Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Brrrrring, brrring
There are some days I just don't want to talk on the phone. Especially if I think the conversation will be pointless. Unfortunately, a few of the people I'm close to are some of the most pointless phone talkers I know. Called my mother-in-law to let her know I have some recycle-ables to bring to her house (she has curbside recycling, I don't). That was a 10 minute call; should have been 2 min or less.
Friend calls this morning at 8. Don't know what that was about because she refuses to leave messages (while demanding it of everyone else; yeah, I just loooove that about her). I'll probably call her while she's on her lunch hour to see what she wants. However, it's likely that I'll get trapped into her telling me yet again about an acquaintance whose brother committed suicide on their Dad's birthday (happened a couple of years ago) and how it's so awful for the family. I've resisted the urge to point out that the preceeding time period wasn't fun for the guy. By the 4th time I have to hear it, I'll probably break and not be so sympathetic. Or she'll want me to spend a day driving to get her and take her home (she can't drive). Five hours+ of driving in a day wears me out. Not to mention that she smokes like a freight train and while I've heard miraculous things about Chantix, I also know her. I don't want to be skeptical, but I am. Last time she spent much time in my car, it quickly got covered in a layer of ash.
Co-worker called. Talked to this person earlier in the week. He needs a decision made. He also needs to provide my team with the right info, which I've explained twice how to do. Nothing yet. I'm sure this call is to get a decision. I hate being a bureaucrat, but we do have a process for such things and almost every time I deviate from it, I get bitten in the behind. I'm sure this guy is a perfectly fine person, but I'm not jumping to create a problem and more work for myself.
Friend calls this morning at 8. Don't know what that was about because she refuses to leave messages (while demanding it of everyone else; yeah, I just loooove that about her). I'll probably call her while she's on her lunch hour to see what she wants. However, it's likely that I'll get trapped into her telling me yet again about an acquaintance whose brother committed suicide on their Dad's birthday (happened a couple of years ago) and how it's so awful for the family. I've resisted the urge to point out that the preceeding time period wasn't fun for the guy. By the 4th time I have to hear it, I'll probably break and not be so sympathetic. Or she'll want me to spend a day driving to get her and take her home (she can't drive). Five hours+ of driving in a day wears me out. Not to mention that she smokes like a freight train and while I've heard miraculous things about Chantix, I also know her. I don't want to be skeptical, but I am. Last time she spent much time in my car, it quickly got covered in a layer of ash.
Co-worker called. Talked to this person earlier in the week. He needs a decision made. He also needs to provide my team with the right info, which I've explained twice how to do. Nothing yet. I'm sure this call is to get a decision. I hate being a bureaucrat, but we do have a process for such things and almost every time I deviate from it, I get bitten in the behind. I'm sure this guy is a perfectly fine person, but I'm not jumping to create a problem and more work for myself.
