penguinpride

Ok, so if I don’t vent there is a very good chance I will die of a massive heart attack.

Taking summer classes was definitely not my smartest move. Yeah it’ll put me ahead somewhat, but it’s also slowly killing me. Both my classes are online, and if you don’t know it, well technology hates me. I still am yet to successfully complete something for my Geography class without my computer deciding to attack in some way shape or form. Then I usually break down. Which is never fun.

So I have to take my classes online because I would have no time to take a real class. I’m working two jobs this summer, on top of babysitting whenever I’m needed. It’s great to have the money, but I’m exhausted all the time! I do love my jobs. The gym is amazing, my kiddies are amazing, and some of the people I work with are amazing. There are days when I can only here, “Miss Katie I have a Hannah Montana CD” so many times. Then there are days where someone gets a skill they’ve been working on forever, and I’m just so proud of them. Or they walk in and give me a big hug and say “I love Gymnastics.” That is what makes it worth it. So work I can deal with.

My family is great, (On occasion) but I need to get away from them. My brothers are both annoying, my sister is a bitch. My dad and I have so very little in common that sitting with us is uncomfortable. My mom is either really great, or the biggest pain in my ass. But yes of course I love them. (I’ve got other family issues adding to my stress but I don’t even think I could get into those right now.)

My friends consist of a very small group, at least the ones I really care about. I have Steph, who I could hang with forever and never run out of things to talk about with. I love that girl. She’s my nice sister. Sara is my external conscience. I’d get into much more trouble if it weren’t for her. They are both wonderful. And then there’s Megs. Who it’s like I never know what i’m gonna get when I’m with her. The other night we were riding around and she was bitching to me about all the problems of her life. I sat and listened to them. Told her what I thought she should do, and then asked if she had any pills for the headache i had. Well when she told the story to the rest of our friends it went something like ( So i had a meltdown to Kait and she looked at me and said “I have a headache.”) That wasn’t it at all. She made me look like a total bitch and It just got me so mad.

But none of this is what finally pushed me over the edge.
I saw that my ex was online so I thought I’d say hi. There was a point where he and I were best friends, and I thought ‘ya know we’ve been broken up for over a year, we can try to be friends.’ I was so wrong. I asked if we could try to be friends. His response, “you could try.” Little hurt by that but o well. I go, ” you can’t try.” Tom: It doesn’t matter to me. Me: ok. He then proceeded to tell me that I treated him so badly and he saw no reason to be friends with me. So that hurt, then he told me I was paranoid. That was it. I’m done! Exes are stupid, and not worth the effort.

I may still explode but at least I got all of that out there!

August 5th is the only thing keeping me sane. I get to see Aaron, and we’re going to Pittsburgh together! I’m sooo excited!!!

Don’t even remember where I found this.

I’m wrapping up my time at Chick-fil-A. I’ll hopefully make it through the rest of the summer, then come back over winter break. But that will be the end. I’m done with CFA. It is a dead end job.

I’m not going to get another raise. I’m never going to be a team leader. I have accepted these as facts, just like I readily accepted the fact that I would never see my dad’s new SUV anymore, because last night he crashed it.

I wish the managers would be straight with me. Instead, they say nice things to make me shut up and I never know what’s going on. For example, Brian said he’d “think about” making me a team leader. This means no. Also, Jen told me that I should be a team leader, because I had so many good qualities. She also breezed over a few minor things I could do to improve her performance, but I left that meeting thinking it was a done deal. Turns out, she knew I wasn’t going to be a team leader anytime soon. I took a look at my file and she wrote “Needs improvement to become a team leader.”

I feel bad now for siding with her when she got in fights with Tina. It turns out Tina was right all along. Maybe I just find Tina a better manager now due to my new attitude towards work. Now that I’m not busting my ass anymore, Tina’s approach has really looked good. Jen very rarely talks “bad” about customers; Tina does it all the time. I put “bad” in quotations because if the customers weren’t to retarded to begin with, we wouldn’t have anything bad to say.

