Author Topic: Quotes from work (Read 191894 times)

Jonathon · « **Reply #400 on:** October 10, 2008, 11:39:12 AM »

I think that sounds good.

Amilia · « **Reply #401 on:** November 14, 2008, 02:24:36 PM »

I work for an art glass studio. My favorite supplier, Mad Dog, has a hoot of a catalog. Most of the entries are ordinary businesslike entries. But every now and again I come across one that just cracks me the heck up. One I just ran across:

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ZINC BRACE BAR
SISSY BAR! As thick as the STEEL BAR, but bends and solders much easier. Great for curvy bracing.

My all time favorite entry:

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APRON
Ultra chic, apron with scientifically devised rear opening for fresh air circulation. One trendy size fits all.

The caption next to the apron's picture reads:

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Maude Dogge with apron

pooka · « **Reply #402 on:** November 14, 2008, 06:20:18 PM »

Fresh air circulation.

Jonathon · « **Reply #403 on:** December 30, 2008, 10:43:15 AM »

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The final conditions of the surrender called for the Mormons to make an appropriation of property to cover any indemnities caused during the Missouri conflict . . .

Uh, no. The Mormons did not appropriate any property; they surrendered it. The state of Missouri appropriated the property. And the appropriation did not cover any indemnities; the appropriation was the indemnity against the damages caused by the conflict.

The whole paper is full of stuff like this—not just awkwardness or wordiness, but flat-out wrongness.

pooka · « **Reply #404 on:** December 31, 2008, 09:33:32 AM »

You can't just scrawl "I do not think that word means what you think it means" and give it back, I suppose.

Yeah, that definitely makes it sound like the Mormons received stuff, which is not how I've heard it.

Jonathon · « **Reply #405 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:17:38 AM »

He used "appropriated" somewhere else when he clearly meant something more like "disbursed". I'm guessing he just doesn't know what it means.

Narnia · « **Reply #406 on:** January 02, 2009, 10:05:12 AM »

Why does my supervisor (along with a zillion other people) use the word 'we' when asking how my project is progressing? "How are we doing?" I didn't realize how absolutely irritating that was until I started hearing it from him 2-3 times a day.

I am comfortable enough with him that I once said "I don't know how you're doing, but I'm doing fine!" He didn't get the hint, and still uses the 'we' version all the freaking time. o_O

rivka · « **Reply #407 on:** January 02, 2009, 10:06:10 AM »

1) He thinks he's royalty.

2) He has a tapeworm.

Jonathon · « **Reply #408 on:** January 02, 2009, 10:08:27 AM »

3) He's using an indirect form to be polite.

Narnia · « **Reply #409 on:** January 02, 2009, 10:09:19 AM »

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3) He's using an indirect form to be polite.

I don't get that. It sounds condescending and incorrect. I think I'm going to go with rivka's tapeworm theory.

rivka · « **Reply #410 on:** January 02, 2009, 10:14:52 AM »

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #411 on:** January 02, 2009, 10:15:34 AM »

I manage, or supervise, or whatever. I never do the "How are we doing?" thing. Typical is, "What's the story?", "Any news?", "Anything to report?" "What's going on with <whatever>?", or "What's the word on the street?".

Narnia, how do you feel about those?

Narnia · « **Reply #412 on:** January 02, 2009, 10:23:36 AM »

I like them all much better than 'how are we doing?' I would welcome any or all of them at any time.

After 3 more seconds of deep thought, I realize that Tante's phrases invite simple answers like "No problem," "everything's ok," etc. Whereas "How are we doing?" seems to require something....else. I'm not sure what. I know I'm just being silly, but there it is.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #413 on:** January 02, 2009, 11:08:07 AM »

I love the simple answers, especially when they are "everything's OK". Of course, if I find out later that everything was not OK, that's not so cool.

rivka · « **Reply #414 on:** January 02, 2009, 11:17:04 AM »

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Whereas "How are we doing?" seems to require something....else. I'm not sure what. I know I'm just being silly, but there it is.

Huh. I just respond with "Fine, thanks." Maybe you're responding to body language as well?

Narnia · « **Reply #415 on:** January 02, 2009, 11:28:08 AM »

I gues it seems like I need to say something else more specific I guess. I can't quite tell.

I'm a terrible person, though. He just did it again with a "Do you think we'll be able to finsish [project] by the end of today?"

I responded with "I'll be able to finish it...I don't know about the two of us together." (Like I said, our working relationship is pretty casual and joky, so I felt comfortable saying that.) He totally didn't get it. *sigh* I'll shut up I guess.

Zalmoxis · « **Reply #416 on:** January 02, 2009, 02:13:15 PM »

There is no I in team, Narnia.

Edit to add: But there are two 'A's in The A-Team!

rivka · « **Reply #417 on:** January 02, 2009, 02:34:35 PM »

If you want him to get it, try, "Oh! Are you going to help? Great! You type, and I'll dictate."

Narnia · « **Reply #418 on:** January 02, 2009, 02:39:28 PM »

That was meant for Zal, but it works for Rivka too. I honestly think that he doesn't even realize it. If I said that, he'd be like "What are you talking about?" He already thinks I'm insane, so I'd better stop while I'm ahead.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #419 on:** January 03, 2009, 03:54:02 PM »

If I were to give you some honest, useful advice in this, it would be to either ignore him or laugh at him behind his back. That's what the people I supervise do.

Noemon · « **Reply #420 on:** January 12, 2009, 08:42:29 AM »

Remember a few weeks ago, when I posted about a coworker with idiosyncratic ways of pronouncing just about everything, who is also very quick to correct my pronunciation? I just overheard him talking to another coworker. They're talking about movies, and he was referencing some film where Ride of the Valkyries was used to comic effect. He pronounced Wagner "Vaagner", with the "aa" sounding like the "a" in "can", but more drawn out.

Annie Subjunctive · « **Reply #421 on:** January 12, 2009, 09:19:39 AM »

I'll add my vote to the we annoyance. Although my personal pet peeve is when people say "we're pregnant." No... no, you're not.

Porter · « **Reply #422 on:** January 12, 2009, 09:23:35 AM »

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Although my personal pet peeve is when people say "we're pregnant." No... no, you're not.

Do you find it annoying when the woman says that?

Noemon · « **Reply #423 on:** January 12, 2009, 09:48:41 AM »

I do. Unless by "we" she means herself and another woman or group of women, all of whom are in a family way.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #424 on:** January 12, 2009, 10:24:36 AM »

I never said "we're pregnant", but I did say that "we're expecting a baby in February".

Which we both were.