I was talking to a friend of mine elsewhere who doesn't like her boss too much. She's got issues with him. I feel her pain. I've had personality conflicts with bosses in the past. Worst was one who considered me too "flip" and disrespectful, but didn't see that I was using humor to cope with crap situations that their poopy management styles got me into. Hated working for that guy.
Today we went out to lunch as a group. Nine of us at a swanky, shi-shi country club with cocktails and all kinds of hoo ha.
So I have to say, the birthday boss today is a good guy to work with/for/near. He keeps me laughing, keeps me guessing. We all had a bunch of laughs, some Office Space and "Stripes" references, and the scallops were good.
There was a cake, and a big huge margarita balloon, which took him a bit by surprise. He left the office early today to catch a flight out to the left coast, and when I left this evening to come home, the margarita balloon was tied to my back door.
The party continues.
Top that off with the fact he gave us all coupons for massages at the massage therapist one floor down from us. His birthday, and he's giving us gifts. Too much.
Because of how he acts, and how G acts, and how lucky I have it lately, I have been thinking a lot about bosses, administration, working "under" horrible people.
And thanking my lucky stars.
There's a TV show on BBC America that features chef Gordon Ramsay. Award winning chef... total and complete wanky bastard. He treats everyone who works for him like piles of pukey shit, and in my opinion, no matter how "divine" his goddamn cuisine is, he sucks.
I am 100% serious. He. Sucks. Y'all know I love food. But I cannot and will not accept a boss treating me in the manner that I've seen this alleged man treat his staff.
The thing that irritates me most of all is people like him are continually rewarded and given opportunities and advances, even though they are evil personified. He's now getting his own TV show in the USA, on Fox TV. Which I won't be watching. And I hope to hell it tanks. There is a special place in hell for folks like Ramsay, and the people who stroke, feed and hand release his massive, bloated ego. I hope they all rot.
When I worked for catering man, he never EVER got angry with us if we screwed up. And he should have. But he always kept his cool, and knew how to show us how to fix our mistakes, correct what we'd done so we wouldn't do it again.
A kind heart corrects mistakes; rebuking with the back of the hand or demeaning and violent language gets nothing corrected. It just creates animosity. I learned more from catering man than I've ever learned from anyone in any job. And if he'd just yelled at me or threw my food, it would have taught me nothing.
He had a poster above his desk modeled after the ten commandments. It was the ten commandments of being a good boss. There was a lot of humility, a lot of forgiveness, a lot of encouragement, a lot of ... the good stuff. And he lived by that in word and deed. And working in his kitchen, we all followed suit. It was the healthiest workplace I've ever had, and the hardest job I've ever done.
He handled stress better than almost anyone I've ever worked for (except Debbie Debbie) and he was able to rise above anything, and make it all shine.
For that, he'll get no TV show, no accolades, no fancy restaurant. But. Everyone who works for him or has worked for him, remembers the model of how to be a good boss.
I'm in a good place right now. I'm happy where I am. I know that my co-workers all help one another, as best as they can. And right now, that is all I need.
Anyway -- I'm waxing all sweet and nice about work and bosses. When most of my friends are complaining. I'm not rubbing their noses in it -- I'm just in a different spot, and can only wish for them peace and happiness in the work place, even if they have to walk out of the kitchen because they can't stand the heat.
Sometimes, it's better to cut and run.
K update for those of you who've asked. She was going to come home today but is still in a great deal of pain, so they're holding her until probably Thursday. She won't be back to school this academic year, and her mom is slightly stressed about that but figures they'll cross one bridge at a time.
We haven't gone down to see her, mostly because her parents have said that she is in such tremendous pain that it's hard to spend time with her, and that they're afraid it will freak Jessie out.
I think Jess can handle it, so we're going to head down tomorrow. Geoff has a cub scout fishing thing, and I'll give Doug the choice -- Jess to Boston or Fishing with Cubscouts.
Well, I've got forms to go fill out so some stupid wiener kids can go to summer camp.
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