The Purse Forum $1,000 Bag Giveaway

[creighbaby]

Here's my tale of crappy job woe. Sorry it is so long:

I worked for a company in London for a pretty heartless woman i'll call Karen (not her real name) for eight years. I'm English and though I'd traveled throughout Europe and been to Asia and the States, I felt it was time to live somewhere else. My company had an branch in New York so I told Karen that I wanted to move to the New York office.

I paid 15,000 pounds to move myself over here and set up my studio and had a great first year. I was making lots of money for Karen and myself. Then one day, things changed, and to this day I don't know what the heck happened. I stopped being invited out to company lunches and other functions. Everyone else was invited, but not me or my boyfriend.

Not only was I rebuffed socially, but the office staff stopped talking to me and started talking about me. This went on for another year. I couldn't leave the company because I was on a work visa, but I sent out feelers. Nothing really worked. So I stayed at the crappy job. And I started getting fewer and fewer assignments so I was making less and less money.

About a year and a half after I met my boyfriend we got married in London. My boss, who I'd worked with when the company was almost nothing didn't come to the wedding even though she was in the u.k. at the time.

My husband and I decided that we would move to L.A. where he was from because I couldn't stand New York's awful winters. We'd looked into it and figured that he could find a new job easily enough and could stay with his family for a few months if necessary. Then, I got a call telling me to pack up all my gear , hand over my keys and to get out. I wasn't going to L.A. and I wasn't going to stay with Karen's company because she was firing me. wtf?? Oh, it was stressful. I managed to talk her out of it, but because she had mood swings that would put Naomi Campbell to shame, I knew my days were numbered. When I asked her what happened with L.A., she said that she polled the people in the office and they decided they didn't want me there. again, wtf?? I hadn't met most of them.

I am the one person in the office who, every christmas, would buy all the staff bottles of champagne or some other holiday present. But it didn't matter how cordial, respectful or nice I was -- the writing was on the wall. Six months later I was out. They said that they wanted a new guy to move into my studio. That was the only explanation I got.

I'd worked with the woman for more than 10 years. After a slimy negotiation period where someone who I helped get promoted and who I thought was a friend made sure that Karen gave me the smallest severance she possibly could, I was out. Intially they say they would still give me work, but I knew that was a lie.

My marriage isn't one for a green card, but damn, was I lucky. If not, I would be back in the U.K. or trying to find some way to legally stay in the u.s.

So I left Karen's and started a rival company. It has taken all my savings, but me and my husband are so much happier not being around that toxic woman. We've had to tighten our belts, but it is so much better than me coming home feeling sorry for myself and having low to no self-esteem after being around the folks i used to work with.
Looking back, getting fired was a blessing in disguise.

[Wildflower]

Ok – here goes! I actually like my job a lot but it’s a very frustrating one…

I am the webmaster (web designer; web architect; goddess of the web; whatever) for a community college. I am the ONLY one who does this – I have no help whatsoever. There is not a department – it’s just me.

It seems the college has not allocated any money for me – I have to learn things on my own and rarely get the chance for any type of formal training. Because we are a public institution with federal funding, our website is required by law to be ADA/accessibility compliant. It has been a very hard thing to learn on my own but I’ve managed to do it.

My website has about 6,000 pages. I take great pride in trying to keep them up-to-date. Again, with no help. Sometimes I am gone at 5 p.m. but often times my hours extend very late into the night. I’m exhausted a lot.

Awhile back, our technology department had cutbacks. When I went to the server administrator to ask him to do something on our web server, he handed me the key to the room the server is in – and 2 books on the subject and told me it was all mine. About 3 days later, I was actually sitting on the floor of the server room and crying! I didn’t have any clue about what I was doing and nobody could help me and classes were starting in less than a month. Again – I finally managed to do it… and it sure wasn’t easy.

