jrgreene6
Legend
Married . . . With Cats
Posts: 7,437
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Post by jrgreene6 on Jan 23, 2019 19:53:48 GMT
Been taking this grueling test for my job too. The government has made even manual labor jobs seem like brain surgery in their quest for more money. I've learned about food prep, which has absolutely nothing to do with bartending. I've learned hotel security. Bomb scares & loonies with guns opening fire. I've learned how disgusting bed bugs are & how we deal with them. I've learned about human trafficking. I work banquets. We could have a Pimps & Hoes convention in a ballroom & my job is to get them drunk. That's IT. 24 courses in all. I have eight to go. A colossal waste of time. 24 courses to do a job you already know and are obviously very good at? INSANITY!! Sounds kind of like this nearly hour long POS I recently had to take just to APPLY for a position that I’ve been doing for nearly 30 years! Last year, my company was bought out by some rich hot shot out your way & the first thing he did was terminate all of us as employees and then “re-hire” us as “independents contractors”. In doing so, we lost the ONLY benefits the previous owners offered, which was covering part of our taxes. We NEVER had health or dental insurance (even after it was mandatory & Obamacare was instituted - they just paid the fines as that was cheaper); no paid holidays, vacation or PTO’s. So now, we have to take care of ALL of our taxes which means filing forms and paying quarterly, etc. And do you think we got any type of “bump” to cover these additional expenses? Nope. So I’ve been looking around to see what else might be out there in my field of work and it’s fairly limited and specialized, especially in this area. Had an interview with the state of Ohio that I really felt good about, but didn’t get the job. I think my age (57) & experience (hirer having to pay me toward the top of their scale) are a huge detriment at this point. Anyways - I fill out this application & send my resumé online to this company and they immediately ask me to take this test (also online). What a cluster-eff! Dozens of questions regarding computers and their programs / operating systems which I’ve never used or seen used in my three decades of work. Dozens more about how I would react versus my co-workers and / or supervisors in certain scenarios. Hello? I don’t HAVE any co-workers that I can speak to how THEY might react and my boss calls or emails me maybe once or twice a MONTH and even then, it’s only to get clarification or correction on one of my reports. I did the best I could but pretty much got shot down before the end of the day and didn’t even merit a face to face interview. I guess it’s all for the best though because I did that “corporate gig” for about a year and a half way back when I was much younger and it nearly killed me. I put 75,000 miles on my company car in less than a year. Was leaving my house at 6:00 am and getting home at 6:00 pm; stop for a bite to eat; then at my home based office desk until 9:00 or 10:00 pm, only to have to get up and do the same thing the next day. TOTALLY sucked! I don’t make as much as I used to and a good deal of what I do now keeps me in my home office. But I pretty much work when I want to work. Stay up until 3:00 am watching the big screen; get up at noon or one. It’s not a bad gig & thank God the wife has a much better one and makes the scratch she does. When we first got married, I carried her for the first 15 or 20 years. Her turn now. GO DODGERS!!! |
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Post by Blunashun on Jan 24, 2019 5:41:50 GMT
Welcome to work-a-day life in the new millennia. So glad Reagan (former president of The Screen Actors Guild) saw fit to lead us down that union busting road. They never did anything for us. Like 8 hour days & 40 hour work weeks. Sick leave & vacation time. Maternity leave. It got uncle Ronnie a gig on General Electric Theater though. That's what's really important.
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Post by Blunashun on Jan 24, 2019 6:41:44 GMT
One course I had to give a wrong answer to in order to pass. A glitch in the system.
Unions were rife with corruption. So do away with the corruption. Instead big business used it as an excuse to do away with unions. Dad-burn-it! We could still have small children working 10 hours a day, seven days a week, in coal mines if it weren't for those communist loving unions. You Pinkertons aren't doing your job if there's still a live picketer out there.
And so those pinkos in the unions are hiring goons now, eh?
The canary died! Eh. That canary was sick already...
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Post by Blunashun on Jan 28, 2019 2:42:19 GMT
Hilarious, & what a relief.
Two weeks ago I was told my bank was $56.50 short. Why, I never! Seriously, I've never been off by that much before.
