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Messages - Irishkitty

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1
The Work Day / Re: Dealing with a Big-Wig Director . . .
« on: July 30, 2019, 07:25:24 am »
I had a similar thing happen in a job.

Small company, BWD was THE Boss. I started in reception (admin) and moved into a different area in a separate building. It had been about 6 months since I left. The current receptionist was a guy, we'll call him Guy (I, and all the others before and after, were women).

BWD emails me a letter he has typed up, asking me to print it out. I didn't spot the email until lunchtime, at which point Guy had left his office, I didn't have company headed paper so I had to go to reception - in a different building, and right beside BWD's office - back to my office, print, back to other building and hand it to BWD.

So I polished my spine and asked him why he had asked me to print it as I handed it to him. He spluttered and muttered something about how I was 'good at that sort of thing', I replied that Guy is perfectly capable of pressing print on a letter and has a tray full of headed paper in his printer, while I, in OTHER department, do not need to use headed paper and that I thought I had left my reception responsibilities with the new receptionist when I finished that role. He realised he had awoken angry-kitty, so he semi-apologised and it didn't happen again.

Anyway, it sounds as if it's not that clear cut with your BWD. I would suggest that the next time BWD emails you or gets admin to email you say something along the lines of: "Oh, I haven't seen an email as I only check them every *half hour*, otherwise it's disruptive to my work. I'll look for that now ... is there something wrong with Admin's printer?" (*however often*).

2
Life in General / Re: Using another's garbage can?
« on: January 17, 2019, 07:15:05 am »
In Ireland, or at least in Dublin where I live, there are bin charges for all types of garbage pick up - General waste is the most expensive, then there are smaller charges for Compost and Recycling. Recycling used to be free, but it's still relatively cheap compared to the others.

I would be livid if anyone deliberately came onto my property and put their rubbish in my bin, especially as I would essentially be paying for their waste.

3
Family and Children / Re: Disability Denial???
« on: August 29, 2018, 10:58:02 am »
Quote from: Jem on August 27, 2018, 10:50:37 am
Quote from: Irishkitty on August 27, 2018, 09:40:12 am
...It took me more than two years to finally say "We go back a long time and I love you and your child. But I've been curious as to why you've never mentioned Daughters developmental delays. I know it's not my business, but if you want to talk about it I'm here to listen...

I get that "etiquette" sortof does not matter among friends, but I just cringe at the idea that anyone is somehow "owed" an explanation or discussion. Imagine replacing the green with "your wife's obesity," or "your son's body odor," or "your nephew's pornography addiction" or "your mother's hoarding issues." It just strikes me as really icky. I still think it is best to show friends that you are "there" for them but allow the friend to decide when and if to discuss whatever specific issues. Otherwise it comes across as an extremely poorly thought out intervention of sorts!

@Jem I used the term "developmental delays" for example only, in fact the child has very obvious physical disabilities, however I didn't and don't want to get into detail here.  I would never comment or intervene with their parenting style, nor did I press for or feel 'owed' a discussion or explanation. Just wanted to clarify  :)

4
LOLs / Re: Gross Out (Not for the faint of heart redux)
« on: August 27, 2018, 09:50:03 am »
@runningstar - been there with our darling Jess (cat), she had a stroke a couple of weeks before she passed on. It's amazing the amount of sickness and ickyness you will so willingly deal with in order to make them comfortable and loved.

Our new little rascal is a ferocious hunter, despite being well fed and having a collar with bell. This weekend alone she caught 1 bird and two mice (that we know of!). The mice she played with until she was sure we saw them, and congratulated her on catching, then she got down to the busy business of eating them, head first. The bird she threw against the window, smearing it's blood, until we acknowledged her prowess...  :'(

5
Family and Children / Re: Disability Denial???
« on: August 27, 2018, 09:40:12 am »
Quote from: Bgolly on August 24, 2018, 05:10:51 pm
Thank you everyone for your input. I will continue with what I have been doing and say absolutely nothing. He is a great kid. It really is none of my business.

I had a kind-of-similar situation, except it was a really dear friend who had a child with very obvious developmental delays and physical problems, and never seemed to speak a word about it. It took me more than two years to finally say "We go back a long time and I love you and your child. But I've been curious as to why you've never mentioned Daughters developmental delays. I know it's not my business, but if you want to talk about it I'm here to listen". She actually laughed because she realised that she had spoken about her daughters problems so often with so many people that she didn't realise that she had never specifically told me about them and said that she loved the fact that when we got together it was never topic of conversation and that I treated her daughter as a normal child. But, that said, the difference in that situation was that I was (am) very close to her and have known her since we were kids. I think it depends on your closeness to the parent as to whether you can or should ask sensitive questions.

