Is It Wrong to Value Your Life Over Your Job?

[Thebazile78]

I sure as shit hope not.

And if my boss gives me ANY shit for staying home and telecommuting today rather than driving in ice at 6am, I will calmly and politely explain to her that driving 100 miles round-trip, in the dark, over icy, ill-kept roads is not worth what they pay me on an hourly basis. So, unless she wishes to increase my rate of compensation, I sha'n't be in the office on days like today.

As an added bonus, everyone who could work from home today apparently did, which overloaded the server capacity and slowed everything else down. So, in between waiting for file checkouts on my Citrix terminal and the actual checkouts, I'm posting here to stave off boredom.

[Snoogans]

thats two bad about the server

[ChrisTheCop]

You should move to Texas.

[Gvac]

You made the right decision, Liz. I did go in today and the roads were atrocious this morning. When I arrived in beautiful downtown Newark I was informed that the owner told the dispatcher to send everyone home and he wasn't putting any trucks out on the road.

Since I just drove all the way there, I hung out for a bit. It turned to rain and I left around 10:45, knocked out a bunch of deliveries so I wouldn't be so slammed tomorrow, and came right home.

The last thing I want is to be out there with the rest of the rush hour assholes when this crap all turns to ice.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

God Bless ya Baz, I'm with ya on this one. Corporations don't give much of a shit about your life of course, friend o' mine lost her mother and they gave her 3 days off max. Not that sitting in ur house alone for days on end after such a loss is really recommended, it'd be understood by most humans.

As for me, I'm stuck in my home today because all my classes got cancelled today. I find that odd, since they didn't cancel school on much worse days in the past... by the way, what kind of commute do you have to do? Another pal of mine had to do the drive from New Brunswick to Secaucus and hated her life every day because of it.

[boosterp]

You should move to Texas.

Be careful though, here south east of Houston we had near freezing temps and now it is lightly overcast and 48 degrees. It is dangerous weather here.

Up where Aggie is I think they had a bit of an ice storm. She may of had to stay home.

[Thebazile78]

You should move to Texas.

That's what my best friend has been saying for a while: "Move to Austin! It's great here...except for the weirdos."

[CofyCrakCocaine]

You should move to Texas.

This is unrelated, but since it is an Ask the Oracle thread, who is that *sexism alert* Babe in the Red Sox outfit?

[boosterp]

That's what my best friend has been saying for a while: "Move to Austin! It's great here...except for the weirdos."

The weirdos add to the young flavor of Austin. I love it there and visit quite regularly.

[ANC]

Hell no. My wife worked from home today. I decided to come into the office, but if the roads were too dangerous, I would've turned around despite what my boss thought.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

That's what my best friend has been saying for a while: "Move to Austin! It's great here...except for the weirdos."

I've had friends in Austin and I'll tell you right now they were cool as hell. Great senses of humor... I wouldn't mind living there myself.

And c'mon. You're from Jersey and you're scared of weirdos? Besides, weirdos are what makes places like California gold. Well, y'know... the parts of California that shouldn't be naped (LA, Santa Monica, LA)

Tho No Country for Old Men does kinda make me f33r the rest of texas.

[King Hippos Bandaid]

fuck them. you should get 2-3 of your sick days as sick/weather days

[Thebazile78]

God Bless ya Baz, I'm with ya on this one. Corporations don't give much of a shit about your life of course, friend o' mine lost her mother and they gave her 3 days off max. Not that sitting in ur house alone for days on end after such a loss is really recommended, it'd be understood by most humans.

As for me, I'm stuck in my home today because all my classes got cancelled today. I find that odd, since they didn't cancel school on much worse days in the past... by the way, what kind of commute do you have to do? Another pal of mine had to do the drive from New Brunswick to Secaucus and hated her life every day because of it.

I drive from the Princeton area to Newark every day except Fridays, when I usually telecommute.

That's approximately 100 miles/2 hours round-trip, mostly on the Turnpike, with more time added on if there's traffic, and it's the worst if I leave later than I normally do (6:30am) because of the backup to get onto the 'Pike and the way the NJTPA installed EZ Pass at the entry ... 2 cash lanes on the left and 2 EZ Pass lanes on the right, which means northbound traffic has to cross 2 or 3 lanes leftward (passing on the right) to get to the northbound on-ramp if they're paying by EZ Pass ... risking crossing southbound cash-payers.

Also, if I leave later, I find that there are more trucks - tractor trailers, dumptrucks, whatever - trying to head northbound, and the on-ramp curves sharply, so they take FOREVER to get onto the 'Pike at all. It can take almost half an hour JUST to get ON the motherfucking Turnpike in those instances. Never again.

If I don't hit exit 11 (Parkway/Woodbridge) before 7am, I hit backup from people who don't know how to do a 2-lane merge ... and then there's more backup from people getting on in Carteret (Exit 12) ... and then there's a ton of traffic light backup because of the ill-timed lights on McCarter Highway once I get to Newark. I nearly got killed at SEVERAL stop lights while taking Broad Street a few weeks ago because people don't seem to realize that making a right-hand turn in front of a line of traffic is a bad idea. (Where did these jokers learn to drive?????? JESUS! I know I'm not the best driver in the world, and I'll admit to doing a lot of stupid things, but that one would NEVER occur to me, bus lane or not!)

