Friday, June 13, 2008

Who raised you people?

Just a question that is on my mind this week. And it just happens to apply to the majority of the people that I work with and/or supervise.

Who raised you...
to believe that you could get paid to do nothing?
to think that is is okay to try to intimidate me just because I'm nice 90% of the time?
to understand that lying is an acceptable alternative to taking responsibility for your actions?
to be entitled to the point of taking advantage of a company "just because you can"?
to think that excellent performance = a reason to "reward" that individual with more work and no raise in sight for the next year?

We work on behalf of children in need. Sick children. Hurting children. Badly-behaved children who desperately need good examples of functional adults. Hope they aren't watching too closely, because if so, they might be in trouble. This is obviously a problem that spans generations, races, and geographic areas, because our agency represents them all.

It seems that I have some very big decisions to make. I understand that God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but hopefully he is also giving us the ability to use our heads to determine when the fight is no longer worth fighting, and if there are better places for us to utilize our energy and talents.

Oh yes, and who raised the lady at Kroger who side-swiped my grocery cart that contained a sleeping baby? This is not a Nascar event. You do not need to travel at high speeds down the pasta aisle. The alfredo sauce is not going to jump off the shelf and engage you in a game of chase...it will be there when you arrive at a reasonable speed. Don't think that I believed you for a minute when you said AS YOU HIT MY CART: "Oh sorry, hope I didn't bother the baby." If you see there is a baby, perhaps you should stop the cart. There are no breaks involved, just your feet. No option for failure, as you appeared to be able-bodied.

And as you careened towards me in yet another aisle, apparently your mother didn't raise a dummy, because you stopped just short of my cart as I said to you "If you're smart, you won't hit my cart again." Can you believe that came out of my mouth? And to a woman that was rockin' a she-mullet? That is not my style. But there is something about being a mother that makes you feel just a little bit 'bout it 'bout it.

Thank you for allowing that rant. I'll be back to my appropriate and cheerful blogging persona tomorrow!

6 comments:

Tiffany said...

I so know this post. It can get quite disturbing. I am of the thinking that you can do a whole lot more good when you feel happy, appreciated and that the work you do makes a difference.

I would have said the same thing.. that is mama bear talking.

Kimba said...

Thanks for stopping by when I was featured on SITS. I'm just now getting caught up on visiting everyone who stopped by.

I couldn't agree with you more on this post. When I was in the working world I was constantly amazed at the entitled attitudes I would encounter among people I managed and worked with.

Just last night I was walking through a parking lot carrying my youngest. A woman came flying out of nowhere and nearly ran us over. She came into the restaurant where I was and actually came up to me and said, "I thought you were going to jump out of your shoes." To which I responded, "I thought you were going to run us over." Then she said, "Oh, I just drive crazy like that sometimes."

My jaw was on the ground.

Kim

Sleepless Sabra said...

Oooh, I'm so impressed that you said something to her. I tend to be really cheerful as well and it shocks people when I get nasty because when I lose it - I mean business. It is important though not to let people run over you - in your case, quite literally! I have another friend who was at a local shopping mart putting her cart away with her three children when some maniac who was in a hurry to get out actually backed into her body with his truck! She was squished in between the carts (holding a baby) too shocked to speak before he noticed her. Calm down, people! It's just Wal-Mart!

Kimberly said...

Oh no she didn't! :) I can't believe that lady's crazy-ness! I also can't believe that y'all are still alive after the crazy party at our house the other night! Thanks for coming and hanging out, and for not being too scared off by our psycho goings-on! :) Hope you enjoyed your bread!

Heather said...

She had a mullet. It doesn't excuse anything, but explains everything. I'm sorry that happened. I would've been really mad too.

Anonymous said...

Hey..I really am going to miss you. I really really mean it when I say I wish you the best. :) Oh, and I'm still mad at you! lol


Missy

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