The Marta Chronicles

I sometimes roll my eyes and suck my teeth - mostly in an exasperated effort to appear funny. But this sort of thing is something that annoys the hell outta me when performed in a professional environment.

My department employs two work study students. One of them spent 3 weeks in the hole because I couldn't get anyone to answer one simple question (still haven't received a response and I'd called and emailed relentlessly) and I was told by the employment office it would take two weeks for her to be paid - still I figured she was exempt from that since she started on a week when timesheets were due and she'd worked with the department the previous school year (but no timesheet came for her). Anyway, I felt terrible and felt that it was partially my fault, especially being her supervisor. Writing a check from my personal account, I paid her and she was to repay me when she got her first check.

Well, last friday I faxed over the timesheets, which included the one for which I paid her for. Wouldn't you know it! The office is claiming to have never received that timesheet - they received all of the others but not that one - and I was careful very, careful about not leaving out her timesheets - she's a student for God's sake! The student came into the office and said that her check was short about 8 hours (which totalled that first timesheet). She was concerned, as well as I - so I called the office that's responsible for keeping track of the hours we work. After explaining the purpose of my call this is the repy I received:

Silence . . . silence . . . then an annoyed sigh . . . then teeth sucked followed by a deep sigh, finally she added words to the conversation, "I keyed in everything that was faxed to me."

I have a copy of the cover sheet. Total number of pages was 5 that should have been received by the recipient - the woman I telephoned. Now - common sense, logic, wisdom from the FAX god states that "if she didn't receive 5 sheets of paper, she should have called." Since I didn't get a phone call from her stating that she did not receive 5 pages, I figured everything transmitted properly. And I always fill in that part of the fax transmittal . . . even when there's going to be 1 page only.

BUT . . . the sigh and sucking teeth meant that it was may fault, not her fault or even our fault but all MINE and I guess being the supervisor - I am to blame. Still, she knew she had not received 5 sheets - she should have called.

Now then, after that rude awakening, she then proceeded to transfer me to the person who keeps a record of the timesheets and this person found only one sheet for this particular student. The woman looked through all of her paperwork (without a sigh or a tooth sucked) then after not finding the timesheet of 8 hours, she apologized and it wasn't her fault at all. I mean, the cover sheet that was faxed over had a specific name on it - and the person who keyed in the information was the recipient who by the way didn't apologized but then it wasn't her fault. Right?

Anyway, I was thankful for the 2nd woman being so polite. I was thankful for her professionalism.

Instead of having the student pay me back the money this week, I had her hold off until the next two weeks. No I don't make alot of money but I am her supervisor and she's a student for God's sake! The food in the cafeteria is high as hell, the bookstore is as high as hell is hot . . . but I'm pissed because I can't get the sound of those sucking teeth and sighs out of my head and the fact that she said "I keyed in what was faxed over to me." Actually she keyed in what she received not what was faxed. But she wanted me to feel that it was my fault.

Got an email from the referral service who I've been forwarding emails to. I update the website for the Emory WHSC - and receive tons of emails from people who think I'm a doctor, think I'm in the office with doctors, etc. I forward these emails to the referral service so these people can get assistance and answers to their questions. Well, the person who contacted me this morning stating that they are the referral service for the many doctors, medical services and health information for Emory and that they do not make appointments - the doctor's office does that. I knew that! But the people contacting me didn't have doctor's names or offices they just listed their symptoms and ailments . . . so I forward them to the people who I thought would be helpful. Apparently not - once again I was wrong. I guess I just want to do a good job, even if it does not pertain to my job description. Mind you, I'm no doctor - I won't operate or try to diagnose symptoms but I will try to help . . . I know someone who knows doctors, or so I thought. I just wish everybody was helpful . . . I have people calling all day long - requesting information that this office isn't involved with but I don't tell them that. I've even had people on campus call this office requesting information that we don't have "it is not our job" but I don't tell them that.

Something must be wrong with me. For now on I'm going to blame other people for my all of my faults and I'm going to say to callers and emailers "that's not the function of this department" then hang up - because basically that's what seems to be going on around here. I have my days when I want to sigh - shoot, I put people on hold and while I seek out the information they want, I sigh, suck my teeth and roll my eyes up in my head (if no one's around) but I always try to help. I'm a representative of this institution . . . and of God and myself . . . I have to put my best foot forward even when my foot is aching. I guess not everyone feels the same.

posted by Darni @ 10/06/2000 03:18:00 PM

I hate these lyrics Big Pimpin. I'm beginning to hate HipHop or whatever it is supposed to be. I hate to say it but the music has no respect to women or relationships and I guess that's the point - it is not supposed to. Most of the "artists" are men 25 years and older, married or have children or both. I guess I shouldn't be concerned but I am especially when, on the news all one sees are crimes committed against women. For the past 3 weeks alone, 4 rapes have topped the news and I know that there are more than that. I don't watch the news much, except in the morning - just to catch the weather report and to be able to say that I knew . . . But these types of lyrics distrub me because when Destiny's Child came out with Bills Bills Bills, men had a fit. When TLC came out with SCRUB men almost died. Reports

posted by Darni @ 10/04/2000 03:24:00 PM

I am impressed! Red has put me in a better mood. Good photography can do that ya know.

******

posted by Darni @ 10/03/2000 12:34:00 PM

I witnessed a woman eating in her car, totally oblivious. She was sitting at the light, still inside of the McDonald’s parking lot on North Decatur. As she leaned forward to take another bite of something, her car lurched forward and began slowly inching out into the street. Nothing happened luckily, but it didn’t startle her – she continued to eat as her car slowly began to spill out into traffic, even though the light for her was red. People do lots of stuff "while driving." Talking on the phone. Brushing teeth. Combing hair (putting on hair spray). Applying make-up. Putting on a tie. Reading a book or a map (on the steering wheel). Picking their noses. That’s people. I think animals are really people and people are the animals.

In Hamilton, high school principal of Carver put a ban on students wearing t-shirts that have the confederate flag on them. Then an outcry came from a few of the white parents who complained that if white students couldn’t sport their fancy duds, then black students shouldn’t be allowed to wear FUBU – WTF!!!!!????? there is no comparison whatsoever between FUBU and the confederate flag you toothless, in-breeders. Okay sorry, I stooped to that level. I take back those mean words . . . but I refuse, absolutely refuse to hit my back delete button . . . I’ve gone too far now to turn around. But seriously, there is no comparison. For one, how many blacks have you seen sporting clothing with the confederate flag imprinted on it? NONE! How many white kids have you seen sporting FUBU attire? I’ve seen scores of them – high school and college age students. Besides if you ban FUBU, then I guess you’ll begin to put a ban on Carl Kani, PHAT FARM and the list goes on. The parents are attacking the designers not the message. The message behind the confederate flag is segregation and enslavement. It is a part of our history that belongs in a museum and a history book but shouldn’t be flown in the faces of people of color (as well as the white people who fought along with US). Geez. Now I understand what New Yorkers mean when they call us southerner backwards. But the principal put a ban on the confederate shirt wearers as well as those who sport FUBU attire for a week – hoping things will cool down. The principal has even said that there is no comparison between FUBU and the confederate flag.

Also, Peachcare was on Good Day Atlanta this morning moaning and groaning about the government asking them to return unused funds that they are just sitting on, practically – not being fully used. My sister and her husband have 4 little girls (it is 6 in the entire household). They can not get Medicaid because he, working two jobs to support his family, makes too much money. Yet, for this program they were denied because he doesn’t make enough money to pay the monthly premium.

posted by Darni @ 10/03/2000 10:18:00 AM