The last 1000 yards or so of my trip are actually the worst because I take Beaver Street, which is brick-paved (not cobblestone or blacktop, but BRICK) to get to my parking lot on Clinton Street, because you can't make a right-hand turn onto Broad Street from Market Street ... and Clinton is one-way heading away from Broad towards Mulberry, so if I don't take Beaver, I have to cross Broad Street and go up 3 blocks to Bank Street, behind Prudential, to get to my parking lot.

If Clinton Street is ever blocked, I'm usually fucked.

[Thebazile78]

The weirdos add to the young flavor of Austin. I love it there and visit quite regularly.

I've had friends in Austin and I'll tell you right now they were cool as hell. Great senses of humor... I wouldn't mind living there myself.

And c'mon. You're from Jersey and you're scared of weirdos? Besides, weirdos are what makes places like California gold. Well, y'know... the parts of California that shouldn't be naped (LA, Santa Monica, LA)

Tho No Country for Old Men does kinda make me f33r the rest of texas.

My friend (Sara) and I have frequent conversations and e-mail banters about how weird people are.

It doesn't bother us, rather it amuses us, so we trade bizarro people stories.

Truthfully, Sara spent most of her childhood shifting from place-to-place all over the South. She lived in Panama City, FL; Birmingham, AL and Austin, TX before her family moved to NJ ... trust me, we've had multiple conversations about how weird people in other parts of the country are.

Hell no. My wife worked from home today. I decided to come into the office, but if the roads were too dangerous, I would've turned around despite what my boss thought.

Thanks; I feel vindicated, seeing as how Mrs. ANC works near where I work and you two live "close" to us.

[ANC]

Thanks; I feel vindicated, seeing as how Mrs. ANC works near where I work and you two live "close" to us.

Darn Tootin' :thumbup:. Fuck those fucksticks!

[Thebazile78]

Oh, and Greg & Chris - thank you so much for your encouragement and other comments. It helped me feel a bit better (and more confident) that I'd made the best decision. No desk-job is worth risking death over. I don't care how shitty the economy is, but I didn't sign up for the "risking life and limb" type of job. This is motherfucking DESK JOB. It's bad enough I have to go to Newark.

Greg - I usually refer to our location as "lovely, tropical Newark" ... so I think you and I are on the same page for our ... contempt ... of the whole location. It really shouldn't be this bad, and I do admit that it's getting better, but ... ugh.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

I drive from the Princeton area to Newark every day except Fridays, when I usually telecommute.

That's approximately 100 miles/2 hours round-trip, mostly on the Turnpike, with more time added on if there's traffic, and it's the worst if I leave later than I normally do (6:30am) because of the backup to get onto the 'Pike and the way the NJTPA installed EZ Pass at the entry ... 2 cash lanes on the left and 2 EZ Pass lanes on the right, which means northbound traffic has to cross 2 or 3 lanes leftward (passing on the right) to get to the northbound on-ramp if they're paying by EZ Pass ... risking crossing southbound cash-payers.

Also, if I leave later, I find that there are more trucks - tractor trailers, dumptrucks, whatever - trying to head northbound, and the on-ramp curves sharply, so they take FOREVER to get onto the 'Pike at all. It can take almost half an hour JUST to get ON the motherfucking Turnpike in those instances. Never again.

If I don't hit exit 11 (Parkway/Woodbridge) before 7am, I hit backup from people who don't know how to do a 2-lane merge ... and then there's more backup from people getting on in Carteret (Exit 12) ... and then there's a ton of traffic light backup because of the ill-timed lights on McCarter Highway once I get to Newark. I nearly got killed at SEVERAL stop lights while taking Broad Street a few weeks ago because people don't seem to realize that making a right-hand turn in front of a line of traffic is a bad idea. (Where did these jokers learn to drive?????? JESUS! I know I'm not the best driver in the world, and I'll admit to doing a lot of stupid things, but that one would NEVER occur to me, bus lane or not!)

The last 1000 yards or so of my trip are actually the worst because I take Beaver Street, which is brick-paved (not cobblestone or blacktop, but BRICK) to get to my parking lot on Clinton Street, because you can't make a right-hand turn onto Broad Street from Market Street ... and Clinton is one-way heading away from Broad towards Mulberry, so if I don't take Beaver, I have to cross Broad Street and go up 3 blocks to Bank Street, behind Prudential, to get to my parking lot.

If Clinton Street is ever blocked, I'm usually fucked.

I've only driven through Princeton a handful of times and I have to say that place is traffically (word?) fucked. By God's Good Grace I've never been stuck in any bad traffic there, but I can imagine the hell that would result from a blocked street.

All the bad drivers were probably trained in Lodi. That's where I learned how to drive! Parallel parking need not apply there.

And the traffic at those turnpike gates are unbelievably poorly designed, gotta agree. I've been at the merge for toll booths to get on the Turnpike southbound from Liberty International, and almost every time there was at least one putz who is hogging the middle of two lanes trying to decide which toll both he should take, forcing me to have to drive around his ass and potentially collide into someone else... and there's always 1 thousand M.fuckers there too.