6
Hobbies / Re: Card & Craft Ideas
« on: July 24, 2018, 11:07:22 am »
For some reason I couldn't upload the other picture, think it's too large.
Here is a Christmas Ornament for Oisin
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Hobbies / Card & Craft Ideas
« on: July 24, 2018, 11:04:23 am »
Hi everyone.

I thought we might start a thread for sharing new ideas for cards and similar craft items.

I make them, and have a tonne of materials but often get stuck for ideas, particularly when it's someone that I have to make repeated cards for (especially DH and Father). I dunno, neither are really into sports, so the usual 'male' card ideas don't work for me. I've done wine themed cards with quilled bunches of grapes, music themed cards, cat theme cards...

Currently looking for some inspiration for Father's 65th Birthday. He loves Cats, Music, Wine & Beer, Comedy, Rugby... I was going to add gardening and cooking, but they are lesser hobbies if you will!

I know that Pinterest is great for inspiration, but generally that just inspires me to buy more items!  ;D  Seriously, I could probably buy enough cards for every occasion for the rest of my life if i sold all the items I had for making cards... and still make a profit!
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The Work Day / Re: Secret Santa At the Office: How to Make Sure The Rules Are Fair
« on: July 23, 2018, 07:43:53 am »
My current job has a secret Santa Christmas gift exchange. As there are only about 10 -12 people in the office we either try to make it something they would enjoy or a joke gift. The best part is guessing who your secret Santa is, we make that the biggest part. Some years I've received really nice/cute items, one year I got a gag gift that I didn't care for but it was the thought and laughs with colleagues that made the night.

In my last job we had a secret Santa too, but most people did gag gifts. We were not supposed to find out who our secret Santa was, but people tried and then got very irate complaining about what they were given. E.G. One girl was known for being very into her looks, clothes, makeup, etc. She was a pretty blonde and someone got her a Barbie Princess Mirror and Comb. She was really angry and demanded to know who gave it to her.  ::)

But in both places the limit is fairly low, about €10 - just checked the exchange rate that's less than $12.

9
The Work Day / Re: Package delivery at the office
« on: July 10, 2018, 10:11:51 am »
My office is very small (about 10 people) so although there are those of us who answer the phones and door and deal with post, there is no dedicated receptionist or mail room. I am also one of the people who frequently answer the door and have no problem signing for packages for colleagues. Our Boss occasionally has packages ordered to the office (though usually he is not aware of them until they arrive as his daughters may have ordered something and arranged for it it be delivered to the office ;))

So there I don't have a problem with people ordering large or small items to the office as everyone does it and where the items are bulky (yes, furniture has been delivered) it is either immediately brought out to the persons car by the person who ordered it, or they forewarn us that they are expecting something and arrange a discrete place to store it for a day or two at most before they can bring it home.

However, ordering multiple bulky items and leaving them there for days on end would not be tolerated and the person should/would be taken to task. I honestly don't know what goes through the mind of someone like that. They belong in the Special Snowflake thread!  :)

10
Life in General / Re: How Late Is Too Late?
« on: July 05, 2018, 08:45:54 am »
My DH is a very early riser, so if anyone knocked on our door after 9 he would be irked too. However in general I think that up to 9 pm is acceptable (later on weekends, maybe 10/10.30). But only if there are lights on. In terms of too early - before 8 am would be poor manners (before 9 am on weekends).

I make the exception for weekends - by that I mean Friday & Saturday night, Saturday and Sunday mornings - because most people are not as rigid in their routines and like to stay up a bit later and/or lie in a little.

Normally I wouldn't answer the door unless I knew who it was, or if I was expecting someone. While I live in a relatively safe and quiet little neighbourhood, I am both an introvert and wary about strangers.

11
Weddings / Public Spaces and Wedding Parties
« on: July 04, 2018, 11:01:50 am »
Please move this if not in the right place. I couldn't think where else to put it.

Just spotted an article where a wedding party went to get pictures taken in a public space. There was a sunbather close to the gazebo they wanted to use and she refused to move away while they took photos. There seem to be two main opinions:

1. Wedding Party was rude to ask her to move (She was there first and it's a public space).
2. She was rude not to move for someone's Special Event (there is lots of room and she would only have had to move a few meters).

Article link https://www.boredpanda.com/sunbathing-woman-refuses-leave-wedding-photoshoot-torquay/?cexp_id=11001&cexp_var=11&_f=featured

What think you?

