Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
OK, so I think i have bitched about this in the past, but here at work I have a strange situation with my manager. We have a small lab (about 2000 sq ft) and it is occupied by 5 people and many computers and work benches... ...and at my managers desk; a microwave oven, a toaster oven, a George Foreman grill, a toaster and a hot pot. When I joined the company I was a bit taken aback by the cooking being done in the lab and whenever I brought up how bad it was for the equipment and the potential of a fire, I was given the eye roll by my manager. When I complained about the smell, I got the same treatment (He is Iranian and the food he cooks permeates the entire building).
So this morning, I am first in to work, I get my coffee and sit down to clean up our document server. My manager comes in, logs in and heads to the refrigerator to make his breakfast (forgot to mention the fridge sitting next to his desk and not a compact one either, I am talking about a full size Frigidaire...). He pulls out some eggs, bacon and bread and commences to cook his breakfast (on company time (that is another rant)). I start smelling the refreshing scent of burnt toast, just as I hear the emergency sirens getting closer and closer. In walks the Office Manager asking who is burning something just as the fire trucks (yes trucks) pull up out front. Turns out he set off the fire alarm (which is scary since the alarm in the building did not go off). The fire department came in to find out the cause of the alarm and when they saw all his cooking gear (all plugged into the same outlet I might add), they indicated to him that he was violating several fire codes and they would schedule an inspection the moment they got back to the firehouse (3 blocks away).
Just as the fire trucks were pulling away, the General Manager of the company was pulling up. After he found out what just went down, he FREAKED! He came into the lab screaming at my manager telling him to immediately take the cooking stuff out of the lab and to his house. He still has not taken the appliances out of here and the GM is getting more pissed by the minute. I expect him back in the lab any minute to tell him not to do anything else until he clears the lab of kitchen items.
So here we sit, in the lab, with all the doors to the building open, trying to clear the place of burnt toast smell, all the ac units are blasting away, already over 80 degrees outside (supposed to hit over 100 today), and my machines are starting to over heat and shut down. My manager is complaining that it was not that big of deal and sees no reason to move his cooking equipment. He honestly is confused why people are making such a big deal out of it! He did not believe us that the fire department was here until one of the firefighter came in to talk with him. He thought we were pulling his leg?!?!
OK, thanks for reading my rant... I hope some of you got a chuckle out of this story. We are moving out of this building soon and into another nicer place. The GM has already stated that the lab rules are going to be changed to make sure NO cooking gear is allowed in the lab _including_ the fridge. My manager is upset that we are picking on him and is now taking it out on my co-workers (he knows better than to treat me like that...).
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
hahaha.. That's awesome man. Dont you guys have a lunchroom? Put all the appliances in there, and cook there.
Also, cooking on company time? And he's supposed to be a manager, setting an example.
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
You in Cali? Woke up at 6am today and it was headed straight for 80. It's currently 93 degrees as of two seconds ago. :/
But yeah, that's insane. I thought the guy I work part-time with (I work part time, he works full time) was bad, having cans and all hit food items all over his desk. I'm worried something is gonna come out and attack me.
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Luke122
hahaha.. That's awesome man. Dont you guys have a lunchroom? Put all the appliances in there, and cook there.
Also, cooking on company time? And he's supposed to be a manager, setting an example.
Yes we do have a lunch room complete with fridge, microwave, toaster and everything else you would need to cook just about any meal. (no real oven though)
Cooking on company time;
Yes it is a bad example and one of my co-workers is following suit. Here is the schedule;
Manager: Arrive at work between 7:30 and 8:15. Log in. Prepare to cook breakfast (gather materials and such)(10 minutes). Cook breakfast while checking email (20 minutes). Eat breakfast (10-20 minutes). Clean dishes (5 minutes (forget to turn off water all the way)). Clean oven, grill and toaster (10 minutes). Put away appliances and dishes (10 minutes). Vacuum crumbs from work area (using computer vac (5 minutes)). Work until lunchtime (depends on timing). Prepare lunch (15 minutes). Cook lunch (20-30 minutes). Eat lunch 20-30 minutes). Log out. Nap (1 - 2 hours) (usually closer to 1 hour but I have seen him nap for 3 hours once). Log in. Clean up from lunch (20-30 minutes). Work until 3:30. Prepare to go home (30 minutes). Log out. Go home.
Fridays are worse. He spends half the day getting ready to go home and talking about how good that first beer will taste (and he drinks bud...). On Monday he spends half the day bitching about how he hates Mondays.
EDIT: Yes I am in Sunnyvale, California. It is already ~95 outside. Finally got the smell out of the building and we are trying to cool the place back down so I can continue my work. It is going to be REALLY hot the next couple of days. When I got home yesterday at 7pm, my deck was still at 90, 75 in the house (no AC).
Our local fire department (Boulder Creek) has been driving around the last few days warning home owners to clear the brush from around the houses. They are expecting a really hot dry fire season this year and are going to start fining people $500 for the first offense of not cleaning up their property. Being the Road Association President I have already received 2 warnings from them that we need to clear the brush back from the roads. Of the 14 years I have lived at my current house, I have never seen it so dry and we rarely have heat waves this early in the year. The creek in front of my house (which runs pretty strong all year round), looks like it may dry up. That has not happened ever as far as I could find out (one of our association members has lived in the 'hood for 50 years and has never seen the creek that dry).
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
Does he do any working? That's like... A 3hour max work day, jesus.
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
Sounds like they should fire him and promote you.:)
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TheGreatSatan
Sounds like they should fire him and promote you.:)
I was thinking the same thing. With or without the promotion, that guy should be at least fired, right? I mean thats just ridiculous what he's doing! Let alone on company time as well? Amazing. And now he's letting other people think its okay as well, and seemingly letting them do it too? lol man, what a crazy story...
Now, about those heat waves you're having down there. Do you mind writing a message on the top of your building telling the heat waves to head north? :rolleyes:
I can't believe you're having those kinds of heat waves! This has been one of the longest, coldest winter/spring/starting of summer I have ever experienced. Its like the weather just refuses to warm up! (although it is pretty warm today and supposed to get even warmer, funny how that last night was as cold as Pluto! (had my window open, bad idea lol))
Re: Cooking In the Computer Lab (my rant for the month)
That's outrageous, especially the lack of working. Seems to me from when I've talked to you that your usually very busy at work.
Weird about the weather though. I'm in upstate NY and it's downright cold on some days, haven't had weather get above mid 70s yet.