Don't even get me started on Rt.18 at Exit 9 trying to get onto 1 south during morning and evening rush hours... :wallbash::wallbash::wallbash:

[Puggle_kicker]

No wonder the American economy is in the shits. People have no drive anymore, take too many things for granted.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

Oh, and Greg & Chris - thank you so much for your encouragement and other comments. It helped me feel a bit better (and more confident) that I'd made the best decision. No desk-job is worth risking death over. I don't care how shitty the economy is, but I didn't sign up for the "risking life and limb" type of job. This is motherfucking DESK JOB. It's bad enough I have to go to Newark.

Greg - I usually refer to our location as "lovely, tropical Newark" ... so I think you and I are on the same page for our ... contempt ... of the whole location. It really shouldn't be this bad, and I do admit that it's getting better, but ... ugh.

For all the gunplay, death, gangsters, poverty, and public beatings that go on in Newark, it's a fair hair more interesting than Secuacus. Though, there is something peaceful about swamps. Sorta. Sans the thoughts about Mafia burials there.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

My friend (Sara) and I have frequent conversations and e-mail banters about how weird people are.

It doesn't bother us, rather it amuses us, so we trade bizarro people stories.

Truthfully, Sara spent most of her childhood shifting from place-to-place all over the South. She lived in Panama City, FL; Birmingham, AL and Austin, TX before her family moved to NJ ... trust me, we've had multiple conversations about how weird people in other parts of the country are.



Cool. Is Sara thinking of being a writer? Weirdos makes for good reading, especially the ones based on the real-life variety.

Additonal Note: Btw you can tell that I'm stuck in my home today as well, and I'm really missing my speech + writing classes that were cancelled today. But yea, all schools in my area were canned for the day. So no foul on you in my book, either.

[Thebazile78]

I've only driven through Princeton a handful of times and I have to say that place is traffically (word?) fucked. By God's Good Grace I've never been stuck in any bad traffic there, but I can imagine the hell that would result from a blocked street.

Princeton during rush hour is hellacious; it was even worse the night of Corzine's inauguration. Parking is also horrific.

Fortunately, we don't live in Princeton itself. Just in the general vicinity of Princeton, which could mean any number of smaller towns nearby.

All the bad drivers were probably trained in Lodi. That's where I learned how to drive! Parallel parking need not apply there.

Ugh. I've driven through Lodi and my mother went to high school there. It's about as much fun as Paramus during Christmas Shopping Season.

And the traffic at those turnpike gates are unbelievably poorly designed, gotta agree. I've been at the merge for toll booths to get on the Turnpike southbound from Liberty International, and almost every time there was at least one putz who is hogging the middle of two lanes trying to decide which toll both he should take, forcing me to have to drive around his ass and potentially collide into someone else... and there's always 1 thousand M.fuckers there too.

Yeah, I know. That's my exit ... you have to watch for the trucks to your right and the putzes to your left ... and that's just on the way INTO the toll plaza! Egads!

Don't even get me started on Rt.18 at Exit 9 trying to get onto 1 south during morning and evening rush hours... :wallbash::wallbash::wallbash:

Meh; Rt 18 isn't so bad if RU isn't in session. Besides, I know enough back roads to weasel out of the worst of it. (Plus, it helps that I learned to drive in New Brunswick and not where I grew up!)

[ANC]

OK I suppose this may belong in this thread.. A coworker who shows up and hour and a half late everyday and leaves an hour early everyday, just left because "the roads are bad". Hey asshole, you live 10 minutes away and no, you Hoya mascot look-alike, the roads "were bad" not anymore you fat pussy. I hope gets stuck in traffic and shits his pants. :furious:

[drusilla]

good for you liz. the douche i work with wanted me to come in today even though all classes are cancelled, as well as practices & the game tonight. he still wanted me to come in to sit in an empty room for 2 hours just incase someone shows up. so i called the boss. & the boss was like "nothing's going on, no one is around, you should stay home." i hate the guy i work with. idiot.

[Thebazile78]

OK I suppose this may belong in this thread.. A coworker who shows up and hour and a half late everyday and leaves an hour early everyday, just left because "the roads are bad". Hey asshole, you live 10 minutes away and no, you Hoya mascot look-alike, the roads "were bad" not anymore you fat pussy. I hope gets stuck in traffic and shits his pants. :furious:

Ooh, that sounds like a former teammate of mine. Used to freaking piss me off because not only would that be a valid excuse ... but he also took public transportation!!!!

He's now a manager.

His team hates his guts.

[ANC]

Meh; Rt 18 isn't so bad if RU isn't in session. Besides, I know enough back roads to weasel out of the worst of it. (Plus, it helps that I learned to drive in New Brunswick and not where I grew up!)

Oh I have plenty of shortcuts around route 18. Fuck, where my place is I need them. I usually cut through Loemann's shopping plaza, through the loading dock, loop around 2 backstreets and merge onto Route 18 the last onramp before the Turnpike entrance.

[ANC]

Ooh, that sounds like a former teammate of mine. Used to freaking piss me off because not only would that be a valid excuse ... but he also took public transportation!!!!

