What pissed you off today?

[romdrums]

Getting back to what pissed me off today, I hate the phrase "I appreciate you." It typically comes after a difficult conversation where one person is combative, irritating, and won't shut up and the other person is simply trying to help.

[TAC]

Huh.. I've heard I appreciate you quite a bit. Not sure if it's a black thing, but that's where and how I
m hearing it. Similar to thanks.

[Stadler]

I don't know whether it's black or white or otherwise, but for me, it's one of those sort of hipster statements - like so many in our hyper sensitive, insecure culture of combativeness that we live in today, at least in the States - that allows the user a passive aggressive dismissal of whatever the subject matter is while remaining seemingly "above the fray".  Despite, of course, the obvious, that they ARE the fray.  I'm sure it didn't start that way, and was perhaps a sincere expression, and I'm sure not EVERYONE who uses it uses it in that way, but I see too much of that sort of thing generally and I'm just not going to participate in that.

[hefdaddy42]

Interesting.  I've never heard it in any way other than sincerely.

[XJDenton]

As a Brit, I would assume they were being sarcastic.

[jingle.boy]

Interesting.  I've never heard it in any way other than sincerely.

Why wouldn't anyone take it any other way.  I mean, who doesn't like being appreciated?  Just take it at face value without imputing any hidden or alternate meaning.

Unless it is clearly used in sarcasm, which apparently is how Brits hear everything.   

[romdrums]

I don't know whether it's black or white or otherwise, but for me, it's one of those sort of hipster statements - like so many in our hyper sensitive, insecure culture of combativeness that we live in today, at least in the States - that allows the user a passive aggressive dismissal of whatever the subject matter is while remaining seemingly "above the fray".  Despite, of course, the obvious, that they ARE the fray.  I'm sure it didn't start that way, and was perhaps a sincere expression, and I'm sure not EVERYONE who uses it uses it in that way, but I see too much of that sort of thing generally and I'm just not going to participate in that.

This is how I experience that phrase most of the time.  Not only is it passive-aggressive, but it's an instant energy suck.

[hefdaddy42]

Wow, you must be around a bunch of assholes all the time.

[romdrums]

Wow, you must be around a bunch of assholes all the time.

 

In all honesty, it's as much my issue with the phrase as the people that say it. 

[cramx3]

Interesting.  I've never heard it in any way other than sincerely.

Well, I think that's the general idea behind it and how it's almost always used.  I think, what was meant was, that using that phrase specifically after being a dick is how it gets rubbed the wrong way because in that scenario it does sound a bit dick to me. However, it could be just how that person says "thanks" and it wasn't meant anymore than that, but I totally can see how it's possible to be rubbed the wrong way.

[Stadler]

Interesting.  I've never heard it in any way other than sincerely.

Why wouldn't anyone take it any other way.  I mean, who doesn't like being appreciated?  Just take it at face value without imputing any hidden or alternate meaning.

Unless it is clearly used in sarcasm, which apparently is how Brits hear everything.   

Well, don't go too far in the other direction; it's not like every time I hear it I get offended. It takes a LOT to offend me. I'm just describing my observations; it seems to me that meaning isn't all that well hidden in a lot of cases; I don't feel appreciated by that because it may or may not be intended as real appreciation.  For me? I almost always ignore it in terms of my reaction.  I have my moments like anyone else, because I'm human, but I'm mostly a "walk away" kind of guy.  If someone wants to engage in the passive aggressiveness, I can't stop them, wouldn't dream of stopping them, but I also don't have to engage back.  I'm not that confrontational, and I'm not interested in furthering the sort of systemic acrimony that is so prevalent here these days.

[ProfessorPeart]

I think I speak for everyone when I say:

Stads - We appreciate you.

 

[jingle.boy]

I appreciate the fuck out of Stads.  Just less so in P/R.

[Jamesman42]

I might be Stadler's biggest fan tbh.

[Cool Chris]

I had never heard this and then recently my co-worker started saying it to me, and now it is nearly a daily occurrence. I know him well enough to know he is being genuine and serious.

[Stadler]

I appreciate the fuck out of Stads.  Just less so in P/R.

We'll work on that. 

[faizoff]

In my experience, people with pure technology backgrounds (coding, systems admin, etc..) make awful awful managers. I've dealt with and am currently dealing with two people, one is my direct manager, and the other is his boss. They are both some of the nicest and fun people to be around with. Management wise they sucked the biggest donkey balls. They are unable to grasp the concept of people skills and how to position and allocate work accordingly. It's all whimsically managed with a bunch of 'oh we've always done it this way' and 'yeah we can just turn it off or switch servers out'.

They both think they need to be involved at the macro level and still don't think 2 steps in front of them. It absolutely pisses me off that I have to dedicate enormous amounts of time explaining to them the consequences of 'we'll see how it goes' without doing any ground work prior to making big decisions. At times it's unreal and even Office Space has nothing on these guys.