Interestingly, talking “bad” about customers was one of the three “areas of improvement” Jen told me about. So this is one of the reasons I can’t be a team leader? Oh I forgot, only everyone else is allowed to do that. For me, it’s just unacceptable. (The other two things were sarcasm and “lack of a sense of urgency.” WTF @ the last one BTW.)

This is one of the reasons I have come to the conclusion that they weren’t going to make me a team leader even if I weren’t going back to school next month. The fact that they listed “talking bad” as one of my improvement areas means they were scratching the bottom of the barrel to find reasons I shouldn’t be TL.

Another reason is that even me going to school isn’t a totally valid reason. They promoted Megan, Sean, and Brian Wain shortly before they left, why couldn’t they have promoted me?

Last Sunday (obviously not this past Sunday, the one before that) I hung out with Randy all day. Randy is another fellow who has been unfairly treated by the management. There’s really no reason he shouldn’t be a team leader. He’s only worked at Burger King for a month now (as a second job) and they have already reccommended him to the manager program. I asked Jen (back when we were cool) why he isn’t a team leader, and she told me it was something about attitude and how nobody would reaspect him. I had accepted that answer, but now I realize it was just bullshit.

Just like when I asked Brian for a raise, he told me no because he wanted to “preserve the structure of things.” The structure of things where people who can’t even work drive-thru yet make more than I do. Me, his best DT register and headset.

The lesson learned is to not be naive. Maybe if my mom hadn’t kept me in a box until I was old enough to move out, I would have known that perception is everything. What the fuck does that mean? Well it means that you can’t expect to work hard and get promoted. You also have to do a tremendous amount of sucking up. If you need an example just look at the two extremes. The reason Randy isn’t a TL is because the managers don’t like him. His file was almost an entire page full of managers nit-picking at every little thing over 2 1/2 years. Randy has spent 2 1/2 years trying to show that with hard work, anyone can rise up. This is totally false. It’s all about perception. Kyle Hunter, for example. Worked at CFA for 6 months. Promoted. Why? Because the managers (mainly Nick, Eric, and Tina) love him. He doesn’t do much work. He actually hardly ever works. When he is at work, he usually just talks. In the old days (back around the time when I started) this would have meant that Rohan would have been a TL for sure.

This week I worked 49.5 hours. Brian Smith is probably going to yell at me when I finds out. I will feel bad if I tell him that when I asked Tina if I should talk to Brian about my excessive overtime hours, she said no. I like Tina. That’s something I would have never dreamed of saying a year and a half ago.

Lately, a lot of the old people are dropping away. Amelya got fired last week. Drew quit. Colleen tried to quit and got fired. Megan Bristow put in her 2 weeks notice.

I can’t help comparing CFA to PoFo. The mods are just the TL’s though, and the admins are the managers. The difference is, on PoFo, I eventually became a mod (after 2 years).

Can I take lessons from this situation? Absolutely. At my next job that I will get next spring/summer, I will definitely suck up a lot more. I want management experience.

Today, I worked 8am-10:30pm. Fourteen and a half hours. After I got off, I talked to Tim in the parking lot. He’s a really cool guy. I think he might be my favorite person to work with, now that Megan’s a TL (plus she’s leaving soon). We stayed until 1:30. That was insanity. But we did get to discuss how much CFA sucks, how much ornery customers suck, who the hot girls are at work, and Guitar Hero. I believe he is slightly better than me. He can’t play the intro to “Through the Fire and Flames” but at least he can finish the song after that part. I can do the intro but fail at Herman’s solo. Plus, he can beat Raining Blood on expert. I still can’t beat it on hard.   :(

So work sucks. But I like money, so I spend much of my life at Chick-fil-A.