12
LOLs / Re: Gross Out (Not for the faint of heart redux)
« on: June 29, 2018, 10:55:16 am »
Oh where to start?

Little Kitty is quite adept at hunting, despite a noisy bell on her collar. I think she moves at supersonic speeds...

There was a little bird recently that fell prey to her. She batted it about the patio for a while and we thought, 'well, it's dead, and she's well fed, so let her play with it, praise her and then we'll dispose of the poor bird'... ten minutes later we look out to see she's disappeared and all that's left is an unidentifiable portion of bird. I seriously could not tell what part it was. DH was tasked with dispatching the remains.

Her other party trick is blue bottles/flies. She catches them and traps them under her paw, letting them out after a few seconds and catching them again and again. Sometimes she carries them in her mouth and puts them on the floor to play with them this way. Then you hear "crunch, crunch, crunch" when she tires of playing and a happy purring as she licks her lips and wanders off.

Our old cat, Jess, RIP, once punished us for leaving her alone for a long weekend. She had food, water and a safe place to sleep. But it was longer than normal so she decided to punish us for the same number of days she was alone... Every morning we came down to small amounts of cat pee at two foot intervals around the skirting boards of the kitchen.

Non-cat related, we were on holidays for a week, height of summer, and I forgot to empty the kitchen garbage bin... came home to what looked like tiny pieces of rice all over the kitchen... I still shudder and gag thinking about it and having the clean up all those maggots and baby flies.

I don't have a problem with getting blood taken, I've great veins and tolerance for pain. But my DH almost faints at the sight of blood and cannot bear even the mention of a needle. I was relaying this to a nurse one time while she was getting a blood sample and just as she was taking out the needle this huge spurt of blood comes out, just missing her. Relished telling DH that just to see his reaction - EvilIrishKitty.

13
Entertaining and Hospitality / Re: Hostess gift ideas
« on: May 31, 2018, 09:24:54 am »
I love to give something homemade, but don't always have time.

Homemade cookies or a jar of chutney or spicy tomato & pepper relish always go down a treat.

If you want to do something homemade in advance I suggest spice rubs or marinades and add a little recipe label for suggested use. Or bath salts - so simple to make just use epsom salts and add whatever you wish - I like lavander oil and some dried lavender flowers.

Maybe instead of flowers a potted plant? Or some nice cheeses and cracker selection?

14
Life in General / Re: street parking
« on: May 31, 2018, 07:45:21 am »
Quote from: guest542 on May 20, 2018, 04:18:16 pm
This brings up a question that I've often had - for myself, as well.

When people park in front of my house, if they're not my guests or service workers, I get annoyed. But then I start to wonder - why exactly am I annoyed? It's a public street, and in my area there are no laws or local regulations against doing so. Still, it annoys me, and I find that many people are the same. But I can't pin down WHY it annoys me! I literally have no idea, but it's my gut reaction that people shouldn't park in front of my house if they're not here to visit my house. It's selective, because if there's a party and there are cars parked in front of everyone's house, I don't care. But if the street is largely empty and it's just my house, I do. I've asked friends if they feel the same way, and they do. But they also can't articulate why.

For me I feel annoyed because of several reasons:
1. It can make it more awkward to get into our narrow driveway
2. If it's a van or truck it blocks our view/see who is coming or going
3. If it's a van or truck it means that no neighbours can see if there is anyone casing our house or breaking in
4. We're at the end of the road so everyone turns around, parking in front of our house can make that awkward
5. It's the unwritten rule that every house has the first dibs on the parking outside their house for a) visitors and b) second cars.

@Mom21son I'm glad they came back and moved the car. I would also, if you happen to see them, mention in passing that parking the car on the street instead of the driveway/outside their own house, made it seem as if there was no one there, so they might want to consider that next time for security. 

15
The Work Day / Re: That weird space between resigning and finishing up
« on: May 30, 2018, 05:53:33 am »
Are you in the office by yourself?

I would suggest reviewing all the 'tidy up/handover' work you've done to ensure you haven't missed anything. After that, I would think that you're free to browse the net/read the news/file your nails.

It sucks that your coworkers are ignoring you. I don't know if it's normal per se, but sometimes people feel like they're betrayed by a coworker leaving which may explain why they're acting this way. It's not rational and it seems extreme that they are all doing it. {{Hugs}}

In terms of useful things, is there any research you could be doing for your new job? Looking into company culture, exploring where your new role might lead you to, etc?   

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