[ReaperKK]

Faizoff, you're experience is much like mine at my job. I partner with a tech manager, she is brilliant but a terrible, terrible manager. We constantly miss huge deadlines because of her poor management.

[Stadler]

This is a common problem.  Name a technical skill - programming, engineering, lawyering - none of those things make you a good manager, and yet that's the natural progression.  There's this sort of preconceived negative notion about people that "can't do it" or "haven't done it" being in managerial positions.  You see those posts here all the time: "My manager is an idiot; he couldn't do what I do every day".  Well, duh. He doesn't have your job.  Bill Belichick can't, to my knowledge, tackle, kick field goals, or throw a 40-yard slant pass, but it's unequivocal he's one of the best "managers" - we call them "coaches" in the NFL - in the history of the game.

[WilliamMunny]

I'm sincerely blown away by the last page or so...

For at least the past two decades, "I appreciate you" has been my go-to phrase.

I don't necessarily say it casually, but when I need a turbo-charged 'Thank you,' I say, "thank you–appreciate you!"

Never once in my life did I not say it with the utmost sincerity, but the last few responses ("Not sure if it's a black thing"?!?!?) have me seriously questioning a life-time's worth of interactions

[gmillerdrake]

Just sitting here minding my own business when suddenly my three monitor set up in the home office just decides it doesn't want to display or work anymore. Running two 24" monitors of off the company lap top and the laptop refused to acknowledge that they were connected. Spent half an hour unplugging, plugging back in....restarting....etc etc for it to act like it's never seen or doesn't know how to use the other two monitors. Then....as suddenly as it stopped working....it decides to just 'work' again as if nothing ever happened.

[jingle.boy]

Just sitting here minding my own business when suddenly my three monitor set up in the home office just decides it doesn't want to display or work anymore. Running two 24" monitors of off the company lap top and the laptop refused to acknowledge that they were connected. Spent half an hour unplugging, plugging back in....restarting....etc etc for it to act like it's never seen or doesn't know how to use the other two monitors. Then....as suddenly as it stopped working....it decides to just 'work' again as if nothing ever happened.

Dude!!! I had that exact same thing happen earlier this year.  Opened a help desk ticket, and with them on the phone doing some device management shit.  Still nuthin... then after like 9 times of disconnecting and reconnecting, it just started working again.  Very strange as the laptop kept making the sounds of a device disconnecting and connecting, but the wouldn't display to the monitors.

Knock on wood, haven't had that problem since.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

i walked over to the wal-greens the other day to pick up my prescription and there was a sign on the door saying the pharmacy was closed but the drive-thru was still open. so i walk over to the drive-thru window and the person on the other side refused to help me because i wasn't in a car. when i explained that i didn't drive there (i don't own a car, lol) they told me they couldn't help me and that it was a safety issue that i was in the drive-thru on foot.

love to have my prescription held hostage by wal-greens because i don't have a car . living in the middle of Denver, i don't really have any need for one, and only rent/drive cars on an as-needed basis. always love to be reminded that America is a society that puts car-owners in a class of their own and fuck everyone else

[cramx3]

I know they do that for fast food, but for prescription drugs, maybe it should be a walk/drive up counter for after hours.  I'm not shocked by that though since that's fairly known for fast food drive through.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

I know they do that for fast food, but for prescription drugs, maybe it should be a walk/drive up counter for after hours.  I'm not shocked by that though since that's fairly known for fast food drive through.

it wasn't after hours. it was like 1pm on Friday, haha. i think they just had the indoor counter closed due to a staff shortage or something. and i've never tried to do a drive-thru on foot before, because why would you unless it was literally as silly of a situation as i was in?

[TAC]

i walked over to the wal-greens the other day to pick up my prescription and there was a sign on the door saying the pharmacy was closed but the drive-thru was still open. so i walk over to the drive-thru window and the person on the other side refused to help me because i wasn't in a car. when i explained that i didn't drive there (i don't own a car, lol) they told me they couldn't help me and that it was a safety issue that i was in the drive-thru on foot.

Wow, that's fucked up.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

yeah, not a big deal, it wasn't an emergency (have plenty at home - they called me to come get the refill, lol) just annoying and a waste of my time

[gmillerdrake]

Just sitting here minding my own business when suddenly my three monitor set up in the home office just decides it doesn't want to display or work anymore. Running two 24" monitors of off the company lap top and the laptop refused to acknowledge that they were connected. Spent half an hour unplugging, plugging back in....restarting....etc etc for it to act like it's never seen or doesn't know how to use the other two monitors. Then....as suddenly as it stopped working....it decides to just 'work' again as if nothing ever happened.

Dude!!! I had that exact same thing happen earlier this year.  Opened a help desk ticket, and with them on the phone doing some device management shit.  Still nuthin... then after like 9 times of disconnecting and reconnecting, it just started working again.  Very strange as the laptop kept making the sounds of a device disconnecting and connecting, but the wouldn't display to the monitors.