We finally hired a server guy – and he decided to host the web server outside of the college. The date we launch is August 3rd. I was just informed of this fact last Friday. I have been testing the new server almost 24 hours a day and have major problems. When I ask the tech guy for help he tells me to call the 800 # for the new company hosting and talk to someone there. When I call the 800 # for help, I get voice mail and have left at least a dozen messages and nobody is returning my call! I finally got through to one person and he told me “we’ve never had this problem before… you need to talk to Butch.” Yea… Butch is the guy whose voice mail I keep getting and he won’t return my calls.

My online forms do not work on the new server. My subwebs will not transfer over. Classes are starting in 2 weeks and this is the busiest time of the year for me. I am sick to my stomach over it and I know that no matter how much time I put in and how much I accomplish towards this change that something will go wrong and everybody is going to hate me. I mean, students are going to be registering next week!!! The forms do not work! The poop is going to hit the fan and I am the one responsible and nobody seems to care. They all probably just assume I will take care of it like always but this time I doubt if that will happen.

If I disappear from the face of the earth on August 3rd, at least this post will help people to know why.

Very rarely does anybody ever thank me – usually I only hear about things when something is missing or incorrect on our website. Our college has a “great employee” type of award each year and you have to be nominated by your peers in the same employment category. I think I am the only person who has never even been nominated much less chosen – I honestly think that nobody really thinks about me because I don’t get to deal with people. It doesn't bother me but it would be nice to at least be thought of...

I am the person behind the scenes… the one nobody notices and nobody ever pays attention to. I wish I could tell everybody at the college how much work goes into the website and keep it running smoothly... I make sure students can apply online, check their grades, get their schedules, talk to their advisor – I help foundations with scholarships and online applications and online donations – I post the schedules and scores for athletics and make sure their rosters are up to date.

I help every single department get information out via the web. I’ll bet not one other employee deals with the entire college the way I have to.

Anyway, I could go on and on... but y'all get the idea.

Sorry this was so long! I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m complaining – I’m really not and I do love my job. It’s just a very frustrating one and maybe I’m more so than usual this week with the unknown looming over the horizon with the new server next week!

(LOL - OMG I forgot this was for a contest until I went to hit the submit button! )

[swee7bebe]

Ok...here goes mine.

I work as a nurse neonatal intensive care unit in a big hospital. My job isn't bad most days, but lately it's been so-so. I have a few close friends at work, but most of the people are like little kids. They're the ones that make work bad. They're nice to your face, but then talk sh*t about you when you're not around. My one friend got married at the beginning of the month. She invited everyone that works the same weekend as me because she felt like she had to, although she was hoping that not everyone would be able to come because her wedding fell on a weekend that we were working. Her wedding was on a Sunday...since I work nights, our weekend is considered Friday and Saturday. My other 2 friends and I managed to get that Sunday off and there was all this drama about why the other nurses didn't get off that day and we did (even though they are not even really friends with the one who was getting married, they wanted to go to her wedding). One of them even said to our faces "Yeah, they got off and the senior nurses didn't". My co-workers gossip so much. If you tell one person something, the entire staff knows by the next day. My bf and I broke up last year (and then got back together). I told one person, then by the end of the week, the entire night shift and day shift staff knew about it and were trying to set me up with any male that walked on our unit.

We have to deal with crazy parents and their families. Earlier this week, I was in charge and these people came upstairs wanting to see a baby. We only let the mother and father, or whoever has the baby's ID band on them in to let the baby, for security reasons of course. Well, neither the mother or father was with them when they came up, and when we wouldn't let them see the baby, the grandmother threw a fit. She started cursing at me, saying "I'm the grandmother. I can't believe you won't let me see my grandson. His mother is still in bed and can't get up (she had a c-section) so how are we supposed to see him?" and kept going on and on and on cursing at me. I almost called security on her. I can't understand why people can't follow rules. They're there for a reason. How do I know she really was the grandmother? The babies are not bad to care for, it's the families that drive me crazy.

