her own main job. I don't think that's acceptable to do, and am really angry that I was put in that position today when I thought I was answering a quick question from a friend.

Normally for a friend-- or anyone really-- I would finish the job and just not accept future work. However in this case I think I just need to turn over the work I've done so far and quit. I believe the least I can do after getting roped into side job talk at work is to not profit any more from the side job (and make up the time obviously). I basically can't meet their deadline anyway. I basically got nothing done today because I was so mad. And I'm extra mad thinking about how I will look bad for abruptly quitting, when it's their project and behavior that are inappropriate.

My contact is one of my best friends and was awesome at the job I met her at... I have no idea where all of this even came from or why she thought it was OK to facilitate. Never working with or for a friend again.

 

Edited August 8, 2016 by themmases

[spectastic]

On 8/8/2016 at 5:02 PM, themmases said:

Don't worry about responding, I just really need to get this out...

Today I am going home and firing a friend as a freelance client.

One of my best friends from a former job, and a manager from that job, started an editing company after I left. I have been doing some work for them for extra money and today my friend gchatted me at work to ask when I would be finished with something. I told her and I guess she didn't like that answer because she immediately started a new chat with the company owner who started telling me about a super-short turnaround time they had promised the client and never told me about. Not only was there no apology, they acted like I had done something wrong for proposing a longer timeline and lectured me about how important this client is to them. They already approved a longer timeline that I proposed after they told me in writing that there was no hard deadline, but today they acted like we had never discussed the timeline before at all. I told them I am in the middle of moving, and got a condescending response from the owner and pressure to return the project even faster.

I am also starting to feel like the whole thing is just shady. I signed on to do editing for authors whose first language isn't English, and to give advice and critique analysis plans. But this assignment is basically to ghostwrite their intro and discussion, and do their literature review for them. They also don't seem to get that it wasn't OK to contact me at work, or to treat me like their employee when I am just a freelancer. Based on the times that the company owner contacts me, I am pretty sure she is conducting company business while she is at her own main job. I don't think that's acceptable to do, and am really angry that I was put in that position today when I thought I was answering a quick question from a friend.

Normally for a friend-- or anyone really-- I would finish the job and just not accept future work. However in this case I think I just need to turn over the work I've done so far and quit. I believe the least I can do after getting roped into side job talk at work is to not profit any more from the side job (and make up the time obviously). I basically can't meet their deadline anyway. I basically got nothing done today because I was so mad. And I'm extra mad thinking about how I will look bad for abruptly quitting, when it's their project and behavior that are inappropriate.

My contact is one of my best friends and was awesome at the job I met her at... I have no idea where all of this even came from or why she thought it was OK to facilitate. Never working with or for a friend again.

 

it's a startup that's strapped for cash, with a lot on the line to impress its first round of clients. I imagine they're under a lot more pressure than they're giving you. that's what I interpret from what you describe anyway.

[themmases]

12 hours ago, spectastic said:

it's a startup that's strapped for cash, with a lot on the line to impress its first round of clients. I imagine they're under a lot more pressure than they're giving you. that's what I interpret from what you describe anyway.

...OK? It was their choice to take a contract for ghostwriting, which I didn't know when I accepted what I thought was an editing job. Feeling pressure to complete it doesn't make it OK to take advantage of our friendship and demand that I drop work at my assistantship. I asked them about the deadline for this project multiple times and they responded in writing to say there wasn't one and that my longer proposed timeline was fine. Then all of a sudden they're contacting me urgently at work, acting like we never made that agreement, and treating me as though I was refusing to return the project on time.

 

Working on your side project while you're on the clock at your day job is incredibly unethical and a firing offense basically everywhere. It's none of my business if someone I don't work with anymore wants to operate that way, I guess, but it's incredibly crappy to make me part of that too. "Startup" isn't some magic word that turns unethical behavior OK.

 

Also, this is far from their first round of clients. They've been accepting legitimate editing jobs for over a year.

Edited August 10, 2016 by themmases

[spectastic]

then nevermind

[Puffer Fish]

A very old post (3+ years) is making the rounds again on the meme parts of the internet and it has my office's phone number on it. I keep getting SO many spam phone calls in regards to what the image has in it, that it's making me want to throw my phone out the front door and to heck with the real customers!! But I now know where the problematic post is and what it's referencing so I can at least answer the jokesters in a legit way now...