I figured out what happened with that $56.50 last week & why my boss wanted it buried. It was his fault. Hehe.
He reprogrammed the cash registers with new prices. This occurred to me after he told me to drop the matter. There will be no writeup. He must have programmed in the new prices (rang them up) & forgot to clear the register. In other words, the keys he rang up were the supposed sales I started with. I told his assistant that night that the last group of people (8 in all) came up all at once, ordered one at a time, did their shots together, then paid one at a time. I may have gotten mixed up & might be a few dollars over. Then the assistant told me I was $56.50 short.
I added up all the keys my boss reprogrammed today & it came to $64.50. I must have been $8.00 over. Just like I said. That means my boss kept the $8.00. That was my money. My tips. Oh well.
This afternoon his assistant gave me the register key & said our boss told him to let me do it. Tom knows about these cash registers. I did a clear out reading before starting & found a $331.00 charge from a week ago that hadn't been erased. They were going to have me start $331.00 in the hole. I told the assistant this is why I'd like to handle the register from now on. I have zero motivation to steal. But if I really wanted to, I could have them standing stark naked in the eye of a hurricane before they noticed their clothes were gone. Key or no key.
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Post by Blunashun on Jan 28, 2019 23:03:58 GMT
Finally finished those courses. Missed two on the bomb threat scare.
✕ 3. Most bomb threats prove to be hoaxes so there is no need to report them
True ✔
False
I put false. Seriously? We laugh them off? Tell that to the sentencing judge who sends you on a ten year fudge packing expedition up the river for involuntary manslaughter or negligent homicide.
✕ 10. Most bomb threats are called in over the phone
True
False ✔
I put true. Their own video said most bomb threats come over the phone. Why do I have so many notes on accents, speech impediments, background noises, third parties listening in, hand signs, & keeping them on the line as long as possible if the majority of threats aren't called in? Whatever. Amateurs...
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Post by Blunashun on Feb 4, 2019 20:11:57 GMT
I applied as a deliveryman for a marijuana dispensary. Hopefully I get the job. Also hopefully they don't contact my present employer. I would want to work Mondays through Wednesdays. There's hardly ever bartending gigs on those days. My boss is funny about that stuff though. Every employer wants to feel as if they own you. Mine is no exception. We had a food & beverage meeting where it was laid out that if they need you you better work or they'll find someone else. I would have worked this past Sunday too, except for the way my boss framed it. First he asked if I would "like" to work Sunday. As a bartender? No. A food server. They have plenty of food servers. I think he was screwing with me, because he added (before I could respond) - "Unless you would rather watch the Super Bowl." "Truthfully? Yes. I would rather watch the game." Later he came to me with a "popup." That means a funeral. Once again, before I could answer, he told me he had someone else already lined up to work it. He was letting me know he was still peeved & that I could be replaced. "What a relief! Glad you have someone to cover." Shit. They had a girl working the second of two bars Saturday & I think she's underage. I need to find out for leverage. What a juicy bit of leverage that would be.  |
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Post by Blunashun on Feb 21, 2019 16:22:27 GMT
Strange experience yesterday. I was scheduled to work a function starting at 4:00 PM. I left my house at 3:15 because I always like to show up a little early. I arrived at 3:40 & walked into the conference room where the event was supposed to take place. The seating arrangement didn't look right. One of my co-workers showed up & I asked where I'm supposed to set the bar up. He told me the event had been cancelled. What? I shaved & took a shower for nothing? Scraping those barnacles off my hull is no easy task. I always like to make myself the butt of jokes. But really? No one told me?
So I call the assistant manager. This guy really needs to take a management class. He's not a bad guy, but woefully ignorant & very stubborn. I did this at age 22. Your job. I'm not trying to clown you or usurp your authority when I offer advice. I'm genuinely trying to help. We confirmed the event was cancelled. My next shift is Saturday. What about today though? Can you add an hour to my pay check to cover mileage? He laughed at that suggestion. You just don't get it, do you?
