18 October 2007

It could be worse...

That's the start of the new mantra at work...

Background:

One of the "ladies" in the scale room was having a hissy fit over something that had gone wrong at home - something broke, I forget - anyhow, she's going on and on and ON about how awful it is and how she hates her life (her husband passed away about 10 years ago, her house is paid for, and she doesn't have to worry about moving)... yada yada yada, blah blah blah.

heh.

I look at her; I can't help it, the eyebrow goes up...

"It could be worse."

*exasperated sigh*

"How?" she asks.

"You could be living in a camper."

*zing*
*stunned silence*
*embarrassed giggle*

"Yea, you're right... "

So after the weekend, she just HAS to tell me how that's her new saying whenever anything goes wrong or someone complains to her... she just tells them, it could be worse...

Today, the Yard Manager (also one of the owners; just built a very LARGE new house) was throwing fits and cranky because everything kept breaking down, falling apart, going to hell on the production line.

I just look at him.

"Eh, it could be worse."

"What? Whatever."

"You could be living in a camper."

He had the good grace to blush. Then he smiled and was much happier for the day.
One of the office women - nice lady, very proper, extremely high-maintenance, married to the Yard Manager - was talking to me and one of the other owners the other day about a house just down the road for sale. She said the owners had really fixed it up cute inside, but it was "so tiny."
*giggle* I couldn't help myself.
"Let's review."
*gazing expectantly at me*
"I live in a camper."
"Ahh... so this really wouldn't be that tiny to you."
Ya think? *shaking head*

Just doing my part to add a little levity to the workplace...

*grin*

6 comments:

George said...

Great job ... amazing what people get upset about when they have so much.

When I became diabetic 39 years ago my doctor told me a saying that I should repeat when I get down about being diabetic. "I used to feel sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I met somebody who had no feet" ... I still think that to myself to this day ... puts things into a new perspective.

Now, as for living in a camper ... it could be worse. Try living there with no heat.

Wien. said...

Good on you! It says a great deal about your character. I think it's good to remind people, and ourselves at times, that there are those WAY less fortunate than we are. I feel guilty about bitching on my blog about Dwight sometimes cause I'm sure that there are people out there dealing with even smaller hairy acorns that I am. It all comes around. I can picture you looking at your co-workers dead in the eye and saying, "It could be worse...".
W.

Anonymous said...

It's an adventure... It's like living on a ship in a little cabin...

You're a Pirate!

Argh!!!!

Miss B said...

george: i've had a couple chilly nights... thankfully the boss man had a little electric heater i can plug in. it actually warms it up quite well. 8 days til the campground closes... maybe it will stay warm enough.

w: i really AM quite amusing because i sound just like you picture me! ;) they're not sure how to take me - and i like it that way! *giggle*

rsm: i <3 you... i wish i had such imagination... how funny you say that though - growing up, our school mascot was the Pirates. Who'd have thought it would have been prophetic?

Argh!!!

Tater said...

A somewhat related story;

Back in my youth (late 20s) I did a two year tour of duty as a “Jump ALO” (Air Liaison Officer) with the 82 Airborne. Basically the Air Force said if I’d go do this tour they’d give me any assignment I wanted afterwards (I was flying A-10s then, and wanted F-16s). I agreed and off I went; most AF officers wouldn’t man up to such an assignment as it meant working for the Army for two years—and jumping out of airplanes on a regular basis.

Anyhoo, jumped into eastern Turkey once for a 45 day romp through the mountains. About half-way through, we had basically a “time out” weekend in which we were allowed to sleep in tents and clean up our gear after two weeks in the field. No running water so no showers/latrines. Instead they took a backhoe and dug a long trench, stuck a 2x4 up on blocks along the side, and that was our crapper. I remember one mourning sitting on the 2x4, a-two-week-old Stars & Stripe newspaper in hand, about twenty or so other paratroopers beside me (none of us had bathed in over two-weeks) and thinking to myself “It’s all gonna get better from here, ‘cause this is about the worse a career can get!” LOL, now as we all know, disease, death, loss of loved ones is far worse than a joint crap session in the woods of Turkey, but it’s always stood out in my mind as the low point of my 20+ year career. Also one of most amusing.

Don’t really have a point, other than to share an amusing story from my past, but I’ve had many a fine moment in my career, yet the one I probably have laughed about the most is this “rock bottom” moment. Here’s to hoping for better days to you, and that you’ll eventually laugh about being a “happy camper”!!

Cheers sweetie, keep your chin up!

Miss B said...

awww Tater, I <3 you too!!! Just think; one day I'll look back, and these will be the good ol' days...

buahahahahaha!

rope or razor anyone? ;) j/k - it's been the little moments where I get to hear from all you that helps keep the humor intact... thanks everyone!

*hugs*