You are quoting the job description of a federal bureaucrat you know. I sometimes wonder if being hated for carrying out the mission in the most inhumane manner possible is something of a point of honor with them.
Y’know, I can’t stand the idea of calling anyone on some level above me as a “superior.” It kinda implies “better,” I’ve seen too many of them in action to think that of them.
Superior, used as an adjective, can mean of better quality. Superior, used as a noun, means someone who shit down on you in the pecking order. That is something completely different.
Somebody translated the German “ubermensch” (Nietsche) as “superman,” when it probably should’ve been “overman,” with less of a sense of superiority.
I’m also not crazy about “supervisor.” By this point, I know a great deal about my job—more than some of the supervisors—and need them for just a few things, like handing me my paycheck.
You just have to keep reminding yourself (as I had to in the Army) that in the scheme of things you are a subordinate and _not_ an inferior. (Lord knows how true that was considering the 2nd Lieutenants I had to train.)
So, if people are making gifts, they are still spending something. They are most certainly spending time making the gifts, and they may be spending money on materials to make the gifts.
Not this time. It has been mandated from On High, so it is not a waste in budgeting as long as you use those supplies stricly for the purpose of Santaing Secretly.
My grandmother had a Samoyed, from the same family of dog breeds as whatever undefined type of Spitz Sweetheart is based on, and would brush her fur out, spin it into yarn, and knit with it.
So nothing weird, really. If you’re okay with sweaters that smell like wet dog when they get wet, anyway.
Reminds me of something that happens in Charles Stross’s “Laundry” series. The occult civil service decide their employees should do their own creative side projects “like at Google,” but force them to do it as overtime, leading to a demon-related workplace accident at 4AM.
Can they outsource to their creations? I’m sure Tip would love the credenza he couldn’t afford retail, and they’ve had enough time to make another four pieces of furniture since that was completed.
oh dear, I pitty whoever gets unity’s gift.
Heh. Yeah, this should be entertaining. 😀
She’d give her heart to someone…or some other body part.
Whatever the gift, we know it will be impeccably stitched
Permit me to point out that lost lightsabers are free to the finder…
Sometimes I almost hate Sweetheart when she’s so breathtakingly oblivious to how other people are being screwed over by “da rules.”
You are quoting the job description of a federal bureaucrat you know. I sometimes wonder if being hated for carrying out the mission in the most inhumane manner possible is something of a point of honor with them.
Y’know, I can’t stand the idea of calling anyone on some level above me as a “superior.” It kinda implies “better,” I’ve seen too many of them in action to think that of them.
Yes, but Sweetheart thinks of them so, so so she calls them.
I wonder if this means Sweetheart has been in touch with their shadowy overboss by now.
I could have this wrong, but isn’t Sweetheart’s shadowy overboss Mr Green? Or is that just what she’s meant to think?
Yes.
Superior, used as an adjective, can mean of better quality. Superior, used as a noun, means someone who shit down on you in the pecking order. That is something completely different.
When I first encountered the word as a kid, it was in its role as a synonym for “snooty.” Took me a while to get the dictionary meaning.
Somebody translated the German “ubermensch” (Nietsche) as “superman,” when it probably should’ve been “overman,” with less of a sense of superiority.
I’m also not crazy about “supervisor.” By this point, I know a great deal about my job—more than some of the supervisors—and need them for just a few things, like handing me my paycheck.
Just remember that “supervisor” is merely a pretentious Latin version of “overseer”.
You just have to keep reminding yourself (as I had to in the Army) that in the scheme of things you are a subordinate and _not_ an inferior. (Lord knows how true that was considering the 2nd Lieutenants I had to train.)
So, if people are making gifts, they are still spending something. They are most certainly spending time making the gifts, and they may be spending money on materials to make the gifts.
Unless they’re crafting with office supplies…
My first thought, except Sweetheart would have a coronary over the loss of office supplies, thus causing waste in budgeting.
So, maybe instead other bits and bobs left in the various deserted labs.
Not this time. It has been mandated from On High, so it is not a waste in budgeting as long as you use those supplies stricly for the purpose of Santaing Secretly.
Sweetheart makes gifts out of lint, sawdust and fur clippings (in her spare time of course). What? What’s weird about that?
My grandmother had a Samoyed, from the same family of dog breeds as whatever undefined type of Spitz Sweetheart is based on, and would brush her fur out, spin it into yarn, and knit with it.
So nothing weird, really. If you’re okay with sweaters that smell like wet dog when they get wet, anyway.
Reminds me of something that happens in Charles Stross’s “Laundry” series. The occult civil service decide their employees should do their own creative side projects “like at Google,” but force them to do it as overtime, leading to a demon-related workplace accident at 4AM.
I note that the red stuff on Hitty probably isn’t blood this time.
Putting Masons into jars can be messy.
Watching her try to make handicrafts (or would that be hammercrafts?) would be amusing. Like watching a Gallagher show, but with more glass shards.
Shaenon, Jeff,
Is there something in your personal life you need to talk about?
(no reason for asking…)
The statement that I have ever been forced to engage in humiliating activities at my weokplace is just laughable! Laughable, I say!
When I was in the Navy I used to say “I have many people higher in rank than me but I have no superiors”
Sounds exactly like what my late uncle Ralph (USN Commodore) would say.
Spend nothing—sign for it—bill to Skin Horse.
Can they outsource to their creations? I’m sure Tip would love the credenza he couldn’t afford retail, and they’ve had enough time to make another four pieces of furniture since that was completed.
If _____ were my secret Santa;
my preferred hand (tooth)-crafted gift would be _____:
Sweetheart; scrimshaw
U.N.I.T.Y.; fur hat
Tip; scented candle
Moustachio; 8-track party tape
Hitty; wrought-iron objet d’art
I’m thinking people may be starting to put “fur hat” in the “Sweetheart” blank…