He's now a manager.


His team hates his guts.

Luckily he was passed over a bunch of times for promotions, makes him more bitter and just adds tension to the office. Luckily my XM has headphones. I've complained to no avail and said I'd change my hours to match his, but I have too good a work ethic to lower myself to his bullshit.

[mendyweiss]

I drive from the Princeton area to Newark every day except Fridays, when I usually telecommute.

That's approximately 100 miles/2 hours round-trip, mostly on the Turnpike, with more time added on if there's traffic, and it's the worst if I leave later than I normally do (6:30am) because of the backup to get onto the 'Pike and the way the NJTPA installed EZ Pass at the entry ... 2 cash lanes on the left and 2 EZ Pass lanes on the right, which means northbound traffic has to cross 2 or 3 lanes leftward (passing on the right) to get to the northbound on-ramp if they're paying by EZ Pass ... risking crossing southbound cash-payers.

Also, if I leave later, I find that there are more trucks - tractor trailers, dumptrucks, whatever - trying to head northbound, and the on-ramp curves sharply, so they take FOREVER to get onto the 'Pike at all. It can take almost half an hour JUST to get ON the motherfucking Turnpike in those instances. Never again.

If I don't hit exit 11 (Parkway/Woodbridge) before 7am, I hit backup from people who don't know how to do a 2-lane merge ... and then there's more backup from people getting on in Carteret (Exit 12) ... and then there's a ton of traffic light backup because of the ill-timed lights on McCarter Highway once I get to Newark. I nearly got killed at SEVERAL stop lights while taking Broad Street a few weeks ago because people don't seem to realize that making a right-hand turn in front of a line of traffic is a bad idea. (Where did these jokers learn to drive?????? JESUS! I know I'm not the best driver in the world, and I'll admit to doing a lot of stupid things, but that one would NEVER occur to me, bus lane or not!)

The last 1000 yards or so of my trip are actually the worst because I take Beaver Street, which is brick-paved (not cobblestone or blacktop, but BRICK) to get to my parking lot on Clinton Street, because you can't make a right-hand turn onto Broad Street from Market Street ... and Clinton is one-way heading away from Broad towards Mulberry, so if I don't take Beaver, I have to cross Broad Street and go up 3 blocks to Bank Street, behind Prudential, to get to my parking lot.


If Clinton Street is ever blocked, I'm usually fucked.

I just got road rage reading this !!

[ToiletCrusher]

If you are an iron worker and your assignment is the next 50 story building, your life is your job.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

Princeton during rush hour is hellacious; it was even worse the night of Corzine's inauguration. Parking is also horrific.

Fortunately, we don't live in Princeton itself. Just in the general vicinity of Princeton, which could mean any number of smaller towns nearby.

Ugh. I've driven through Lodi and my mother went to high school there. It's about as much fun as Paramus during Christmas Shopping Season.

Yeah, I know. That's my exit ... you have to watch for the trucks to your right and the putzes to your left ... and that's just on the way INTO the toll plaza! Egads!



It's a nice place to live tho. Visitors of the area disagree, but I really enjoy it whenever I'm there. (Greasetrucks ftw)

Whatever Paramus does to suck during Xmas, Palisades Park Mall+Tappan Zee/287 and Riverside Square Mall (think HotTubland) completely makes up for it plus interest all year round.

And one more critique about the Turnpike... every single driver on that road wants to go 90 mph the instant they get on the merge lane (toll booths too)... yet you rarely see someone go over 80 on the Parkway... why the hell is that?

[Thebazile78]

I just got road rage reading this !!

FINALLY! Someone who understands the way I feel on a daily basis!!!!!

[CofyCrakCocaine]

Ooh, that sounds like a former teammate of mine. Used to freaking piss me off because not only would that be a valid excuse ... but he also took public transportation!!!!

He's now a manager.

His team hates his guts.

Sounds like a manager to me.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

Oh I have plenty of shortcuts around route 18. Fuck, where my place is I need them. I usually cut through Loemann's shopping plaza, through the loading dock, loop around 2 backstreets and merge onto Route 18 the last onramp before the Turnpike entrance.

Damn, I need to try that sometime. Thanks for the tip.

[CofyCrakCocaine]

I just got road rage reading this !!

Yeah me too. I've been gnashing my teeth just from simulating the turnpike experience in my head.

[ANC]

Damn, I need to try that sometime. Thanks for the tip.

Whereabouts do you live?

[topless_mike]

the port sux0red today. its bad enough on a dry summer day. add in some wetness and everyone's bonkers. (somehow, typing that gave me a stiffy).

[ANC]

the port sux0red today. its bad enough on a dry summer day. add in some wetness and everyone's bonkers. (somehow, typing that gave me a stiffy).

Yeah they stink at snow removal, plus some of the truck drivers that think they're driving Civics don't help either... Seven minutes and I can hightail it home.

[Thebazile78]

It's a nice place to live tho. Visitors of the area disagree, but I really enjoy it whenever I'm there. (Greasetrucks ftw)

Whatever Paramus does to suck during Xmas, Palisades Park Mall+Tappan Zee/287 and Riverside Square Mall (think HotTubland) completely makes up for it plus interest all year round.