Knock on wood, haven't had that problem since.

YES!!! it kept making that sound....but was just refusing to reconnect to the monitors for whatever reason. Very annoying.

[Stadler]

I know they do that for fast food, but for prescription drugs, maybe it should be a walk/drive up counter for after hours.  I'm not shocked by that though since that's fairly known for fast food drive through.

it wasn't after hours. it was like 1pm on Friday, haha. i think they just had the indoor counter closed due to a staff shortage or something. and i've never tried to do a drive-thru on foot before, because why would you unless it was literally as silly of a situation as i was in?

I don't it has anything to do with the time or anything else; it's if there's a line of people there and a car comes around.  Yeah, I know, the driver's have to watch out for what's in front of them, yada yada, but I know I don't want to mix cars and people with any regularity.

Sidebar, I was in Dallas a couple years ago, and it was late, I may have had a beer earlier in the evening... and I was walking back to my hotel and I saw Jack In The Box open.   I walked up and the girl said sorry, I can't serve you here.   I kind of sighed and was about to walk away and she said "but if I could serve you, what would you have?"  I told her.   I'm paraphrasing the dance that ensued, but she basically said, if you have cash come back in five minutes.  I did, and I did, and next thing you know, I'm walking the rest of the way home with whatever the Jack In The Box burger is called, a French fries, and a root beer. 

[King Postwhore]

Pharmacies close for lunch all the time. Those stores like Walgreens staff only a certain amount of hours so they have only one pharmacist on for most of their shift.

[cramx3]

Pharmacies close for lunch all the time. Those stores like Walgreens staff only a certain amount of hours so they have only one pharmacist on for most of their shift.

Yeah, most likely this was the case and you could have probably waited, but it might have been an hour to wait or something. Who knows, but no shock you can't use the drive through on feet.

I just like to think that if someone is in need of medication, that maybe they'd help you out similar to Stadler's story.

[wolfking]

yeah, not a big deal, it wasn't an emergency (have plenty at home - they called me to come get the refill, lol) just annoying and a waste of my time

What if it was something you desperately needed?  Obviously you'd go to the emergency room if things escalated but this whole situation shows that common sense is really becoming less prevalent and 'common' in society.

[Jamesman42]

Sidebar, I was in Dallas a couple years ago, and it was late, I may have had a beer earlier in the evening... and I was walking back to my hotel and I saw Jack In The Box open.   I walked up and the girl said sorry, I can't serve you here.   I kind of sighed and was about to walk away and she said "but if I could serve you, what would you have?"  I told her.   I'm paraphrasing the dance that ensued, but she basically said, if you have cash come back in five minutes.  I did, and I did, and next thing you know, I'm walking the rest of the way home with whatever the Jack In The Box burger is called, a French fries, and a root beer. 

I'm not 100% feeling good tonight, so maybe it's that, but why did she say she couldn't serve you there?

[Stadler]

Sidebar, I was in Dallas a couple years ago, and it was late, I may have had a beer earlier in the evening... and I was walking back to my hotel and I saw Jack In The Box open.   I walked up and the girl said sorry, I can't serve you here.   I kind of sighed and was about to walk away and she said "but if I could serve you, what would you have?"  I told her.   I'm paraphrasing the dance that ensued, but she basically said, if you have cash come back in five minutes.  I did, and I did, and next thing you know, I'm walking the rest of the way home with whatever the Jack In The Box burger is called, a French fries, and a root beer. 

I'm not 100% feeling good tonight, so maybe it's that, but why did she say she couldn't serve you there?

I was a walk up to the drive through.  Policy.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Pharmacies close for lunch all the time. Those stores like Walgreens staff only a certain amount of hours so they have only one pharmacist on for most of their shift.

Yeah, most likely this was the case and you could have probably waited, but it might have been an hour to wait or something. Who knows, but no shock you can't use the drive through on feet.

I just like to think that if someone is in need of medication, that maybe they'd help you out similar to Stadler's story.

I went back yesterday afternoon and it turned out this was definitely not the case. the drive-thru was still the only available option for me to pick up my (already filled) prescription. I am guessing bad staff shortages.

Anyway, I tried the drive-thru window again and this time the person had absolutely no problem helping me, and I got my prescription and walked home lol.

So i guess it was just that one employee the other day being especially grouchy or something?

EDIT: I guess my only issue is: if there's only 1 person and you can't have both the drive-thru and inside pharmacies open, why not just keep the one inside open and close the drive thru? obviously not everyone going to a pharmacy in the middle of a city will be showing up with a car, but everyone is capable of going inside? (even if it's a handicap issue, there is handicap parking and ramps, etc) To choose the car option over a pedestrian option, especially in the middle of a city, feels insane to me