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RTDNTOTO 🐻 Random Thoughts Deserving No Thread Of Their Own 19 (2024)

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Interviewing for 3 positions at my day job, regional Council of Govts. So far interviews have been going well for front office staff, except for 3 no-shows to interviews (2 yesterday and 1 today). No call, no email. Just not showing up.

Apparently, this is a trend now with other organizations.
 
Not to be a downer. I'm just thinking about men. Not that way, @DVD! (I could hear you responding across time and space before you even read those words :) I'm thinking about the experience of being a man. I just read an article about a survey of men that really struck a chord with me. When they ask men to describe the experience of being male, the words that come out are things like "lonely" and "expectations" and "stress". I know that the experiences of being a woman in the world have to be enormously challenging, and I could never speak to that. But men don't often talk about their feelings, especially the ones that make us feel, well, not like men...if that makes sense?

In general, we're not good at friendships. Not like we were when we were kids. I hold on to those memories so much. We're not good at relationships that aren't based on either humor or sex. We often times don't dare show our real feelings, because it seems like every time we do it freaks everybody out. Does my family honestly think that I'm not scared? Do they think I've just pushed my way through the world not having any regrets? It's all still right here with me. Every disappointment, every rejection, every single loss, every time I wasn't good enough. So when you push me, and I finally show you what I really feel, you have to be ready. A grown man talking about his feelings may as well be a toddler, learning to jump into the pool. You can't ask him to do it and then not be there. If that happens, he'll never jump again - and you'll have earned his silence in the future.

Anyway, long dumb way for me to say I'm grateful for all of you Cyburbians. Go hug somebody. And don't be afraid to talk about your feelings. Not you though, @DVD, your feelings are too scary. :)

My feelings are often withheld because the feelings of others are more important to be expressed at any given moment. Can go one upping someone by having my own feelings. Part of being a man.

Speaking of feelings...I have feelings that I must withhold regarding one of our city departments. I asked you to get some things signed and was told it isn't your job even though I know it's literally your job and have a resolution saying it's your job. I go through all kinds of back channels to get the two things I needed signed by the mayor and city manager and when it comes to your department to stamp and file the things you tell me one of them has already been done. WTF? You obviously did the first one before I had to figure out back channels. Why couldn't you do the second one? Is this how our residents feel when they want something simple like a permit for a patio?
 
My feelings are often withheld because the feelings of others are more important to be expressed at any given moment. Can go one upping someone by having my own feelings. Part of being a man.

Speaking of feelings...I have feelings that I must withhold regarding one of our city departments. I asked you to get some things signed and was told it isn't your job even though I know it's literally your job and have a resolution saying it's your job. I go through all kinds of back channels to get the two things I needed signed by the mayor and city manager and when it comes to your department to stamp and file the things you tell me one of them has already been done. WTF? You obviously did the first one before I had to figure out back channels. Why couldn't you do the second one? Is this how our residents feel when they want something simple like a permit for a patio?

They should make a superhero that is just a guy whose costume is like cargo shorts with a polo tucked in and some tennis shoes on. Maybe he can have some Ray Bans. And his superpower is that he can absorb basically anything that you throw at him. He doesn't deflect it - he just swallows it. He just keeps swallowing it. They can just call him "YOUR DAD". His only weakness is he can be distracted by somebody really, really attractive mowing a lawn, or maybe a small dog. If you threaten a small dog he caves in immediately.
 
They should make a superhero that is just a guy whose costume is like cargo shorts with a polo tucked in and some tennis shoes on. Maybe he can have some Ray Bans. And his superpower is that he can absorb basically anything that you throw at him. He doesn't deflect it - he just swallows it. He just keeps swallowing it. They can just call him "YOUR DAD". His only weakness is he can be distracted by somebody really, really attractive mowing a lawn, or maybe a small dog. If you threaten a small dog he caves in immediately.
Also, when Your Dad has had all he can take he has been known to go out for some milk and never come back only to be discovered in another state posing as someone else's dad.
 
1719366282972.png
 
Interviewing for 3 positions at my day job, regional Council of Govts. So far interviews have been going well for front office staff, except for 3 no-shows to interviews (2 yesterday and 1 today). No call, no email. Just not showing up.

Apparently, this is a trend now with other organizations.
I dealt with the no call/no shows with my last round of interviews. First time it's ever happened to me. And I've also heard of it happening in multiple industries.
 
Went to Mrs. P's office last night. Everything has to be removed from premises by July 1.

Pretty strange walking through an entire office and production facility that was completely vacant. The only remaining items are in Mrs. P's office and the president's office. Corporate has taken everything they want & directed her that anything that was left is trash or she can take it. The president is doing the same with his office.

We moved a bookcase, a table & 2 chairs last night. On Thursday, we will be moving her desk, desk chair, & printer (these 3 items are less than a year old). Saturday we'll move the last couple of things.

She has/had a nice corner office & The Girl has claimed the desk.
 
