79 Riddle me This

I had several good topics for rants today, but they'll just have to wait until next week. 'Booker friend(not to be confused with hooker friend) Kim Thorn, has alluded to something that I have encountered in my personal life, although not for the same reason as her. It is something I find detestable and if it ever happens to ME again, I think I will have to punch someone. Oh and then quit.

I believe our friend has been told she cant or shouldnt spend time, her OFF time mind you, with someone. I believe it was by a boss. She said she was called immoral. First, who the hell is someone else to judge her as immoral? Has she molested a child? Abused a child or the elderly? Has she harmed an animal or someone weaker than her? NO. I seriously doubt that from what I know about Kim. She may have abused a bottle or two, but who among us hasnt?

What is it Christians say? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Lets back up. Knowing a little about Kim, I would say she goes to work when she's scheduled, does her job well and goes home. She's friendly and a little talkative;), but that should be about as far as this person's reach goes. I didnt ask which job, I know she works more than one. I will guess this person's statement alludes to something in Kim's personal life that they dont approve of. Hmm. I dont think that should concern you, Mr./Mrs. Person.

If Kim is doing nothing wrong at work, even though she may have discussed personal aspects of her life there, she has every right to see whomever she wants and to do whatever she wants. Well, legally anyhow. A couple years ago, I was directly involved, through work, with a highly placed individual. He was "let go" during a dispute, we'll put it that way. The owners' felt it was their right to tell all their employees that this person's name was not to be mentioned and we were not supposed to talk to them, ever. Bull Shit. Forgive my language, but I will not be told how I excercise my personal freedoms outside the workplace. If they dont want us talking to this person on company time, fine. You will NOT tell me what I can do when I walk out that door. Kim appears to have been put in a similar position. I cannot tell her what to do, but I know Kim is probably more vocal than I am and other than needing her job, she may have already said something.

Here we are. My personal morals would have led me to quitting(without punching), if the subject had not been dropped. I cant tell our friend what to do, but I would not allow this jackass to get away with this. Your boss or supervisor's role ends with the workday. If at all possible, rationally explain the situation to a higher-up, that is, if you can reach them. If there is no satisfaction, I say it's time to move on. I know the economy sucks, but I bet just about any one of us can find a job somewhere. You have to be willing to sacrifice for your morals and individual freedoms. Kim's situation applies to us all.

How many of you have stayed in a job you hate, with a supervisor that was amoral, immoral, irritating or inept, just because you "needed" the job? Right. Most of us at one time or another. I have quit reaaaallllly good jobs, well one, that I found to be immoral. We were being told quite a few aspects of our personal life were to be_____, and I was not going to compromise to suit them. I'm not saying that our friend should just up and quit. Channels first, then maybe some outside attention if that doesnt work. I just know what I would have done already. It's easy to say that, I suppose, when you're not in a given situation. I have never been afraid of change and for some of you, I think that's part of what it would boil down to. Your crappy job with horrendous people may be close to home, have hours that suit your personal life or you think the pay's too good to quit. Been there, done that. Let me tell you from personal experience: it is NOT easy to walk away from a fairly secure job with high pay to give yourself some moral satisfaction. It took a long time for me to climb out of the financial hole I dug, but I always knew I had kept a valuable piece of myself.


As for our friend, I believe the Kim I know would give him/her a piece of her mind. It usually gets them if you approach it from a logical, reasonable, LEGAL aspect. I've pissed more than one boss off using that approach. They want to inject their morals or values or just be mean because they can. We cannot let them win. We cant do anything about the price of oil, we cant keep idiots overseas from killing each other, we cant even stop the idiots WE elected from re-posting Ben "Bailout-the-ass" Bernanke, but we can save a little piece of ourselves with a little sacrifice.

Kim, if you need a job, I bet one of us could help find you one. It really is scary in this economy, but where do our hearts lie? If I can help one person save their sould by suggesting this, it's worth all the flak I'll get for suggesting you compromise your financial welfare in favor of keeping your morals.

In previous rants, I have discussed others' personal lives and their sexuality, both heterosexual and same-sex. I and many of you, do not have an issue with people that are in same-sex relationships. If this jerk has a problem with it, maybe they should just grab some balls and come right out and say it. Do it off the clock and with some tact. It's still reprehensible and narrow minded, but at least it would be honest. Kim, I hope you're not mad at me over this, but boy, I get pissed when I hear about people like this boss of yours. I have always spoken my mind, sometimes to my detriment, but this stuff makes me both mad and sick.

It has bothered me on numerous occasions that some supervisor, supposedly in a position attained because of work habits and good judgement, tries to impose their personal feelings or choices into the work situation. That's not meaning someone trying to get their employees to care about customers or the product, you know I'm talking about them allowing their biases or hatred to come into play. There will always be some situation that you will want to put your beliefs or morals into, but it should not be at the expense of the employee being miserable. They wont want to work and will not produce good results in any given job.

I hope none of you walk up to your boss next week and slug 'em. Well, maybe a kick in the nuts or a cup of coffee in the face would be allright. Man, I'm glad I'm self employed. I cant kick myself in the nuts.