Got home & emailed his supervisor & told him what happened. Posted a link to California labor law. They owe me TWO hours of 'Reporting Time Pay.' You show up for a shift & aren't allowed to work, your employer owes you two hours of pay. Can you just give me an hour & we'll pretend this never happened? He'll probably give me the two hours because this guy is real careful. I don't want hard feelings. Just I fought a half hour of rush hour traffic both ways & am laughed at. If I don't clue them in that I know how this shit works, they'll do it again just out of neglect. 'Ooh! Think I forgot to tell Tom. Oh well.'
Hopefully there are no hard feelings. There aren't on my part. I'm the one who was put out.
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jrgreene6
Legend
Married . . . With Cats
Posts: 7,437
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Post by jrgreene6 on Feb 21, 2019 19:37:32 GMT
That TRULY sucks. Happens to me in my line more often than it should. I pretty much do my own scheduling and most of the time I will call and set a date & time and then follow up with an email confirmation.
Still doesn’t stop people from the usual “I forgot” or “I didn’t write it down” or “I wrote down the wrong date”. ESPECIALLY irksome when it happens on my monthly trips up to Toledo.
Those are usually set a couple of weeks in advance with little to no leeway as most of my days are set hour to hour based on the account. If I set aside two hours for someone and they “forget”, I can’t squeeze them in the next day because it’s usually booked solid.
The ones I REALLY love are the ones that will schedule and confirm and then call me a day before or the SAME day to reschedule. And they ALWAYS ask for the following week.
Uh - I’m out of Cincinnati & normally only in your area a few days each month; sometimes every other month. I tell them this each and EVERY time I call to schedule and will even mention it in follow-up emails.
So NO - I CAN’T drive all the way back up to Toledo next week just to do YOUR one audit. It’s completely cost prohibitive. Some people just don’t get it!
GO DODGERS!!!
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Post by Blunashun on Feb 24, 2019 19:36:16 GMT
I used to think my boss was really sharp. It might be time to reevaluate that assumption.
On the phone he seemed okay with my claim for Reporting Time Pay. In person he acted like a jilted child. He kept going on & on about legalities. He threatened to report me to the IRS about my tips. When I started there the chick he was nailing trained me. I asked her how much she reports in tips.
"What? Are you retarded? Don't claim tips. You'll ruin it for everyone." She had been doing that for TEN years. I guess he never thought it was important enough to mention it to her. Now he's threatening to report me. Good luck with that. We don't even have a credit card terminal. It's all cash. Anything you say is purely speculative.
So we got a sports convention in last night. Those guys love me. To discourage me, my boss scheduled a second bartender. Okay. He then told me to set this guy's bar up. I'm a barback now? Okay. I set it up...in a dark corner. He sold $900.00. I sold $1,800.00. He walked with about $120-$130.00 in tips. I grossed $314.00. I tipped out a food server $34.00 for looking out for me. The other guy tipped out no one. I walked with $280.50. I claimed $47.00. Prove me a liar.
What an empty threat that was. My ace in the hole is he had a 20 year old bartend one party. I haven't told him that yet. I can ruin this guy. Let it go.
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 3, 2019 4:58:40 GMT
This guy must think he's a real laugh riot. In a way he is. Just not the way he intended.
Before work he was asking me if I wanted to take a vacation. The 20 year old is about ready.
"Not till March 14th. Thanks though. I feel really loved." The bitch laughed. "He's trying to get rid of him." Don't count your eggs before they hatch. All he did was remind us all he had an underage girl bartend before.
There were two events today. I think he assigned me to the one he thought would suck. A baby shower. Ouch! 200 drink tickets. No change = no tips. Instead I bonded with the customers. The cash register was broken. That was my supervisor's fault. We had some FREE pouring because of that. They were stuffing money in my tip jar. "Thanks Tom. You're the best." "Why thank you!"
I went in thinking I'd be lucky to get 50 bucks. I made $222.00 in less than five hours. Then I tipped two waiters a cumulative $32.00 to gain their favor, claimed $27.00 in tips & walked with $190.00. No cash register gives him absolutely no recourse but to accept whatever I say. It's not as easy screwing with a 60 year old with 32 years in the biz, eh?
F with me will you.
