Not Your Typical Girlie-Girl

A few weeks ago, an  ex co worker (why they're an ex) in the lab (yes "lab" with chemicals and everything) asked if I could help him with something excel related. I of course said yes, quickly helped him with a Vlookup, and started to go back to work. He stopped me once more before I could get out the door and asked something related to the pH of one of the glues in the mixer. I knew the answer because I had just been talking about that very thing with the quality team only hours earlier. We then got to talking about science and chemistry. I've been begging for weeks to be trained in the lab. I've known for weeks that they need help. Now that the lab tech team lead sees my potential - I might finally get my wish! Before I went back to work, my co worker said to me, "you're tricky. You look like a girlie-girl but you're really a nerd that has a deep love for science." UH, yeah, DUH. It's something my friends and family have known for YEARS! I laughed it off, said yes, and went back to work.

It wasn't until I was talking to Josh about all this that I really started to get offended. I'm "tricky". When he said it I didn't think anything of it. I was trying to get back to work. I still don't think he meant anything by it, but it bugs me. He has been judging me for over three months because of the way I dress.

I know, I know! This happens every single day. Women (and men) get judged because of how they dress and how they talk. Mind you, I don't dress like a slut at work. I also don't dress like a nun. I dress like me. I dress how I'm comfortable, but apparently it's not what a "nerd" is "supposed" to look like.Y'all, I'm almost 27 years old. I guess I'm extremely naive, but I thought the stereotypes were supposed to stay in high school. I see cases like this almost all the time, but it's never really bothered me... or maybe it's just never really hit me... until I was the one being stereotyped.

Of course I'm the one with the big mouth, too. When it had finally hit me that that's what had happened, even if the lab tech didn't mean it like that, I had to say something. I'm of the mind-set that if you know something wrong is happening then you need to say something about it. 
I didn't approach my co worker in a confrontational manner. I was calm and I explained to him that I was a little hurt that he had said what he did. I explained that I felt like he had stereotyped me. He apologized and all is right with the world, but it also got me thinking... how many women don't say anything? And why not? Why wouldn't you say anything? 

I'm not really sure where this post is going. Maybe it could be a wish. A wish that other women would have the faith and courage to stand up for what they believe in and what they feel is right. Maybe it could be I'm grateful that I was able to stand up for myself and express my feelings. Maybe I just wanted to share my story. I don't know. It happened. I've made sure everyone (that matters) in the office know my feelings. Maybe I'll still get judged silently. Maybe not. Who knows. 
I guess in a way, I am grateful for all of this. I'm also trying to be grateful about losing this job. Strange, I know, but go with it, ok? Isn't the point of having a Grateful Heart finding the good in the little things? :) 

Have you ever been stereotyped publicly to where you knew about it? What did you do? How did you handle it? I guess I'm hoping one day this sort of thing won't be so common. I would hate for either of my kids to think they have to act or dress a certain way to be taken seriously. Yes I'm a nerd. Yes, I love science. But I also love fashion. Can't I be both and still be taken seriously?

The Weekend That Didn't Happen

Well, ladies (and gents if you're reading along) I promised a weekend recap, and so a weekend recap you will get. Just please don't have high hopes for the quality of this post. I'm warning you know, quality level is lacking today.

What could've happened

GIFSoup

Some of you may remember from Friday where I said Josh and I were going to escape from the kids and enjoy the weekend just us for our anniversary... yeah, that didn't happen.

// Friday
Josh spilled the beans and told me we were going to go to Helen, GA and stay in a cabin. Insert extreme excitment from me because I love Helen, I love the mountains, and I love cabins! The plan was to get off work, pack, drop the kids off and head up to the mountains. Great plan, right? Right... if only it worked out that way.
What had happened was... got off work, picked up the kids, Ainsley has a fever and is throwing up. Come to find out from the sitter, "oooh, yeah she's been kind of crummy today but I didn't want to bug you at work because I had it under contrrol. She probably got it from (the sitter's daughter) because she's had a fever since Wednesday" UM WHAT?? THANKS for telling me. (I'm a little annoyed with the sitter.)
Plans cancelled. I don't care how much my mother in law loves my kids, I'm not giving her the pain, torture and suffering that comes with a kid that's throwing up.

// Saturday
Since plans were cancelled, I called work to see if they still needed me to help with data entry on cycle counts (aka mini inventory). They had asked early last week, but I declined thinking we were going out of town. I'm not one to turn down overtime and since they still needed me, I went into work for a few hours Saturday. For those that follow me on twitter know what an exciting morning I had.

After 4 hours of work, I headed home to find miss Ainsley in much better spirits. Hubby and I decided to leave her with my mom so we could go to a couple's baby shower. I would've taken the kids, but I didn't want to risk other kids at the shower to get infected with the gunk that Ainsley had. [the good news, knock on wood, is that it's Tuesday and no one else has felt ill]. If you're friends with me on facebook, I posted an epic video of the guys at the shower chugging beer through baby bottles. There were cheaters involved.
In case you're not friends with me on facebook, here you go!

// Sunday
Laundry day! (I warned you, didn't I?) We did playoutside with the kids most of the day. Josh quickly reminded me just how terrible I am at basketball when we played a little with the neighbors. Other than that, mowed the grass and ate takeout pizza.

So there y'all have it. My (not so) overly exciting weekend. We did enjoy it though. We spent time with each other, and as a family and it was just enough. Sorry if it was utterly boring to y'all... I did make a promise.