Right now, our hospital is going through union negotiations, but the hospital is not giving into any of the things that we want. The main thing that we want is better insurance. Our insurance is horrible! We're limited to go to the doctors in our hospital. If we see a doctor that doesn't go to our hospital, we have to pay a $500 deductible. We're also limited to go to our hospital if we ever have to go to the ER or have to be admitted to the hospital. If we go to another hospital, we have to pay a $800-$1000 penalty. What about the nurses that have kids in college that are in other states? My co-worker's son got into a snowboarding accident last Feb. He was in PA, and had to be flown to the nearest hospital. He was in a coma for a few days, then got transported to our hospital once he was stable. He was in the peds ICU for more than a month...our insurance didn't pay for a penny of it because snowboarding is considered a hazardous sport, and our insurance doesn't cover that. Luckily, they had secondary insurance through her husband, but my co-worker still has to pay for most of the bill. The hospital doesn't want to change the insurance because if they did, then we wouldn't be restricted to the doctors in our hospital.

On my unit, they pretty much pick on the people that don't complain, me being one of them. Not really pick on, but they give you the worst assignments if you don't complain. I'm always on admission, and lately, I've been the charge nurse every week, which sucks. I've only worked there for 2 years, and I know that there are a lot more nurses who are more senior than me, but I'm the one being in charge once a week.

Some of the doctors we work with are horrible. Our hospital is a teaching hospital, so we have residents, and fellows working with us. On nights, we have one resident and one fellow that's on the unit. We had 4 really, really good fellows that were working with us. They were really great, but they finished their program, and have moved on. So now we're stuck with on that's such an a**hole. When he's in a bad mood, he talks down to you. When I first started there, he yelled at me practically from the other side of the unit because I didn't draw a lab on a baby. I was still new, so I didn't know that it had to be drawn every morning whenever a baby is on a vent. It's not my fault no one entered the order. They other 2 fellows we have are really lazy. When you call them at night for a problem, they tell you to call the resident, who doesn't really know anything - they're first years, so they're still learning and don't really know much.

I think I need a new bag because...well, because the way things are going, I can't afford one. It looks like we're going on strike, and if that happens, I won't be able to pay my mortgage. All my money went towards my closing last month, so I really need every penny for my mortgage. It would be easier if I could share the bills with someone, but it's only me.

[LisaG719]

Have you seen the movie "Office Space"? Then you already know what I do. In the movie there is a woman whose only line is "Just a moment." in a perky happy receptionist voice. Yes folks that is my job. I sit all alone in a front lobby with a headset on. It beeps I say "Thank you for calling **** How may I direct your call?" Person on the other end advises and I type in the extension. This is my sad little existance. At some point in the day a gentleman brings me invoices to stuff into envelopes. Oh only about 1200 of them a day unless people get all purchase happy and then it lands around 2000. The rest of my time is spent on here. Randomly people will come onsite and need to be checked in. Of course they end up throwing a fit that we need to take their picture. Like I was the one that invented the process.

Thats it 8 hours a day 5 days a week.....trust me Friday can not come soon enough.

[Roo]

I have a love/hate relationship with my job. My job is interesting but I also often see the most evil side of human nature you can imagine.

I work as a forensic psychologist. Most of my work involves consulting for trials and also work as a jury consultant. I am often hired by a defense attorney’s client, and sometimes by the State. My job sometimes involves helping to choose a jury pool that will be beneficial to that particular side of a trial. When you are chosen for jury duty you are asked to fill out a questionnaire- depending on the case, you may be asked a lot of very intrusive questions. Have you ever been raped? Do you believe in capital punishment? Have you or someone you love ever been the victim of a violent crime? I get the dirty and intrusive job of reading through people’s very personal life experiences, and often I am paid to exploit those things for the benefit of one side or the other. THAT is why my job is so difficult.

My graduate work focused around sociopaths and serial killers. I am so good at my job (*sarcastic grin*) that I can actually tell you in detail about all the different TYPES of serial killers. (And you thought there was only one type!?) I’ve also consulted on several high profile cases that involved serial murder. I find these case both utterly fascinating and totally horrifying at the same time. Many people ask me how I can do this job, and at times, I wonder myself. I suppose I believe that somehow, something good will come from what I do. At least I hope so.