Customers don’t stop with just 2 pages full of wtf’s. They keep coming. And David and Sonny have been compiling these lists for quite some time…

• “Can I get 18 of those finger things?”
• “Which one of the number 1 and number 2 is crispy?”    “The number 1 is fried, and the number 2 is grilled.”   “So which one is crispy?”
• Q:  “Can I get you any sauce or condiments?”    A:  “She don’t use condiments!”
• “Can I have one of those meals?”
• “Can I have an order of round potato things?”
• “FIVE DOLLARS FOR A NEWSPAPER??!?!”     “No, ma’am, that says 50 cents but here, it’s free.”
• Q:  “Any sauce?”   A:  “No, just Chick-fil-A sauce.”
• “Can I get 12 pieces of chicken?”
• “Can I get real food now?”
• “Can I get the largest number 5 I can get?”
• “Is that carrot and raisin salad for humans?”
• “I’ll take the smallest chicken meal you got”
• “Can I have 2 chicken biscuits without the pickles?”
• “Medium cup of whatever you call it, coffee?”
• “Sausage biscuit with sausage”
• “Medium splenda lemonade”
• “Can I have one number 1 with cheese on both?”
• “Do you have white coffee?”        [?!]
• “Can I have a biscuit butter?”
• “What’s the difference between an 8 pack and a 12 pack?”
• “Can I get some tots please?”
• “What’s the chance of me getting a bacon egg and cheese with no egg?”
• “Do you have cold coffee?”
• “I’ll take your $3.95 nuggets and a small lemonade”
• “Can I get a 12 piece 12 nugget meal?”
• “Can I have a number …… sorry I am so confused”

And of course there is MORE! To be had next week.

Kait left today. We had a great weekend though. She seems to be jealous of “all the cool things” we have to do around here (?). Honestly it’s more boring than she makes it out to be. Still, we had a great time. We are planning to buy a party house in Penn Hills.

Just thought I’d announce that.

Still more WTF’s from David, Sonny and crew at CFA.

• “Can I get the happy meal?”
• “Whopper with cheese, no pickles. OH SHIT! Wrong place”
• “Can I get the number 3, not the meal, just the 3 chicken thingy’s?”
• “Fruit instead of taters”
• Q:  “Would you like a drink holder or a tray?”   A:  “Yes, that would be great.”
• Q:  “Would you like any sauce?”   A: “No, I’ll just spill it on myself.”
• “Can I have an order of hard grilled chicken?”

Are these hard enough for you?

• “May I have two number 3 fours?”
• “May I have a large ice cream dream cone please?”
• “Could I have some lemon juice please?”
• “I want the most nugget box you got.”
• “Caesar wrap sandwich”
• “Small order of cottage fries”
• “I’ll take a regular chicken.”

?

• “Can I get a portable tray?”
• “Can I have 3 cups of honey?
• “Can I get the three count mini, the breakfast ones?”
• “Can I get just the breast?”
• “I’ll take a Chick-fil-A”
• “Oh wow, it’s all chicken”
• “Are all your fries waffle?”
• “Can I order breakfast now?”   “Yes, ma’am, until 10:30.”   “Well can I order breakfast then?”
• “Do you have any breakfast left?”    “No, we stopped serving breakfast at 10:30.”    “Well do you have any left?”
• A customer came to the counter and asked,  “Do you still work here?”
• “Can I have your basic sandwich?”
• “2 spice sandwiches.”
• “Are you doing the promotion with the free side?”
• “Number 7 combo just the sandwich”
• “Can I get light on ice?”
• “How much is your chicken meal?”
• “Can I get the big one?”
• “Large not sweetened tea”
• “What is in the fruit, just fruit?”
• “Is there fruit on the Chargrilled and Fruit Salad?”
• “Can I get half of a sandwich?”
• “So you get two pieces of bread on a sandwich?”
• “Can I have a box of those chicken rollie things?”
• “Large sweet tea with a teaspoon of lemon on top”
• “Can I get the number 4 but make it spicy and add deluxe?”

There is still moar!!

Some of the things customers try to say to us at work are absolutely ridiculous.