Edited August 11, 2016 by Puffer Fish

[Cheshire_Cat]

First of all, my sister left her dog with me for a week so that she could go sign an apartment in a different city.  It has now been two weeks, and I can't do it anymore.  ( I didn't want to do it for the first week, but she had been living on the couch for so long that I figured this would be the fastest way to get rid of her)  I live in a tiny apartment, and I have a dog and cat of my own.  Her dog is a lab, and mine is a boxer lab mix.  Having two big dogs in an apartment is a disaster.  Her dog is 1 & 1/2 years old and destroys anything left out if he's home for a while by himself.  And he isn't house trained well enough to not have accidents in the house if I leave him for too long.  Which is pretty hard since I live 30-45 minuites from school.  Also, taking two dogs out to go potty is a lot harder than taking one.  Either I take each out individually, which takes twice as long, or I take them both out together, in which case I have two huge dogs on a leash, and I can't control them.  It is twice as much poo to clean up, and I already hate cleaning up poo.  Today, my dog didn't even get a chance to go poo because my sister's dog got off leash and went missing.  So I'm constantly cleaning up dog crap and cleaning up things her dog has destroyed, and hiding the trash can so he can't get in it.  And I live in a tiny apartment.  

Oh, and I room with my brother, but he doesn't do anything to help.  He cooks food and doesn't clean up after himself unless I yell at him repeatedly to do so, and then he does a crappy job of it.  He doesn't pay his rent on time, and does stupid stuff that I have to rescue him from all the time.  And one of my pet peaves is cooking smelly food.  I come home last night, and the house smells like someone just fried something and it burnt really bad.  Why?  Because he wanted to make FUCKING POTATO CHIPS!!  You heard me right.  He caused a huge stink for something you could literally buy at the store for less than a dollar.  And my apartment still smells burnt.

I am tired of taking care of other people's shit.  I can barely take care of myself, and I feel like everyone else relies on me without even being grateful I am there.  My sis at least says thanks, but before she  left to find an apartment, she had been living on my couch for almost a year.  She should be grateful!!  My brother acts like it is my job to clean up after his messes and if I even ask him to help or scold him for doing something wrong then I'm being the fucking unreasonable one.  

All this, and I have to teach two classes while I am taking 4/5 of my own.  I don't have time to take care of myself, much less anyone else.  I need someone to take care of me, not the other way around.  

Oh, and kicking my brother out isn't an option, because I don't want to cause family drama and need the money.  He is leaving in a few months, but I'm ready for everyone to be gone now and stop putting their problems on me.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Cheshire_Cat

[Cheshire_Cat]

I went to grab lunch and came home and my brother had made MORE FUCKING POTATO CHIPS!!!  I am about to kill him right now.  It isn't that bad in itself, but it is literally the only consistent pet peave I have.

[spectastic]

when you help your boys with their homework, and they end up scoring higher than you

[CBclone]

One of my office-mates completely lacks an internal filter/monologue. I enjoy getting to know the people I share a workspace with, but I don't need to know every thought, frustration, excitement, etc that occurs throughout the day. 

And I'm a very personal, keep-it-to-myself kind of person, and don't know how to approach them about it. 

[speechfan222]

I don't know how everyone else feels, but I've already applied to a few universities and going to apply to several more. The whole application process is time consuming - asking professors for letters of rec, requesting transcripts and GRE scores, writing personal statements and essays, filling out application after application with the same information. It's so overwhelming and my brain is tired.

I just want to relax on the couch with a good book. I'm a book worm and haven't been reading as much as I'd like to.

I miss reading novels. Thanks graduate school, I appreciate it.

[makingtheleap.back]

Speechfan, are you applying to Spring 2017 or fall? If it's fall (and the deadlines are similar to mine), I'd suggest limiting the amount of work you do per application. Once I decided to do that, not only did I get more time, but I started becoming more efficient in the application work I was doing. 

But, as for the original reason I came to this thread...WHY DO WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE WE ARE EXPECTED TO ALWAYS HAVE OUR PHONE WITH US????

[speechfan222]

I'm applying for Spring 2017, for now. I'll see how that goes and then I may or may not apply for the fall. How should I limit the amount of work I do per application when it requires a million things plus the application? Haha.