And one more critique about the Turnpike... every single driver on that road wants to go 90 mph the instant they get on the merge lane (toll booths too)... yet you rarely see someone go over 80 on the Parkway... why the hell is that?

You meant New Brunswick and Grease Trucks, didn't you? I lived in New Brunswick from college up until about 4 years ago when my downstairs neighbors played their music loud enough to vibrate my walls & floor. At 2am.

I have no trouble with the Palisades Park Mall stuff if I go the right way; it's really not so bad, IMO. I used to hop onto NY-17 through Suffern to get home when we lived on the lake because once I got to Tuxedo, I was nearly home. Easy-peasy.

[skyscraper]

I went into work today and wish I didn't. not because the weather was all that bad (we didn't get as much of the ice in Philly as originally thought) but because my boss was a prick. he's having trouble collecting outstanding invoices and is feeling the pinch. so because I was one of the few people in the office, he decided to take it out on me. motherfucker. he keeps changing what he wants on this building I'm working on, adding things, etc., and then gets antsy that it's taking longer than he thought to get it done. he screamed at me that we need to get it done, I told him I knew that and that I was going as quickly as I could, but he just kept screaming. literally screaming. the other guy in the office, who just started this week, came over and asked me if that was typical behavior. I told him no, that he was just taking his shit out on me, and the guy was like "what kind of a psychopath are we working for?"
exactly.

[cougarjake13]

I sure as shit hope not.

And if my boss gives me ANY shit for staying home and telecommuting today rather than driving in ice at 6am, I will calmly and politely explain to her that driving 100 miles round-trip, in the dark, over icy, ill-kept roads is not worth what they pay me on an hourly basis. So, unless she wishes to increase my rate of compensation, I sha'n't be in the office on days like today.

As an added bonus, everyone who could work from home today apparently did, which overloaded the server capacity and slowed everything else down. So, in between waiting for file checkouts on my Citrix terminal and the actual checkouts, I'm posting here to stave off boredom.



hell no its not wrong

this is the only life ya got , and if you die on the way in then you're no help to the boss anyway



if you can telecommute , why not do this every day or like 3 out of 5 a week ??

[meanmrbill]

friend o' mine lost her mother and they gave her 3 days off max.

My friend at work took vacation time this week to be next to his dying father. He could have taken time under the family leave act but couldn't afford it. Well, his father died Sunday morning. On Monday my direct supervisor went to his boss (who is the store manager) and inquired about having 3 days of this guy's vacation time transferred to bereavement time, which, under our contract he is entitled to. That way he won't have to use his vacation time to bury his father (its sad enough that he was using it to take care of him). Without a pause she flatly stated, NO, THAT CANNOT BE DONE! My boss threw up his hands and walked out saying only, "Do what you want". I hope that, and will encourage, my friend to fight this cunt and her decision. This just provides me even more (as if I needed it) proof that, although not always, corporate managers are some of the worst examples of humanity.

[Coach]

The first rule we learned in New Jersey EMS as well as Guarding at the beach is the answer to to the question..."Who's the most important person here?"
Answer... "I AM!"
You try to save those you can....
Trust me..playing God is not fun.

[boosterp]

The first rule we learned in New Jersey EMS as well as Guarding at the beach is the answer to to the question..."Who's the most important person here?"
Answer... "I AM!"
You try to save those you can....
Trust me..playing God is not fun.

Way back when we (EMT through paramedic) we were taught the same thing. The only thing is that I was a soldier also so there were some contradicting principles that I had to deal with

[Coach]

Way back when we (EMT through paramedic) we were taught the same thing. The only thing is that I was a soldier also so there were some contradicting principles that I had to deal withI would never try to figure out the stuff you had to go through...You all will always have my utmost respect and Thanks.

[Thebazile78]

...


if you can telecommute , why not do this every day or like 3 out of 5 a week ??

I've already asked about that and was told "no." Because my boss stated "(she) didn't have plans to increase the number of home based employees on the team" ... when we have 3 people who are home-based, two of whom are home-based for child-care reasons (which the company policy on home-basing explicitly prohibits) ... ugh.

If I can do 100% of my job functions from home, and I can, why shouldn't I be able to telecommute????

In my opinion, I was denied my request because my boss is a cunt.

[ecobag2]

I enjoy the discussion of Route 18 on here.

I'm glad I'm posting among those who know that hell. Though I have to say - the part that crosses over the river that got redone was clutch in the weather we just had. It was somewhat backed up but - you remember trying to get to Edison from College Ave during lunch on any given weekday? Forget it.

Breezed right through during rush hour in the bad weather no less.

It's why I tolerate the construction on the other end now.

I know there will one day be peace.

[ANC]

I enjoy the discussion of Route 18 on here.

I'm glad I'm posting among those who know that hell. Though I have to say - the part that crosses over the river that got redone was clutch in the weather we just had. It was somewhat backed up but - you remember trying to get to Edison from College Ave during lunch on any given weekday? Forget it.

Breezed right through during rush hour in the bad weather no less.

It's why I tolerate the construction on the other end now.

I know there will one day be peace.