We have a crow that likes to come eat the suet balls from our feeder. He holds the wire feeder with one foot and then drops the feeder and spills any extra suet balls onto the ground. For our dog to try to eat.
 
I dealt with the no call/no shows with my last round of interviews. First time it's ever happened to me. And I've also heard of it happening in multiple industries.

We have been experiencing no shows since 2020, and I've heard the same with others in different organizations. I know that the general perception is that this is from Gen Z applicants, but we have had individuals from all ages simply not show up.
 
We have been experiencing no shows since 2020, and I've heard the same with others in different organizations. I know that the general perception is that this is from Gen Z applicants, but we have had individuals from all ages simply not show up.
Same, as far as the ages go. It's almost like people are afraid to simply say " I am no longer interested".
 
Wah. Had a fun brainstorm for a camping trip for Labor Day weekend and it seems that I forgot that all of Europe is still on holiday then. So no campsites available. pout.
 
Same, as far as the ages go. It's almost like people are afraid to simply say " I am no longer interested".
The other side of that coin is that hiring is broken in this country. I'm not saying in every case but the amount of stories I've heard about ridiculously long hiring processes is insane. You don't need 4 or 5 interviews that take 2 months or more to hire someone. Job seekers are exhausted because of disinterested hiring manager, not having the decision makers in the room etc.
 
The other side of that coin is that hiring is broken in this country. I'm not saying in every case but the amount of stories I've heard about ridiculously long hiring processes is insane. You don't need 4 or 5 interviews that take 2 months or more to hire someone. Job seekers are exhausted because of disinterested hiring manager, not having the decision makers in the room etc.
Exactly. Now that you've successfully submitted a writing sample, interviewed with panel #1, interviewed with them again, and performed a mock presentation of some kind, and then met with the City Manager one on one, our mayor would like to meet you, so could you answer these six questions in writing prior to that meeting?

You know what, I'm interviewing for a position as the director, sure. But if you want to read a sample of my writing, there are literally REAMS of it on the internet in posted planning commission packets, RDA minutes, and City Council minutes and more at three cities that are no more than seven miles from you. In fact, just read the ordinances in those three cities, i fucking wrote all of them. If you want to know what my presentations are like, there are HOURS of the "ursus show" in videos you can watch with the click of a mouse at three cities. I've been in front of you twice already. THIS is my presentation style, A-holes. If you didn't know I was the guy when you compared me to the others in the first round, I probably wasn't the guy. I've hired dozens of people. I always know who I want after the first round of interviews. Almost always, I guess. I've conducted seconds, but I generally wind up with my first choice anyway.
 
Same, as far as the ages go. It's almost like people are afraid to simply say " I am no longer interested".
I've had no-shows, but I've also had people respond to my request offer for an interview saying "Hey, sorry I'm no longer looking." And then I get mad at HR for making it take so long to get me the names and info so I can select for interviews. These folks have applications at LOTS of places, we can't take two weeks after we close the posting to give me the names for interviews. Ugh!

But there is no excuse for just no-showing. None at all. Just bad form.
 
Last interview we did I did all the first round interviews, offered it to the guy I wanted. He ended up turning down the offer because he found out there would be public speaking and it's not his bag. We could have worked around that, but that's fine. He knows his limits. Did a second interview and one of the candidates did 100% better the second time. I like the second interview only because it gives the candidates a chance to recover if I'm not fully decisive.
 
Last interview we did I did all the first round interviews, offered it to the guy I wanted. He ended up turning down the offer because he found out there would be public speaking and it's not his bag. We could have worked around that, but that's fine. He knows his limits. Did a second interview and one of the candidates did 100% better the second time. I like the second interview only because it gives the candidates a chance to recover if I'm not fully decisive.

See, that makes sense. You'd think a guy like me would be a believer in second chances!
 
I have no problem with a 2nd interview but that should really be it in most cases. None of this "here's a silly desktop exercise we want you to do. Oh, and please prepare an outline of how you would address this particular issue that we have". First, don't waste my time with foolishness. Second, I don't work for free. EVER. I think the biggest shortfall many job applicants have is that they have no idea of their value.

And while I'm at it, let me just say that once you get to a certain level I shouldn't have to fill out a job application. A cover letter and resume should be enough. And if I do have to fill out an application for an executive level position and it's asking me for my high school information I immediately stop the process because that's a place where I don't want to work. Look, HR works for me, and I think most HRs suck! Not necessarily the people, many are great but their whole operation is just absurd. And if my folks went two weeks before sending the hiring department the candidates like @DVD said, they'd be looking for a new job. You know why? Because that IS their job and they didn't do it. I can tolerate mistakes, we all make them, but just not doing what you're supposed to do is unforgivable.
 
Has anyone else seen this video? I cannot stop watching it. Even kids know businesses are just using inflation to be even more greedy.