Let me knowwww...

[makingtheleap.back]

Yeah, I'm not going to sit here and pretend I have all the answers. That said, it has been helpful for me to say at the beginning of each prep session "Today, I'm going to accomplish x, y, z," and then set my alarm for 2 hours. Whatever gets done is whatever gets done. Might or might not work for you, but it seems to be helping me. 

[speechfan222]

The anticipation while waiting for letters is killing me!! I was originally told October 1st, but one university got behind with decisions and promised it would be this week. Ahhhhh.

Any suggestions for easing the anticipation besides just trying to ignore it? Ahhhh!!

[Neist]

You know, the amount of work that I'm doing this semester is borderline unhealthy. This is my first semester in graduate school, but wow, is it a lot of work. 

I almost feel that the amount of work that's being forced upon me (or at least strongly encouraged) is potentially irresponsible of the education system as a whole. I almost wish I attended a year-long school with a quarter system. At least I could swamp myself with one topic. As it stands, I'm ingesting so much information that it's beginning to blur pretty significantly.

[travelgirl125]

11 hours ago, Neist said:

You know, the amount of work that I'm doing this semester is borderline unhealthy. This is my first semester in graduate school, but wow, is it a lot of work. 

I almost feel that the amount of work that's being forced upon me (or at least strongly encouraged) is potentially irresponsible of the education system as a whole. I almost wish I attended a year-long school with a quarter system. At least I could swamp myself with one topic. As it stands, I'm ingesting so much information that it's beginning to blur pretty significantly.

I completely agree.  I'm in a one-year program so it's just insane.  I feel there is a disconnect between professors who assign all of the work and who also want to make sure you spend time on "self-care."  Granted, I knew grad school was going to be difficult, but I didn't think it would be THIS much work.

[shadowclaw]

Despite taking a low course load and being pretty efficient with my TA duties, I still feel like I'm insanely busy. I don't really feel stressed most of the time, which is an improvement over last year, but damn! 

I'm feeling super grumpy today about my quizzes for the course I TA. The quiz was a bit long because there are only two lab quizzes this term (there are three during other terms). However, the questions really aren't difficult if you paid any attention to what was going on in lab. We give out lab points to groups if they can answer some questions throughout the lab related to what they're doing. Probably half of my quiz questions were taken from these word for word. They're printed in the lab manual and I told them to study them. I've graded about 1/3 of the quizzes, and the average is around 60%. So far every student got a question wrong that was on a homework assignment and on their lecture exam. They got the key to both, so how on earth are they still getting it wrong? I keep trying to remind myself that for most of the students, this is their first lab course and don't know what to expect. But I know some of them took the sequence out of order, so this should be old hat for them by now.

[wildviolet]

I really dislike the academic job search. It's much more stressful than applying to graduate school. At least you had an expectation of waiting a few months to hear about results. But with the academic job search, every school/department has their own timeline, so you're left worrying about whether you're going to get an interview or not, especially when they re-post the job announcement the day after the original deadline!!! Makes me feel like they didn't like my application. Or, they need more applications so they can feel good about choosing some and not others. Sigh. These new few months are going to be incredibly stressful.

[Pitangus]

7 hours ago, wildviolet said:

I really dislike the academic job search. It's much more stressful than applying to graduate school. At least you had an expectation of waiting a few months to hear about results. But with the academic job search, every school/department has their own timeline, so you're left worrying about whether you're going to get an interview or not, especially when they re-post the job announcement the day after the original deadline!!! Makes me feel like they didn't like my application. Or, they need more applications so they can feel good about choosing some and not others. Sigh. These new few months are going to be incredibly stressful.

I'm applying for non-academic jobs, but I agree that it is stressful not having any idea about timelines and when/if to expect any feedback on an application. For government jobs in particular I worry about getting screened out by HR before someone in the relevant department even looks at my application.

[eternallyephemeral]

I feel like there's nothing left to vent about, except the imploding of the US from the inside. A freaking KKK-supported president. Holy effing shit.

[spectastic]

we're going to pull out of the Paris deal, dissolve the EPA and cut all funding to the DOE, in order to redirect that funding to "Make America Great Again"

 

fuck me

Edited November 9, 2016 by spectastic