OT - NO POLITICS Turn back the clocks edition

[Troublesome 85]

Finally!!!!!

 

[Bocephus86]

I've used them a handful of times, sometimes you get a good driver, a few times you get a terrible driver, playing with their phone while driving, stinks of pot, etc. If I were a driver I wouldn't work Friday or Saturday nights to avoid dealing with the drunks myself

Last time I took an uber I was with my now wife going from Medford to Allston. The dude who showed up was about 100 years old in an old Lincoln. We got to the rotary onto 93 near Medford center and he started drifting lanes, then was clearly going to miss the on ramp, which I told him we needed to take. He went inside lane to outside and almost drove a guy off the road. I spent the rest of the trip holding my now wife and giving him ample early directions where we were headed (despite his giant cell phone right in his face with the GPS going). We were also doing a solid 40 on 93 in the second middle lane.

25 minutes later I drank about 4 Sakes the minute we arrived at hot pot, making her friends think I was an alcoholic. We had to take one back but ever since I take a full on taxi everywhere, or drive myself.

 

[GordonHowe]

I get asked for goals every year and I have learned to keep them simple, attainable and categorize them into buckets so they don’t look so overwhelming.

One bucket is for a goal or two addressing what areas I feel need improvement. Another bucket is on what can I do that will help me grow in my role. A third bucket is for things I can do to benefit the team and employees and the fourth bucket is for longer term goals like taking a class or attending a specific training etc.

Sometimes my goals get put on hold or only partially reached due to other things that come up that take precedence but that is always take. Into account at the end of the year.

I am very lucky to have found my professional “home”. It has its warts but since going out on our own, leadership has committed to being more realistic and open minded.

I hate annual reviews. I’ve had some real doozies over the years by people who should have never been managers or are just agents of chaos.


I am the same way. I have never wanted to manage people. I’ll manage a process no problem but people, no thanks.

I have no desire whatever to be a manager of any kind.

No one's ever asked me either, likely because they know the answer already, and likely because I probably wouldn't be very good at it.

I do consider myself a leader, if I may say so myself.

I directed study sessions in graduate school, and was a "fire marshal" when working at Amazon as a data analyst.

 

[Bocephus86]

I manage a bunch of people, it's easy. I let my people run when I think they can, if they flame out than they are out. It has left me with an incredible team of people and I don't micromanage their time or work, and they become really honest with me. Doctor's appointment? That's not PTO. Something going on at home? Let me know if you need help or if it's going to impact work. Just struggling with a new assignment? Lets try to figure this out together.

Your employees are adults, treat them that way. Granted my company has a pretty flat structure and I'm technically third in charge so letting a troublemaker go vs giving someone rope is truly within my power.

 

[BB79]

Last time I took an uber I was with my now wife going from Medford to Allston. The dude who showed up was about 100 years old in an old Lincoln. We got to the rotary onto 93 near Medford center and he started drifting lanes, then was clearly going to miss the on ramp, which I told him we needed to take. He went inside lane to outside and almost drove a guy off the road. I spent the rest of the trip holding my now wife and giving him ample early directions where we were headed (despite his giant cell phone right in his face with the GPS going). We were also doing a solid 40 on 93 in the second middle lane.

25 minutes later I drank about 4 Sakes the minute we arrived at hot pot, making her friends think I was an alcoholic. We had to take one back but ever since I take a full on taxi everywhere, or drive myself.

Not going to lie, that sounds like it could be a Seinfeld episode

 

[Bocephus86]

Not going to lie, that sounds like it could be a Seinfeld episode

We never actually spoke in the car but immediately after getting out we had that 'did that just happen?' look before her friends walked up. Fluff it up a bit and it honestly would be a good one.

25 minutes too, perfectly tight episode timing haha.

 

[GordonHowe]

Anything Uber sounds like a good deal until you have 100k miles on your car in 2 years.

I used to work near the Uber lot at logan. There were full sizes Tahoes idling with the heat on waiting to get called, with RI plates. No way there are making that back. Especially if the algorithm send them to Southern NH. Whole thing is a scam to get contractors to destroy their personal vehicle for Ubers gain. If the drivers deducted $0.67 per mile from their pay and put it in a car replacement account I doubt many would come out ahead unless they were driving a well used Prius.

Not that anyone cares, but I've used Uber twice, I believe.

I dislike the "gig economy," so-called, Uber, Lyft, Amazon, etcetera.

It's a scam all alright.

I believe they called it indentured servitude in another era.

 

[Troublesome 85]

One of the main reasons, other than needing to upgrade, I got a PS5 is this game. Maddens are cool but I like developing and recruiting players as a college team. Think this the first college game in more than 10 years due to NCAA stuff but now with NIL its back.

Not to anyone cares, but I've used Uber twice, I believe.

I dislike the "gig economy," so-called, Uber, Lyft, Amazon, etcetera.

It's a scam all alright.

I believe they called it indentured servitude in another era.

I delivered for Amazon IDK about others but the company I worked for treated us well.

 

[GordonHowe]

Good point with the Ebike.

What people pay for delivery is madness

Yes, it is.

Total Wine & Liquor employs Doordash for delivery. Obscene fees.

The drivers were always great, but again, I feel they are very much being used by their corporate masters.