An Open Letter to Creeps at Work

To the lab technician accross the hall: You don't need to come up with excuses to come into my office. If you want to chit-chat about the weather or your strange obsessions with cats, then just come say hi and start talking. Coming in here "just to get a pen" ... Because let's face it, how many pens do you really need in a week? Answer: not a new one everyday. Or when you lurk in the door until I look at you and then you run away, I'm going to keep thinking you're a weirdo. I promise I won't bite.

To the very-southern Maitenance guy: I like a good break from work in the form of a nice conversation about the news, or weather, or whatever. I do. I appreciate the fact that you're comfortable enough to approach me and ask how my kids and family are doing, and you can small talk about whatever; However, you are one inappropriate comment away from me going to H.R. I'm sorry, but I will not be referred to as someone's "second wife", even if the comment was made in jest.

 To the shoe theif: (ok, this was at my last job but it needs to be brought up for all shoe theives out there). I still don't know why you had to take the one shoe, but it was just strange. The shoes themselves were old. They probably smelled bad. The heel was chewed up. And yet, even after the pair fell off the roof of my brother in law's old ford focus and got run over (repeatedly) on Satellite Blvd you still took just the one shoe. I still don't understand why you thought I would want to keep just the right shoe out of the pair... thanks but no thanks. You're creepy.

To the Star Wars nerd enthusiast: (credit to Amanda for this one). I'm sorry if I made you think I was interested in hearing about the new plot ideas, or costume plans, or who will be attending Dragon Con this year. Sorry, but I'm just not. The "too-friendly" smile you mistook for interest was simply a smile to try and tell you without words "I'm going back to work now". And yet, here you are, 10 minutes later, still talking to me about Star Wars. The whole time I'm trying to focus on real work.

To the Popcorn burners: (credit to Lora). You're not a creepy creep, you're just a creep. Everyone loves the smell of fresh, buttery popcorn. However to the same point, everyone hates the smell of burnt popcorn. If you insist on making popcorn, please stand by the microwave and monitor that shit! (Also if you brought left over fish for lunch, just don't heat it up. We don't want to smell microwaved fish for hours)

and finally...
To the messy hoarder: (credit goes to Kathy). Your office cube does not need to contain every little memory from every vacation on the wall. If you have so many "treasures" and keepsakes that they start spilling into the hall, or you have so many McDonald's happy meal toys that my four year old would want to play at your desk while you work, you have a problem.

P.S. to any ladies in the work-force: Wear a bra. Just do it. You are not cute with your boobs flopping everywhere! I don't care what size they are, just wear a bra. Keep it classy, y'all.

Are you guilty of one (or more) of these? Don't be afraid to admit it. There is help for you! We can get you the support you need to become a less offensive creeper.

Hazardous Work Environment

Some of y'all may remember, I recently (OK a month ago) I started a new job. When the job was offered to me, all I knew was that it was for an administrative assistant postition, it was close to home, and the pay was what I wanted. Plus it was in a manufacturing plant so I was familiar with the environment.

...Only, I wasn't.

My last job was at a contract manufacturer that pretty much only made cables and kiosks. Stuff like this. (and this). (oh, and this too). My biggest obstacle for getting a customer's product on time was the fact that cables have a 16 week lead time!

Now I'm here at H.B. Fuller. They make all sorts of adhesives. No, it's not just glue anymore... this stuff is everywhere! Not gonna lie, y'all I absolutely love it here but I absolutely work in a hazardous environment!

The raw materials used require MSDS's. (OK, what's an MSDS, Melissa??) It's a Material Saftey Data Sheet. It's a little piece of paper that tells everyone interested exactly how to handle and store certain materials. It also tells the melting point, boiling point, Ph level, etc. It's FASCINATING! Everything about this place has so much chemistry involved it's fantastic!

This is what you might see on an MSDS.

This means the material is self combustible.

 

 

Most offices have a standard "escape route" in case of a fire. You have to go to the flag poles or something like that. For us, we have to go like half a mile down the road... running! Because if there's a fire here, well, let's just say we don't want a fire here!

 

The best part of this job? My inner nerd gets to come out daily!

 

 

 



I'm Not an Event Planner

But my H.R. manager seems to think I'm qualified for the job!

Let me explain... I'm an "administrative assistant" at my new job. Translation: I'm the office "go-fer"... whatever my boss(es) need help with, I do it. It could be filing, data entry, or making spreadsheets. Yesterday HR decided *Melissa is an event planner*

Here's how it went down

Me: "Hey, (we'll call her H)! I've finished with the stop audits, do you need help with anything?"
H: "Actually yes, I have to book the Christmas party by the end of the week. Can you find a location and book it?"
Me: "Um... OK... Sure"
The rest of the day was spent with me searching for places to have Christmas parties near the office since the majority of employees live near the office. Unfortunately the majority of places that people seem to want to have the party at are outside of the area that people are willing to drive.

Time to compromise folks, you either get location or fun. Where our job is, you can't have both. Priorities people... priorities.

WHYYY did I say yes?? Maybe because it's a new job and I wanted to be the good little assistant and help. Ugh. I don't know. Thankfully, I made a phone call to a really good friend and got a some good ideas for where to start tomorrow, and now that I know he reads my blog: Thanks Andy!

The lesson learned here: don't agree to be an event planner when you know nothing about planning events. Or make sure you have a really awesome friend to bail you out and give you really great ideas. Especially when your experience of Christmas parties is a free Outback Steakhouse dinner lunch.

Bloomin' Onions are freaking delicious though.