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 16, 2019 19:22:37 GMT
Picked up my check yesterday. Saw a list on my boss's desk saying I hadn't completed that superfluous course. I'm being set up. I have a chart made out by my boss saying which tests I needed to take. I completed everyone of them.
Monday I'll call Human Resources & ask THEM which courses remain uncompleted. My boss is nothing if not insecure. He'll hit the ceiling when he finds out I went over his head. But there ain't a damn thing he can do about it.
I'm already looking for another job but plan on taking him out the door with me. He paired me with his ace bartender the last time & I outsold him 2 to 1. His problems with me are...
A- I'm American & don't speak Spanish.
B- I know what I'm doing & don't need your incessant OCD oversight.
C- I'll subtly let you know when you screwed up.
D- I'm 60.
E- I piss standing up.
F- I'm on SSDI, applied as a bartender, & don't want to risk my medical benefits (which they wouldn't give to a 60 year old part-time employee) wasting my time waiting tables just because you want to feel like you own me.
This guy is going down. Once I hit 60 he's toast.
I applied at a nearby hotel. That manager wants me on the main bar twice a week. I'll have to find out how much that bar grosses to see if it's feasible.
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Post by Blunashun on Mar 25, 2019 21:28:25 GMT
HR never called back. No surprise. HR's job really is to support management & cover their tracks when they screw up. Make sure nothing splashes back on the company.
I got the *new* list of courses to take. He gave them to me at the end of my shift last Thursday night. I got around to them this morning. Knocked off five in about an hour. Then my que with this company was empty. Yet there were still three courses on the list my supervisor gave me. How can that be?
I called the testing company & those courses don't even exist. I just emailed my supervisor notifying him of this curious development & asking for instructions.
God bless email & me turning 60. I have evidence of me trying to resolve this problem, & maybe age discrimination.
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Post by Blunashun on Apr 14, 2019 8:28:32 GMT
Two parties after weeks of inertia.
Their ace bartender struck out & doesn't want another shot. He's comfortable getting bowls of soup for the 20 or so patrons they have in the main bar. They're trying a new guy. A kid. I mistakenly called him 'Frank' tonight. My boss quickly corrected me. "Eddie." Whatever. How often do I come in contact with these guys? Thing is I like this kid too. He's just not memorable.
My supervisor seems to slowly be coming around to reality. He assigned the Mexican kid to a 60th birthday party for an African-American. My turf. He assigned the gringo (me) to a Mexican girl's 15th birthday party. I sold $1,200.00. The kid sold about $350.00. I walked with $117.00. The kid said he barely made $30.00. Which is fair because he works the main bar too.
I told him to not be put off by low percentage tips. You guys at the main bar get 20% built in. You get TAXED on 20%, if not more. In banquets we get an average of 10%. But if you sell $2,000.00, 10% ain't bad. The inference was you'll do okay as long as your boss doesn't threaten you with an audit.
I claimed NOTHING on my tip declaration form. These were friends of my boss. They liked me. They were repeating my jokes hours after. Fire me. I'm practically daring you now.
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jrgreene6
Legend
Married . . . With Cats
Posts: 7,437
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Post by jrgreene6 on Apr 29, 2019 20:48:16 GMT
Got some local “loco” down in St Thomas and it has now screwed with me & my cell phone TWICE.
First time was down there - thought I left it in a cab, but didn’t know the cab service, drivers name or anything. Luckily, the wife kept calling & texting it and turned out I left it at a bar.
Had to take cab back over & then back to the resort. $30 I didn’t really need to spend, but cheaper than a new phone.
Then last night we go to see the latest Avengers movie, had some of it and a few cold ones. Got all the way home - no phone AGAIN!
Called the theater last night and twice today - wasn’t found or turned in. Last resort drove back there this afternoon. Found it slipped down between cushion and side arm.
WHEW!!! Might be time to lay off the loco for awhile.
GO DODGERS!!!
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Post by Blunashun on May 3, 2019 18:43:46 GMT
WHEW!!! Might be time to lay off the loco for awhile. GO DODGERS!!! Sounds like it. Now I have to take a food handlers course even though I don't handle food. It'll cost me $15.00. Sweet. |
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