In the mean time you can go down to Ryders Lane and take it to the circle at George Street and it'll take you right into New Brunswick.

[Thebazile78]

In the mean time you can go down to Ryders Lane and take it to the circle at George Street and it'll take you right into New Brunswick.

That's not really a circle; it's more like a jughandle that backs up.

I don't bother with 18 if I can help it ... fortunately, the last few meetings I had for my alumni committee were on the Cook/Douglass campus, so all I had to do was cut through Squibb instead.

[ANC]

That's not really a circle; it's more like a jughandle that backs up.

I don't bother with 18 if I can help it ... fortunately, the last few meetings I had for my alumni committee were on the Cook/Douglass campus, so all I had to do was cut through Squibb instead.

Hmm I never had a problem going that way. I guess it depends on the time, like everything else.

[Thebazile78]

Hmm I never had a problem going that way. I guess it depends on the time, like everything else.

Yeah, it definitely does depend on the time of day!

Catch it between classes (when RU is in session) and you're sitting in traffic at the yeild sign by the Douglass Inn & Conference Center ... however, if you hit it at just the right time and there aren't any concerts letting out over at Nicholas or shows at Levin, you're good.

[Freitag]

*looks at tags*

Honey, why do you hate the head of the NJ Schools Development Authority?

[Thebazile78]

*looks at tags*

Honey, why do you hate the head of the NJ Schools Development Authority?

For his fuckups during the last 3 winters and inability to plan for this one before stepping down.

[Coach]

-sigh- I used to know that if you left new Brunswick at 735 am... you got greens all the way down 18.
Also..I knew THOR 89

[Aggie]

Route 18...oh, the memories!

I'm glad you stayed home Liz. I did too. Neither of my bosses called me and said, "stay home." So I took the initiative and emailed them saying I was working from home because I was not comfortable driving in the ice. It wasn't worth it to me. I was a little worried they might be pissed (only because they're too cheep to hire a receptionist because I have been fulfilling that role in addition to mine for the past 6 years) so I feel like I need to be here to answer phones.

But screw it, I'm not risking my life either. I stayed home two days in a row and got a lot of work done. Neither of them were mad. My job is pretty good in terms of the flexibility of management. I feel blessed to have a job and to have reasonable bosses.

[Thebazile78]

-sigh- I used to know that if you left new Brunswick at 735 am... you got greens all the way down 18.
Also..I knew THOR 89

I'd like to know if there's a magic timetable to get greens all the way up Rte 21 because those timings stink if you get there too late in the morning. Like 8am.

[Coach]

I'd like to know if there's a magic timetable to get greens all the way up Rte 21 because those timings stink if you get there too late in the morning. Like 8am.
Used to be multiples of 7, they changed over to sensors though.

[RhinoinMN]

My $.02.


Absolutely nothing wrong with making a decision to stay home during inclement weather. Most employers are good about it.

Where I live a lot of people work for the Mayo Clinic and they have absolutely no sympathy for people driving on bad roads. There is such a demand to work there that the employees are dispensable. If someone doesn't want to risk it, another is waiting in line to take that person's job.

It is so wrong. Just one of the many reasons that I can't stand the Mayo Clinic. They are wonderful care providers though so what do ya do?

[Thebazile78]

Route 18...oh, the memories!

I'm glad you stayed home Liz. I did too. Neither of my bosses called me and said, "stay home." So I took the initiative and emailed them saying I was working from home because I was not comfortable driving in the ice. It wasn't worth it to me. I was a little worried they might be pissed (only because they're too cheep to hire a receptionist because I have been fulfilling that role in addition to mine for the past 6 years) so I feel like I need to be here to answer phones.

But screw it, I'm not risking my life either. I stayed home two days in a row and got a lot of work done. Neither of them were mad. My job is pretty good in terms of the flexibility of management. I feel blessed to have a job and to have reasonable bosses.

My boss is ... a bit of a micromanager. And that bugs me because I'm an independent worker who bristles at any indication that she needs her hand held. My last two managers understood that, if they left me alone and allowed me to do my own thing, my work would always get done and I'd be a lot happier. This one, well, my teammates all have the same complaint about her as I do - too much baby-sitting and not enough trust in the team's abilities.

Despite the server issues because, as one of our Albany-based managers put it, everyone on the East Coast who could telecommute yesterday apparently did, I managed to get a lot of work done. I did have to skip one project, but the server lag meant my other project took me all day anyway.

I honestly feel that I get MORE done at home than I do when I'm in the office. Fewer distractions, I guess, despite the fact that I switch TNT on and watch ER and Las Vegas reruns all morning.

Trust me, with the mortgage and utilities, I am thankful to be employed, but unless they start paying me hazard pay with life & limb bonuses (and a guaranteed replacement of my car in the event of a weather-related accident) I'm not budging from my house. I didn't sign up for risking my life for a stupid job.

[ScottFromGA]

the place I'm currently employed at actually takes offensive if you have to take time off to care for yourself or take time to take care of your family. I've been here for 6 years and I get the third degree so harshly from my management about me having to take time for my daughter, and when anyone else takes time off I hear the constant bitching and complaining they do about the other person...I'm well assured that they do the same about me.