 
We have been experiencing no shows since 2020, and I've heard the same with others in different organizations. I know that the general perception is that this is from Gen Z applicants, but we have had individuals from all ages simply not show up.
My Gen Z daughter was looking for a part-time job recently. She had an interview setup for a job. Between the time that she setup the interview and the interview its self, she was offered and accepted another job. She tried to call and cancel the interview at the other place; she wasn't sure if they got the message so she drove out to cancel it in person. She said that the interviewer told her that he had been ghosted a lot. He was extremely appreciative that she went through the trouble that he offered her a job on the spot. She declined.

Ironically, there was two places that she showed up to scheduled interviews only to learn that they had filled the positions. Neither called to tell her prior to the interview. I guess that they assumed that she wouldn't show.
 
I think the lack of communication is the worst part. I understand on the applicant's end. They don't know who to send it to all the time, but how hard is it to send a quick email to say we've decided to go another direction, or we picked someone else, especially in this day of emails.
 
I'm getting a new work computer later this afternoon and am moving some files around and deleting some and came across a picture that I have no memory of when it was taken but now I wish I did (metadata says it was from 2013):

1719510007267.jpeg


That's my desk but definitely not my dog!
 
Related to the above: When you submit an application to a business and it is just gone forever. Not a big business, just a submittal directly to the person who will be managing you/is responsible for the decision. What circumstances arise that make "Thank you for the application but no thank you," or "Thank you for the application, we'll get back with you," impossible?
 
I am tired. My soul is tired.
Do you know what I always thought would be uplifting? Sailing one of those remote control sailboats on a pond in Central Park, like in Stuart Little? You know, the really rich-kid preppy boats. How relaxing that must be.

I could drive by and pick you up. We'll beat up a couple of preppy kids at Central Park and take their boats. We can leave before the cops get there to get some pizza. I'm sure they have pizza in NY.
 
I am at that point where my staff sometime say, "you look tired today". Nope, I just look like that. That's what my face looks like.
My MIL used to say that to tell me to wear more makeup - definitely can be a passive aggressive message
 
My MIL used to say that to tell me to wear more makeup - definitely can be a passive aggressive message

Show me a woman who has a good relationship with her MIL and I'll show you a woman who married her nephew. (also that happens sometimes out here :) )
 
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Show me a woman who has a good relationship with her MIL and I'll show you a woman who married her nephew. (also that happens sometimes out here :) )
I can't wrap my head around this statement. Maybe it's because I started vacation today and I turned my brain off.
 
Show me a woman who has a good relationship with her MIL and I'll show you a woman who married her nephew. (also that happens sometimes out here :) )
I really hope I am not like this when my son settles down - his girlfriend and he are living with us this summer and I really like her as a person so I hope I don't have any subconscious weirdness towards her because she is so great
 
I really hope I am not like this when my son settles down - his girlfriend and he are living with us this summer and I really like her as a person so I hope I don't have any subconscious weirdness towards her because she is so great
There is always hope. I have two sons-in-law now, and I really, really like them both. I even doodled a picture of Mikey AZ looking up at a pretty cloud, looking stoned. He's super chill. :)
mikey az.jpg
 
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I really hope I am not like this when my son settles down - his girlfriend and he are living with us this summer and I really like her as a person so I hope I don't have any subconscious weirdness towards her because she is so great
We have to tread lightly with women that our sons bring home. They could be the mothers of our grandchildren and wield the visitation power.
 
Show me a woman who has a good relationship with her MIL and I'll show you a woman who married her nephew. (also that happens sometimes out here :) )
That didn't happen with me, however my mother and my wife got along terrifically. When my mother passed away, my wife told me that she was closer to my mother than her own for the few years that we were together at that point.

My step mother on the other hand, she is a hippy that never grew out of that phase. Her son's never learned personal responsibility or work ethic, my dad's house has so much dam clutter in it, and it has become a revolving door for which one of my step brothers and their kids are living there because they either can't hold down a relationship or a job.
 
That didn't happen with me, however my mother and my wife got along terrifically. When my mother passed away, my wife told me that she was closer to my mother than her own for the few years that we were together at that point.

My step mother on the other hand, she is a hippy that never grew out of that phase. Her son's never learned personal responsibility or work ethic, my dad's house has so much dam clutter in it, and it has become a revolving door for which one of my step brothers and their kids are living there because they either can't hold down a relationship or a job.
I was blessed with my step mom. She walked a bit mess with me. She realized that and decided to to fill in the gaps the my birth mom created. She hung in there with me and became my mom.
 
I'm a step mom and it's hard. I met the kids when they were 9 and 11 and we're close. But I've only once been told Happy Mother's Day (totally fair but still hurts a little). Obviously, both parental roles are filled and it's not easy finding your place when you're the plus one, not the primary.
 
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I purchased 7 items online from Eddie Bauer during a recent sale. Just got an email saying they cancelled 6 of the items because they were out of stock. THEN DON'T LIST THEM AS AVAILABLE ON YOUR WEBSITE.
 
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