However, I often see tragedy up close and way too personal, and that is why my job can really suck at times. In spite of all that, the horrible things I see also makes me realize that there is also a lot of good in the world too. The reason I love the Purse Forum and the people here is that they are one of those “good” things. Believe it or not, this Forum helps me remember that people are basically good and it is a welcome distraction for me.

Just this week I’ve had to read about how one spouse calculated the murder of another for insurance money and about a child rapist who has sworn he will not stop stalking children if he’s released from prison. I can go from reading that, to the fun posts on the PF and also reading about the utter joy people get from finding a bag they love. I would love to win this prize, just because one of the bags would be large enough for me to use for work. And when I walk into a courtroom with that bag filled with files that detail a lot of human carnage, it would make me smile inside to know I have that little “reminder” of GOOD there with me. So… maybe my job does not TOTALLY suck at times, but it sure sucks a lot LESS since I have this secret little corner of the internet I can escape to on and off all day. And THAT, my friends, is worth it’s weight in gold.

[swee7bebe]

^^ Roo, your job would give me nightmares.

[CYPRUS]

My sympathy to all the ladies! I mean I could start writing about what I do but you know if I got into real details I could be breaking the legal privilege etc. and hence my license to work would be taken. Just to say that criminal law takes a lot of nerve , especially since I was 22 when I started working on the area (I am know 25) and had to deal with clients that had stayed in custody for a few hours and did no get their 'fix' and then assaulted in public verbally and physically anyone in front of them.

Good luck to everyone!

[ILoveCoach]

Originally Posted by CYPRUS

My sympathy to all the ladies! I mean I could start writing about what I do but you know if I got into real details I could be breaking the legal privilege etc. and hence my license to work would be taken. Just to say that criminal law takes a lot of nerve , especially since I was 22 when I started working on the area (I am know 25) and had to deal with clients that had stayed in custody for a few hours and did no get their 'fix' and then assaulted in public verbally and physically anyone in front of them. Good luck to everyone!

Criminal law is difficult for anyone, but especially for a woman! My hats off to you!

[jillybean307]

Originally Posted by CYPRUS

My sympathy to all the ladies! I mean I could start writing about what I do but you know if I got into real details I could be breaking the legal privilege etc. and hence my license to work would be taken. Just to say that criminal law takes a lot of nerve , especially since I was 22 when I started working on the area (I am know 25) and had to deal with clients that had stayed in custody for a few hours and did no get their 'fix' and then assaulted in public verbally and physically anyone in front of them. Good luck to everyone!

Ugh. I worked in criminal law for a year after I graduated college. It was exhausting. My hat's off to you, I couldn't do it for three years.

[CYPRUS]

Thanks ladies!!

Let 's see for how many years I am going to tolerate this!I think it is one of the reasons my handbag addiction grew i.e. I keep bying myself 'presents' for all the stuff I am going through...

[carrie13]

I’m pretty content at my current job so I don’t have much to complain about.

But I can totally sympathize with Munchkyn. I worked at CVS pharmacy during college and people can be such jerks when they pick up their prescriptions. I remember one guy from my school came to get his Rx and was such a jerk to me – rude that it wasn’t ready even though he only dropped it off 10 minutes earlier and there was a line of people waiting. Stood there with all the other people loudly complaining about the “lack of service”. When it was finally ready and I was ringing him up I looked on the slip to see what the med was. I can’t tell you how temped I was to say in a loud voice – “Do you have any questions on your herpes medication?”

I’ve also worked part time for a doctor’s answering service and am amazed at the things that people will call a doctor for in the middle of the night, especially prescription refills at 2am. If you haven’t taken your meds for 3 days why are you waiting until 2am on a Sunday to call the doctor and insisting that I wake him up for something that you could’ve handled during office hours. Or the moms that will call for their 15-year old daughter’s birth control refills and then freak out because it is the doctor’s policy to refuse pages for birth control refills on the weekends. If you’re old enough to have sex you should be capable of knowing when your refills are going to end. Or the people that will call and tell you way too many details about what is wrong with them. I really don’t need to hear all about the gunk that is coming out of your child’s nose, or exactly why you believe you have a yeast infection.