When my Mother was dying of cancer, on her final day I called my boss and told him that I wanted to stay home with her while her caregiver had something she had to take care of. He asked me if anyone else could do it cause they were slammed with wrecked cars coming in at the shop. I told him, "Boss...its my Mother...she has no one that can take time and I have vacation time..." He replies "Well....you need to be here...theres nothing you can do for her." Shocked on the phone, I tell him to kiss my ass and promptly hang up the phone. At 12:30...I was able to go on it to work like I told my Boss. I walked in the office and walked right up to him telling him that I'd probably be leaving a little bit, but I did what I said I was going to do. He kinda scoffed and I went to work. 1:15, I get the phone call from my Dad that my Mother had passed...I have a Nextel(Sprint) phone, so my Boss heard the conversation.....it was that day I think my Boss realized that he was taking this job too seriously and theres more important things than this place. He came up and grabbed me, apologizing cause he didn't know she was that far along...as I never shared info about her well being with anyone at work.


That Boss of mine is now gone and we have another guy in his place....and he definately values this place over personal problems. His biggest peeve is when folks call in and say something is wrong with their kids. He is a married guy that married a woman with kids...so he never wanted any. He thinks parents are always lying when it comes to their kids being ill and having to miss out on work......as if has never been in that place.

Last month, Anberlin woke us up in the middle of the night throwing up and screaming outloud....it was one of those screams where you know its just not night terrors...something is WRONG. So my wife and I are up with her for over 8 hours through the night till its time for me to go to work with her screaming, crying and throwing up. Shes only 2, so she doesn't understand. I call them at 7am telling them I'm taking her to her doctor that opens at 8am, I'll be in afterwards. I do so and about 11:30 I get to work. First thing he says is, "Oh...your FINALLY here.". Not hey, how are you, hows your little girl, you ok?, nothing like that....just a flatout asshole comment. I proceed to tell him that, "Fuck yea I'm here....and your lucky cause I was thinking about going home but I put this place in front of my own little girl cause I know she's in good hands...." then proceeded more to tell him if he doesn't cool his jets about my daughter and other peoples family problems, he's gonna have an empty shop. He need to understand that your kids and your personal life is way more important than your job....I understand that you have to be at your job but come on...no reason to be a complete asshole.


anyways...I'm done with the words longest, worst grammared paragraphs ever typed.

to sum it up....Fuck work...this place can burn to the ground before I put my job in front of my family again.

[Thebazile78]

the place I'm currently employed at actually takes offensive if you have to take time off to care for yourself or take time to take care of your family. I've been here for 6 years and I get the third degree so harshly from my management about me having to take time for my daughter, and when anyone else takes time off I hear the constant bitching and complaining they do about the other person...I'm well assured that they do the same about me.

When my Mother was dying of cancer, on her final day I called my boss and told him that I wanted to stay home with her while her caregiver had something she had to take care of. He asked me if anyone else could do it cause they were slammed with wrecked cars coming in at the shop. I told him, "Boss...its my Mother...she has no one that can take time and I have vacation time..." He replies "Well....you need to be here...theres nothing you can do for her." Shocked on the phone, I tell him to kiss my ass and promptly hang up the phone. At 12:30...I was able to go on it to work like I told my Boss. I walked in the office and walked right up to him telling him that I'd probably be leaving a little bit, but I did what I said I was going to do. He kinda scoffed and I went to work. 1:15, I get the phone call from my Dad that my Mother had passed...I have a Nextel(Sprint) phone, so my Boss heard the conversation.....it was that day I think my Boss realized that he was taking this job too seriously and theres more important things than this place. He came up and grabbed me, apologizing cause he didn't know she was that far along...as I never shared info about her well being with anyone at work.


That Boss of mine is now gone and we have another guy in his place....and he definately values this place over personal problems. His biggest peeve is when folks call in and say something is wrong with their kids. He is a married guy that married a woman with kids...so he never wanted any. He thinks parents are always lying when it comes to their kids being ill and having to miss out on work......as if has never been in that place.

Last month, Anberlin woke us up in the middle of the night throwing up and screaming outloud....it was one of those screams where you know its just not night terrors...something is WRONG. So my wife and I are up with her for over 8 hours through the night till its time for me to go to work with her screaming, crying and throwing up. Shes only 2, so she doesn't understand. I call them at 7am telling them I'm taking her to her doctor that opens at 8am, I'll be in afterwards. I do so and about 11:30 I get to work. First thing he says is, "Oh...your FINALLY here.". Not hey, how are you, hows your little girl, you ok?, nothing like that....just a flatout asshole comment. I proceed to tell him that, "Fuck yea I'm here....and your lucky cause I was thinking about going home but I put this place in front of my own little girl cause I know she's in good hands...." then proceeded more to tell him if he doesn't cool his jets about my daughter and other peoples family problems, he's gonna have an empty shop. He need to understand that your kids and your personal life is way more important than your job....I understand that you have to be at your job but come on...no reason to be a complete asshole.


anyways...I'm done with the words longest, worst grammared paragraphs ever typed.

to sum it up....Fuck work...this place can burn to the ground before I put my job in front of my family again.