• Crowtans
• Shopem bags
• Q: “What drink would you like?”   A:  “Diet.”
• Q: “Would you like any sauces?”   A:  “No. Can I have some BBQ sauce?”
• “I just don’t understand why I don’t get two sandwiches with a meal”
• “What do you sweeten your unsweetened tea with?”
• “Does the chicken garden salad come with chicken?”
• “Do you serve fish?”
• “Is the number one grilled?”
• “Can I get a number 8 pack meal?”
• Q:  “How many McNuggets come in a meal?”    A:  “I’m not sure, ma’am, I don’t work at McDonald’s.”
• “Can I get a number this one 4 pack?”
• “Can I get a large sweet tea without sugar?”
• “Can I have a hot and spicy sandwich please?”
• “What’s on that there chick fill uh sammich?”
• “Could I get the combo with a drink?”
• “Small order of onion rings please.”
• “Can I have a straw with my coffee so my lips don’t get hot?”
• “2 Chick-fil-A’s.”
• “Can I get my chicken on a honey wheat roll?”
• “Chicken egg and cheese on sunflower mango bread”
• “Could I get some yellow sugar please?”
• “Can I get the number 4…….better make it the meal.”
• “Chicken burrito sandwich only”
• “Can I get an 8 piece nugget?  NO WAIT!! Can I get an 8 pack nugget?”
• Berry Ballsmatic dressing
• “Can I have a free one of them?”
• “Better throw in some taters with that”
• “Can I get ummmmmm… ummmmmmmmmmmmm… ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm… never mind”
• 8:30 am.     “Are you all on lunch?”

Thanks to David and Sonny for these. More to come!

There is a new phishing tactic being used.  This one is by phone.  Read below and beware. (also on Beck Holt’s site)

Snopes.Com  says this is true. To verify see this  site: http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want.

Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it… This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & Master Card Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One of our employees was called on Wednesday from ‘VISA’, and I was called on Thursday from ‘Master Card’.. The scam works like this:

Caller: ‘This is (name), and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an
Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in ?’

When you say ‘No’, the caller continues with, ‘Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?’

You say ‘yes’. The caller continues – ‘I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the
back of your card (1-800 -VISA) and ask for Security.’
You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. ‘Do you need me to read it again?’

Here’s the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says, ‘I need to verify you are in possession of your card’. He’ll ask you to ‘turn your card over and look for some numbers’. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers,  he’ll say, ‘That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?’

After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, ‘Don’t hesitate to call back if you do, and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number.. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question.. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card.

Long story – short – we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card Don’t give it to them. Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you’ll see charges for
purchases you didn’t make, and by then it’s almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a ‘Jason Richardson of Master Card’ with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn’t let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is
happening.

You might want to pass this on.

So today was my first day of class at an exciting new school.

HA what a joke. I could tell by the first class that Anne Arundel Community College is just one big joke disguised as a college. And it’s not even a very good disguise either.

Following this, I had my first good day at work today without drugs. Where I had an epiphany. For months, I have been searching for a song that describes the relationship between me and Stephanie. Of course, over the months, this song has changed many times. But I think I have found the perfect one. This one might actually stick. Oddly enough, it’s a song I’ve been listening for years, back from my late middle school/early high school days when my dad got me into the oldies band Chicago. One of their songs goes like this:

At the time, you couldn’t tell me
If one day I’d be glad
That something that I thought was love
Was misinterpreted
She had another lover
She emphatic’lly denied
But they were doing me a favor
A blessing in disguise

(Chorus:)
If she would have been faithful
If she could have been true
Then I would have been cheated
I would never know real love
I would have missed out on you

Finally, I am in fact aware that Steve McNair is dead. I was aware since the day he died. What YOU may not be aware of is that he was the subject of the oldest post on PenguinPride.com.

I have come to the conclusion that although Home Movies sucks, Brendon Small can in fact write good shows, as is proven with Metalocalypse. Only there can you follow a band with awesome songs, with people out to destroy them, while they engage in more important activities such as attempting to suck their own dicks.

That is all.