I could go on forever about this stuff…. Good luck to everyone who enters!

[Princess_Gina]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting cuz my job takes up soo much of my time, but hey after reading all these I realized mine really isn't that bad after all...

Thanks to all the contributors! The stories are funny (although unfortunate).. good luck to all! :)

[Megs]

Ok everyone... this is being extended until Sunday night-- Get your posts in if you would like to be up for winning!!!!!

[girliegirl]

I like my job just fine for the mostt part, so I just want to say good luck to all. You all deserve to win with some of the things you have to deal with every day

[Faithful]

Here goes

I started work about 1 month ago at a firm of Solicitors in Leeds (I am training to be a Solicitor)

All in all I have settled in ok. Its a little hard as I work in an all male department and I feel a completely left out. I hope they don't do it on purpose and it is just a guy/girl thing!

It gets me down a bit as I feel completely excluded - they are constantly going out after work and NEVER invite me. It seems to me to be a boys club and I wonder whether I will ever fit in.

Once we were going out on a Barristers do (basically it was a free night for all the work we give them and I got permission to bring a friend. We went to our local first as it didn't start till seven and they actually left without me! How embarassing! They said they forgot I was there?? In the end I had to explain this to my friend who had actually changed her plans to give me some moral support and in the end I went home in tears!!


The only othere one time I went out and this was only because it was an official do I felt so left out. I am not normally a paranoid person but they made me feel so unwanted. I think part of the problem is that 3 of them are having affairs and probably discuss it openly with the 'boys' and they can't when I am there!

However apart from getting really depressed and down about this (I wouldn't mind but I feel like I am doing everything I can!!) Perhaps I am trying to hard?

I absolutely love my job apart from feeling like a social leper!! My worst day however goes like this....

I went to work on Tuesday and my new chair had arrived (yipee) I suffer from lower back pain and therefore needed to order a special chair

Well it was quite fancy and as I am quite short I needed to lower the chair so my legs could actually touch the floor!

There were two levers under the chair and me being a dope picked the wrong lever!! I actually used the lever for the top of the chair

Well the back of the chair cracked down and knocked me on the forehead/nose. The worst thing was it actually knocked me out and I passed out in full view of the office. Apparently I was out for a couple of minutes. The worse thing was I was wearing a skirt and it ended up round my waist so basically everyone saw me in my knickers (and with it being the time of the month they were BIG knickers!!)
Anyway I come round and there is blood gushing out of my nose onto my new top. They order an ambulance and I have to go to Hospital.

I arrive at Hospital and see the triage nurse and am waiting to see the Doctor when suddenly and without warning I start vomiting everywhere!! BTW I have a fear of being sick in public and so they rush me and I finally get seen! A work colleague is with me and apparently I then start talking rubbish. Apparently when the Dr was checking me out I actually asked him if I had a brain ?!?

Anyway because I was vomiting and obviously not making much sense I was admitted to a ward as they wanted to observe me whereby I spend the next six hours being sick! I am put on a drip and am finally released the next morning

I am so embarassed - I mean that is such a stupid thing to do and all I think of is everyone in the office has seen me in perhaps my worst ever knickers.

I wouldn't mind but the office is hardly ever full and I choose to make an arse out of myself on the one day everyone is there! To top it off it was my anniversary and my SO spent it watching me being sick!!! Whereas we had booked a meal for my favourite meal - oh and my new top is ruined!!

Thankfully my nose wasn't broken just very swollen with rather attractive bruising and as for my colleagues all they seem to do is take the mickey and whisper behind my bag (probably v unflattering comments)

Anyway thats my tale of woe though to be honest there are far more deserving winners