Yeah, if we use up our sick days (we get 7 "occurrences" ... but you could be out 2 days with one "occurrence" ... if it's longer than that, you need to take short-term disability leave) we're docked vacation time.

I can't imagine how I'm going to juggle work and kids when we finally have kids ... my boss is single. Although she's understanding, she's also very "by the book" when it comes to PTO policies and so forth, so I'm more than a little anxious about being a parent.

Balancing your job and your personal life is hard enough without someone bitching at you. If you have a sick 2-year-old, you're going to be home with that sick 2-year-old. It should be that simple.

What really stinks is that, sometimes, people use the fact that they have kids to get out of working or whatever. There's a manager here who does that, IMO, but since he's not my manager, I don't feel like I can say anything (same guy who was mentioned earlier in this thread with the leaving early in poor weather, etc.) ... which stinks.

I haven't really thought about what it'd be like if I didn't have the benefits and time-off structure that we do have here, but you've allowed me to get some perspective, Scott. Thank you for reminding me that not everybody has the same types of benefits or protective statutes in their favor that I do. (I lost my perspective once my benefits kicked in, on DAY 1 of my job.)

[boosterp]

I would never try to figure out the stuff you had to go through...You all will always have my utmost respect and Thanks.

Thank you sir.

[CountryBob]

Yeah, if we use up our sick days (we get 7 "occurrences" ... but you could be out 2 days with one "occurrence" ... if it's longer than that, you need to take short-term disability leave) we're docked vacation time.

I can't imagine how I'm going to juggle work and kids when we finally have kids ... my boss is single. Although she's understanding, she's also very "by the book" when it comes to PTO policies and so forth, so I'm more than a little anxious about being a parent.

Balancing your job and your personal life is hard enough without someone bitching at you. If you have a sick 2-year-old, you're going to be home with that sick 2-year-old. It should be that simple.

What really stinks is that, sometimes, people use the fact that they have kids to get out of working or whatever. There's a manager here who does that, IMO, but since he's not my manager, I don't feel like I can say anything (same guy who was mentioned earlier in this thread with the leaving early in poor weather, etc.) ... which stinks.

I haven't really thought about what it'd be like if I didn't have the benefits and time-off structure that we do have here, but you've allowed me to get some perspective, Scott. Thank you for reminding me that not everybody has the same types of benefits or protective statutes in their favor that I do. (I lost my perspective once my benefits kicked in, on DAY 1 of my job.)

From an HR perspective at my company, we really feel bad for employees that have family issues and problems and need time off. But, it seems that there are always some people that try to work the system and screw it up for the next guy. When I started, I would listen to someones situation and grant time off accordingly (which was wrong to do) because word got around and others complained. Now, i have to stand tough with the sick day bank and vacation days being used for other issues. I dont believe it but I have to adhere to it.

If the roads are too bad to travel, no company should expect their employees to risk it. We had an office in costal NC that was expecting bad weather last week and used the school closings as a barometer for work. The local schools were closed so we shut the office down and paid everybody for the day. I expect that gesture to go far.
At the last job I had tons of employees that used the sick kids excuse and couldnt work. We would allow a day excused (no pay) but if it continued they were told to use sick, vacation days. If they were out of days then we had no option but to start the 1st phase of being absent at the job discipline. i always hated to do that when somebody really had problems. Sometimes being in HR really sucks.

[ecobag2]

That's not really a circle; it's more like a jughandle that backs up.

I don't bother with 18 if I can help it ... fortunately, the last few meetings I had for my alumni committee were on the Cook/Douglass campus, so all I had to do was cut through Squibb instead.

I'm telling.

[Thebazile78]

From an HR perspective at my company, we really feel bad for employees that have family issues and problems and need time off. But, it seems that there are always some people that try to work the system and screw it up for the next guy. When I started, I would listen to someones situation and grant time off accordingly (which was wrong to do) because word got around and others complained. Now, i have to stand tough with the sick day bank and vacation days being used for other issues. I dont believe it but I have to adhere to it.

The entire reason our time off policy is so strict is because the #1 reason companies lose money is due to employee absences.

I'm happy that I was not penalized for taking a TC day the other day.

If the roads are too bad to travel, no company should expect their employees to risk it. We had an office in costal NC that was expecting bad weather last week and used the school closings as a barometer for work. The local schools were closed so we shut the office down and paid everybody for the day. I expect that gesture to go far.
At the last job I had tons of employees that used the sick kids excuse and couldnt work. We would allow a day excused (no pay) but if it continued they were told to use sick, vacation days. If they were out of days then we had no option but to start the 1st phase of being absent at the job discipline. i always hated to do that when somebody really had problems. Sometimes being in HR really sucks.

That's the thing.

We don't have a set open/close time and people also come into the office using public transit. The other office in the company that's like that is San Francisco.

For other company offices, where 100% of the employees drive, the offices close in these types of weather situations. For ours, it seems like if the Office Manager (who I like as a person, but he takes public transportation) can get in, the offices are open for the day.

That's ridiculous.

We were open once when a "state of emergency" had been declared for the entire state of NJ. I'm still pissed off about that one because it was fucking treacherous driving that day, but I was in the office. I was grumbling and grousing the entire time, but I was in the office.