Archive for April, 2007
Working on the east coast is different. Definitely different than the MidWest. I don’t mean the boss’ are always rude and in your face, they can, but some boss’ back in the MidWest are like that, too. And I don’t mean you are supposed to be rude and angry while doing your job, cause that doesn’t get you anywhere either. But for this job you HAVE to develop a backbone. This I’ve learned over and over.
Two examples:
Applebee’s.
After 6 months of paying my dues, being trained as a server, and than being promptly put back at the host stand I was ready to quit. When I started at Auto Dat I was convinced I just barely needed something more until commission checks came in. They came in, I got a 5K raise, yet I continued. I continued to always show up on time, rarely ask for time off, and dutifully and arduously work my job to it’s fullest. I’ve always received compliments on how hard I work. I know the managers appreciate my punctuality. But, I have never been rewarded. I have seen new person after new person walk PAST the host-stand to their serving shifts where you make much better money. SLAP IN THE FACE.
I finally talk to a manager I’m pretty close to and he told it to me straight, “Bryce, you haven’t bitched once about wanting to serve, how are we supposed to know you want it? People that really want it bitch and bitch” and I replied, “I come from an environment that you don’t do that, you work hard and let them notice it, you don’t complain until you get what you want” and he basically said, “welcome to Philly”. So, I bitched, said I was gonna walk soon if I don’t get serving shifts. This weekend 2 of my 3 shifts are serving, which shift isn’t? Saturday night. Wow, gee thanks Applebee’s. I’m writing a list of stuff to buy, once that list is done, I’m done.
Auto Dat.:
When I first looked for jobs out here one position caught my eye, financial analysts. Problem, to sell 401(k) you need to be licensed twice. That costs money and you have to be sponsored to get the licenses. Brings me to my buddy Mike at Auto Dat. He’s a guy who demands everyone’s respect and speaks his mind. In case you forgot, I’m the kind of guy who tries to be everyone’s friend and makes a joke of everything. Bryce = No Backbone; Mike = Backboned. He has had talks with each of the managers saying he’s selling himself short and has 1 foot out the door unless things change. He wants to sell 401(k) and wants some better work conditions. He has basically pioneered a manager evaluation meeting (which I was elected to run) and the managers have developed a possible way for him to be sponsored by Auto Dat. to sell what we call Pay K, or EasyPay (what I sell) and 401(k) together. That means the grand it’d cost to get licensed and the sponsorship are both up to Auto Dat.. Luckyyyy.
I’ve thought about wanted to do 401(k) since training 6 months ago, but never made a push for it, I wasn’t hired for it, do my job to the best I can, and maybe eventually go back for it. Guy’s like Mike say, “look, I want to do that, too, and I know that you need me here more than I need to be here, you want to keep me, let me do that, or I’m walking”. How gutsy is that?
I have no doubt that by the time Linds and I move to our next place I’ll be a little bit different person, I hope it isn’t conveyed as rude, but that’s the way that we’ve been told you live out here. So that’s the way I’ll be.
See the sky today? Talk about blue…
April 26th, 2007
Well, I finally FINALLY have the weekend off. I can’t even tell you how close I was to quitting Applebee’s last weekend, real close. I was going through it in my head, why am I working here, if I’m gonna bust my ass 7 days a week why not work for a company that will HELP my future, ect. So, Sunday I talked to a manager, told him that I was gonna walk unless I got some more serving shifts, and he said he’d make it happen.
Good news, Linds and I have the weekend off, kind of. Tomorrow from 10 until 6:15 we have pre-cana classes and that should be fun. I am actually looking forward to it, Linds is not, but whatcha gonna do? That night, maybe hit up some Irish Pubs downtown!!
Sunday, we’re torn between King Tut exhibit and actually taking the day off, maybe doing some golfing.
Question:
Name as many good stand-up albums as you can? I want to broaden my horizons with comedy, the last one I discovered was from Tyler, Jim Gaffigan. Loved it. I want more. Here’s who I’ve listened to:
Eddie Izzard
Dane Cook
Brian Regan
Jim Gaffigan
Robin Williams
Eddie Murphy
Chris Rock
George Carlin
Steve Martin
Steven Wright
Mitch Hedberg
Bill Hicks
Ellen Degeneres
Rodney Dangerfield
Dave Attell
Jerry Seinfeld
Stephen Lynch
David Cross
Who do you like?
April 20th, 2007
Easter was decent. I was very unhappy to find out I had to work 3 shifts, one of which being Sunday morning. Easter morning. Woke up Sunday, got Linds moving, and went to church. I figured, 5 minutes early should get us a spot for 2 somewhere. WRONG. There was at least 100 people standing for the entire mass, another 100 in chairs setup in the back, and the rest sitting comfortably enjoying Jesus showing the jews who’s boss!
