Things that make me go GRRRRRR

So today, I'm working full steam ahead, with the objective of getting all my trades for April confirmed and verified by May 01, when one of my co-workers brings it to my attention that everyone in our group has been assigned the goal of attending a class or seminar to improve our communication-team work-trust building skills. It seems that some poor, disillusioned person in our group -- or maybe he/she just prefers to spend more time in class than doing his/her primary duties -- has been complaining to management that they feel there isn't enough communication among members of our group. And, as a result, we've all been ordered to become more knowledgeable on the subject. Oh please. Last I checked, my communication skills are just fine. Only reason I'm not yapping away and spending time in the visual field of my co-workers, and/or making sure they are amply cross-trained, is because I am in my far corner, working my ass off, trying to get and keep my responsibilities reasonably caught up, in spite of the constant interruptions I get from every direction for being the resident know-it-all. (Although "know-it-all" is generally used to indicate someone who only thinks they know it all, much to the annoyance of their peers, whereas I actually do have an answer -- or will come up with one pretty quickly -- to almost any question I'm asked because I have been there longer than anyone else in my group.)

What happened to the good ol' days when you could just go to your office, do what you were hired to do and not worry about all this touchy-feely training that doesn't really relate to your actual function, and causes you to get behind on your primary duties? I mean, I'm all for getting training to better understand your duties, and for cross-training with co-workers so that you can each fill in for the other during vacations and other times off, but seriously, if someone has trouble communicating with others or understanding what has been communicated to them, maybe they shouldn't be hired in the first place.

And when did public speaking and presentation skills become a requirement for non-management positions that don't meet with clients or sell anything? Better yet, when was it decided that forcibly fostering these skills in subordinates who want absolutely nothing to do with speaking in front of groups or giving presentations is mentoring? Wonder if it's a valid complaint to whine to HR that one feels they are being subjected to a hostile work environment by being required to make presentations? Did I mention that putting together a presentation also takes away valuable time from completing one's time-sensitive primary responsibilities?

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Now, to the gross things that annoy me at work... guys who clip their nails. Yuck! WTF?!! What are they thinking? Where are the discards flying? If I whipped out a bottle of polish and painted my nails, I'd get all kinds of flack, and not just for the obnoxious smell, --I've done it before in moments of desperation -- but desperation doesn't happen every week.

Do that crap at YOUR HOUSE, preferrably in your backyard if you're married because your wife probably doesn't want to find the damn grody clippings in the carpet either. Better yet, go spend $10 on a manicure and leave the cutting to the pros --- maybe splurge and get your toes done too, cuz who knows WHERE those are ending up.

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Finally, I sincerely hope that my blog doesn't turn into a daily bitch session because it seems like that's what I feel like doing a lot lately, and it's not time for me to be hormonal yet this month.