Random Rants #63: These Rants Don't Run

[warpus]

Oh man....some people.
A colleague asked 2 days ago if doing something would be complicated (dumping data in a database). I answered "for me not, for you yes", and offered to help. She needs it done by...well...tomorrow. Despite her saying that she'd send me the data and details yesterday morning, she decided to do it today, a half hour before I planned to leave work. Only the data. In the wrong format. Without any details, even without the minimum necessary ones. And then we had a discussion for a half hour what actually needs to be done. Her reply at the end: "I thought this would be easy and would take like 10 minutes or so".
New lesson for her: Don't expect that anything which you know *feces* about will be easy. I expect that this will take like 3h tomorrow, given that I spent 1.5h today on the same task with all the necessary info and the data in the right format on a project which I fully know about.
Why would you even wait with something for which you don't have a clue about to the very last minute? Why?

(at least I could give her a preliminary ID already, so this is not really urgent anymore)

I hate people who expect you to drop everything that you're doing to put out their fires, just because they've decided that it's a brilliant idea to not do any planning and/or to do everything at the last minute.

I don't help them, unless my boss forces me to.

 

[Takhisis]

This site still requires a travel destination.

However, despite this being the wrong thread, I emailed my employer and was told that the photocopy was not a hard deadline. PHEW

I can apply for a passport and send it in when I get it. Not going to lie, feel a lot better now. Maybe I don't even need to expedite it anymore!

‘Not a hard deadline’? Make sure that is absolutely certainly the case before you relax.

 

[The_J]

I hate people who expect you to drop everything that you're doing to put out their fires, just because they've decided that it's a brilliant idea to not do any planning and/or to do everything at the last minute.

I don't help them, unless my boss forces me to.

I'm sadly stupid and always say yes :/.
Including for stuff which will take a half year of work (not this one). I'm an idiot, can't help it .

 

[Joecoolyo]

You may want to figure out for sure, because passports can take quite awhile through non-expedited means. Is this for the JET program? If so start getting your visa shizz figured out now because that stuff can be wacky.

Yeah, this is for JET. I was chosen as an alternate candidate, so they want me to send in a photocopy of my passport as soon as I get it. Not supposed to apply for visa or send in the real copy until I'm actually short-listed or whatever.

But yeah, I think I'm going to still expedite it. Not going to chance waiting forever if I can get it within three weeks.

‘Not a hard deadline’? Make sure that is absolutely certainly the case before you relax.

Yeah, the coordinator in the e-mail said to send it in as soon as I got it, and that they understand that not everyone has a passport yet.

So I think I'm in the clear!

 

[sophie]

Yeah, this is for JET. I was chosen as an alternate candidate, so they want me to send in a photocopy of my passport as soon as I get it. Not supposed to apply for visa or send in the real copy until I'm actually short-listed or whatever.

But yeah, I think I'm going to still expedite it. Not going to chance waiting forever if I can get it within three weeks.

Yeah they have a window for visas regardless. But it's still helpful to figure out what you need to do and procure necessary documents in the leadup. Quick example: when my (now) ex was preparing to go to Spain she didn't find out until last minute that her letter of employment had to be specially notarized by an official state notary and they only had offices in LA and Sacramento so I ended up having to take her last minute to Sacramento to get the thing notarized and mailed off before the application deadline. She was really on top of things but the visa process is confusing and nobody is allowed to help you and there are a lot of random things you need that you won't often realize you need until it's much too late.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Honestly I wouldn't expect any less. Should I get chosen, they're supposed to release the visa instructions in June. But considering the paperwork for just a passport, let alone the tax thing I have to fill out I'm not too keen on the density of the bureaucracy set up. Seems to be made for things to take forever.

I mean I sent in an FBI background check application over a month ago and I still haven't even been charged for it.

 

[Commodore]

Honestly I wouldn't expect any less. Should I get chosen, they're supposed to release the visa instructions in June. But considering the paperwork for just a passport, let alone the tax thing I have to fill out I'm not too keen on the density of the bureaucracy set up. Seems to be made for things to take forever.

I mean I sent in an FBI background check application over a month ago and I still haven't even been charged for it.

Well, my guess is they make the process too time consuming, expensive, and difficult for those who might seek to acquire a US passport for any nefarious purposes. Dense bureaucracy can act as a strong deterrent for people who don't have an immediate, pressing need for something.

Although I must say I don't remember having to get an FBI background check for mine, but maybe that's because I already had a security clearance so my background had already been gone over with a fine-tooth comb.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Yeah background check is just a rap-sheet of any crimes I've committed in the past.

Which are of course none, but I assume that takes months to find out searching their own database.

 

[GenMarshall]

Ten years later, I'm starting to have regrets on not switching my major when I was still in college and just bite the bullet to attend an extra year.

Another rant, I was a stupid young 20 something in college.

 

[Lohrenswald]

New lesson for her: Don't expect that anything which you know *feces* about will be easy. I expect that this will take like 3h tomorrow, given that I spent 1.5h today on the same task with all the necessary info and the data in the right format on a project which I fully know about.
Why would you even wait with something for which you don't have a clue about to the very last minute? Why?

because you know you can't do it
and it's terrifying

like I don't know how to explain it, but this is basically all I ever do

 

[shadowplay]

This week's episode of Better Call Saul was so boring I thought I was going to cry.

More Mike, less Kim, please.

 

[The_J]

because you know you can't do it
and it's terrifying

like I don't know how to explain it, but this is basically all I ever do

Not if you have friends who know how this *feces* works.
I'm still waiting for the necessary data. Does not help that she's flying to China today. Will maybe get it tomorrow. *sigh*

 

[Lohrenswald]

Not if you have friends who know how this *feces* works.

Yes it is

Trust me, I have a lot of experience in this

 

[The_J]

You should then get some experience in "asking for help" .

 

[Lohrenswald]

I have, but it doesn't help out in the long run

 

[Kennigit]

This week's episode of Better Call Saul was so boring I thought I was going to cry.

More Mike, less Kim, please.

Season 1 i thought she was the worst character i had ever seen on tv

Exists solely to be indecisive and wrong and a pushover that Jim gets to show that nah, he's the only competent one and will receive her admiration

You know, a "woman"....

 

[Takhisis]

You should then get some experience in "asking for help" .

He's done it all the time and gotten next to no XP.

 

[gay_Aleks]

where were you when the Wal- er, the stickies fell?

 

[Takhisis]

I don't know. I was preparing for that event, but then the Fire Nation attacked.

 

[warpus]

I'm sadly stupid and always say yes :/.
Including for stuff which will take a half year of work (not this one). I'm an idiot, can't help it .

I used to suck at saying "No", but once I realized that nobody else seems to mind saying: "Here, you fix my problem" it became a lot easier. Plus I have important things to work on anyway.