After that Linds and I got some easter flowers and I went to work. It was very very slow, meaning I made no money, and the highlight of the shift was a phone call from the family.
Afterwards, I got home to see Dominic, Megan, Matt, and Lindsey all chillin’ ready for easter supper. Dominic and I finished my computer, which I hope to make into a video for all to see, but we’ll see about that. There are a few hangups with the unit right now, for example the DVD roms only show up sometimes, there doesn’t appear to be any logic behind why it shows up sometimes and aren’t recognized others. 2 of the 5 days since it’s been built they’ve worked. May have to go into the Bios.
We ate a huge supper, played CatchPhrase, and then people went their separate ways.
My heart. As some of you know, I got the bill for the holter monitor I had. The bill was $1,140 out of pocket. I had been struggling with how I could pay for this, even called my insurance guy offering to mow his lawn. (He lived in an apartment). I figured, “I’m doomed to work at Applebee’s forever”. I did have an out though. I could apply for financial assistance, somehow I make less than $90,000 annually, just barely. So, I gave them 3 months worth of bank statements, Federal Tax Return, and a most recent pay stub.
I got a letter back a few days ago from the hospital, I received a grant! How big? $858 dollars big!! That means I only owe $250 or so, which I can handle. I am truly blessed to be poor as hell. I told a co-worker who obviously makes the same as me, but his live-in gf makes over 100k a year, he said it’s people like me that force him to pay the full amount each time. He also promised to slash my tires.
I also got my results. The doc called and goes, “yeah, seemed normal…” it was very awkward, he seemed to have his tail between his legs being he told me financially I’d be fine and then I get a bill like that. To make sure he still felt bad, I didn’t tell him about the grant. Dickhead.
So, what did we learn, Easter is good but not as good as being at home, just buy a dell, and as soon as I get married since I’ll be really poor then, apply for federal assistance! Milk them dry.
April 14th, 2007
Well, it’s been a stressful week. Last Thursday I received a bill for my holter monitor. I’m ensured, I asked colleagues and my doctor if going through with this thing was going to be expensive, and was told I’d be fine. Some said it’d be my co-pay, some said it wouldn’t be that bad. All were wrong.
The bill said $1140. It said I may be responsible for $69. I have heard bad things about Aetna, my insurance provider, and figured, great I have to pay for all of the 1100 bucks and then they’ll reimburse me but then actually owe $69. I wish. After several calls to my hospital, ADP benefits person, and my insurance provider and we all came to the conclusion that heart stuff is expensive and for something like that I probably have too high of a deductible. A lil late.
Oh, there may be more, too. I was billed for 3 things, 1. Actually wearing the holter monitor (which was them putting sensors on my chest and wearing it around in a nap sack, worth $900) and 2. them actually looking at the results (worth $1100) and 3. the doctors interpretation. It’s number 3 that I’m worried about at this point, since I haven’t gotten that bill yet. I tried to find out if it was coming, but no one seemed to know where to direct me.
So, as of right now, Doctors 1140 points, Bryce nothing. “Bryce, are you going to kill youself” No. Not only won’t I kill myself but I learned that since I make less than $90,000 a year, I might get some discounts. If somehow I could get it to $600 I’d be very very happy. That’s how much my tax return was. It’d be sad to see it go just like that, but at this point I wouldn’t care.
Also, still no results. I was supposed to also get an ECHO (like Tim’s ex-gf? No, the medical kind) and the doc had my results and was waiting to tell them to me, and I said, NO, I’m not doing that, thanks. I also tried to negotiate myself out of paying for the results. My exact words were, “ok, this is gonna sound weird, but I’m just trying this out, could I have the doctors just throw the results away without reading them and I could pay the 1100 dollars and just pretend it was a fine or something?” in which the nurse replied, “well, if you wanted to try that we would still charge you and we do not report non-payments to credit bureaus, and I don’t want that to happen to you, hunny”. How is it that women always can tell I’m just from the phone? They always do that, “sorry hunny” or “sweety” and other stuff you’d say to let down a middle-schooler, “sorry hun, we’re all out of your favorite ice cream flavor, k, sweetie?”
To make things funnier for you guys, I also tried this new acne cream Linds bought, well, my face got all red and puffy yesterday, then today it got all swollen. My skin was pushing against my eyes all day and everyone at work called me Rocky, Swollen Eyes, Crybaby, and other witty swollen face jokes. “Where’s the picture Bryce??” None have or will be taken. Some have found it ironic that when I was just double-checking something I get charged up the ass, and now after I swore off doctors I may really need one. Paradox?
April 4th, 2007