 

[GordonHowe]

One of the main reasons, other than needing to upgrade, I got a PS5 is this game. Maddens are cool but I like developing and recruiting players as a college team. Think this the first college game in more than 10 years due to NCAA stuff but now with NIL its back.



I delivered for Amazon IDK about others but the company I worked for treated us well.

As noted previously in another context, all the horror stories you hear about Amazon (managers crying at their desks, 100% accuracy as a data analyst or it's your ass, relentless, remorseless, massive turnover as they use up the worker bees, throw them away and begin the entire process all over again, etc.) are true.

And that's in an office.

The stuff I've heard about warehouse conditions and drivers having to bring along a empty liter of Coke to pee in whilst on the road because they have to hit quota within a certain time frame, blah f*cking blah.

I would like to get my hands around the neck of Jeff Bezos, sociopath Wall Street vampires, Silicon Valley broligarchs, and all the rest.

And squeeze the life out of them.

"Tis a consummation devoutely to be wished for,"

 

[Troublesome 85]

Ive peed in a truck alot. I also went off route to pee and they called to ask what was up.

 

[Bocephus86]

Ive peed in a truck alot. I also went off route to pee and they called to ask what was up.

That's not normal, and I think reflects exactly what @GordonHowe is talking about. I'd rather we not slide back into 1900s working conditions. The illusion of freedom is a powerful drug.

 

[GordonHowe]

Ive peed in a truck alot. I also went off route to pee and they called to ask what was up.

As it were.

 

[Alicat]

I have no desire whatever to be a manager of any kind.

No one's ever asked me either, likely because they know the answer already, and likely because I probably wouldn't be very good at it.

I do consider myself a leader, if I may say so myself.

I directed study sessions in graduate school, and was a "fire marshal" when working at Amazon as a data analyst.

I have done a lot of training in my career and I really enjoy it but that’s as close to “leading” something I’ve done and I am a-ok with that.

Creating a how to library for employees is actually one of my goals for 2025. I have it all mapped out and just need to come up with a realistic timeline.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

So have I, although for the most part, I've been lucky in this regard.

Then again, I've never worked in an office or corporate setting, save as an intern at Hale and Dorr when at Northeastern.

However, I have heard plenty of horror stories from family members and friends.

I remain somewhat baffled as to why those unable to lead or manage others invariably wind up as managers. This, evidently, in service of making all involved miserable.

Can a corporate worker or HR expert explain this phenomenon to the uninitiated?

Curious.

Glad you are waking up

 

[Shaun]

i remember back when uber launched in boston it was strictly black cars and you’d get offered water. now it’s pure chaos unless you order uber black.

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

i remember back when uber launched in boston it was strictly black cars and you’d get offered water. now it’s pure chaos unless you order uber black.

Uber is like a box of chocolates. You will never know what you’re going to get.

Love my cars

 

[GordonHowe]

i remember back when uber launched in boston it was strictly black cars and you’d get offered water. now it’s pure chaos unless you order uber black.

Ugh per all gig work.

That's just me,

 

[Donnie Shulzhoffer]

Ugh per all gig work.

That's just me,

Then fend for yourself

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

So have I, although for the most part, I've been lucky in this regard.

Then again, I've never worked in an office or corporate setting, save as an intern at Hale and Dorr when at Northeastern.

However, I have heard plenty of horror stories from family members and friends.

I remain somewhat baffled as to why those unable to lead or manage others invariably wind up as managers. This, evidently, in service of making all involved miserable.

Can a corporate worker or HR expert explain this phenomenon to the uninitiated?

Curious.

I used to work in a couple call centers, as a customer service rep and as an underwriter. Honestly the worst time of my life... for about 15 years. Dark, depressing stuff.

My guess is that it's the Peter Principle. You're likely familiar with the concept. It's basically the idea that, if you are good at something (IDK, like sales or something), you keep getting promoted until you reach the point where the skills that made your successful are no longer what is needed or applicable. At least that's my understanding of it.

 

[GordonHowe]

I used to work in a couple call centers, as a customer service rep and as an underwriter. Honestly the worst time of my life... for about 15 years. Dark, depressing stuff.

My guess is that it's the Peter Principle. You're likely familiar with the concept. It's basically the idea that, if you are good at something (IDK, like sales or something), you keep getting promoted until you reach the point where the skills that made your successful are no longer what is needed or applicable. At least that's my understanding of it.

I've heard tell.

I'll go with

 

[caz16]

Uber is like a box of chocolates. You will never know what you’re going to get.

Love my cars

Mmmmm..... chocolate.....

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Mmmmm..... chocolate.....

View attachment 935905

That's Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife. She was born and raised on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, which has a long history of cocoa cultivation and chocolate production. As such this meme is really quite clever, whether by design or pure chance.

There's my nerdy fact for the day! More importantly, the Empress is of course quite right

 

[caz16]

That's Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife. She was born and raised on the French Caribbean island of Martinique, which has a long history of cocoa cultivation and chocolate production. As such this meme is really quite clever, whether by design or pure chance.

There's my nerdy fact for the day! More importantly, the Empress is of course quite right

View attachment 935910

I did not know that, so thank you! I am always open to knowledge.

I'm curious Aussie, what is the most popular brand of chocolate in your part of the world? Also, do you have a chocolatier that I should know about, that maybe hasn't broken the international market yet?

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

Did Uber Pool ever come back after COVID. That was a good deal.