Perhaps I would have been a good investigative reporter, because apparently, I have no qualms about asking questions that are really tough for people to answer.

For example, just yesterday, I was on the phone when I saw the Bottled Water Company delivery guy walk past my door carrying some full bottles. I also saw him walk past with the empty bottles, and heard him say goodbye by the front door, so I realized he was finished with us. I got off the phone, and jogged out the door after him, calling for him to stop. When he turned around, I told him that we had run out of cups a few days ago, and I had bought a sleeve at the store myself to tide us over, but as he could see, we only had a few left. He stared at me. I asked him if receiving cups was still one of the services offered by his company, and he nodded. I asked him if we could perhaps GET SOME CUPS, and he stood there as if frozen, pondering. Finally, he shrugged and said, "I can bring some in. If you need them." Success! I had managed to drag the truth out of him - we were, in fact, entitled to cups. I am awesome! Of course, after that I STILL had to clarify for him that yes, we need them, so could he please dig in his truck and produce a couple of sleeves for us? Still, I felt like the hard part had been handled already - just forcing him to admit that it was part of his job to supply us with drinking containers means that I am a badass.

A few minutes ago, I took a call for Boss 2. I told the caller that Boss 2 was on his line, and asked if he would like to hold, or would he prefer to leave a voice message? From the stunned silence that followed, I could tell that I had struck a nerve. So, I pressed harder. Would he like me to transfer him over to voice mail? He was welcome to hold for a few minutes if he'd like, would that be preferable? I could practically hear him squirming. Finally, after a few false starts and lots of hemming and hawing, I got an answer. He decided to hold. Once again, I managed to push my way past all the barriers and get to the heart of things. Fear me! I am heady with power.

I have been having lots of trouble with my main email account at work lately, and today it is apparently not functioning at all, so if anyone needs to reach me, here are a couple of alternatives:

theectons@netzero.net

or

lcecton@yahoo.com


Meanwhile, I nearly slipped into a coma from the tedium of trying to figure out YET AGAIN why my email account here is so dang fussy. I have lovingly deleted every message I can afford to delete in an effort to prevent my inbox from becoming full, and I have gently cleaned out my SPAM folder, and I have soothingly archived the last month's worth of must-keep items. I just don't know what else the bitch wants from me.

I brought leftover salmon from last night in for lunch today. That ought to fill up the office with a lovely scent. Last week I brought in a leftover mish-mash from Taco Night that involved more refried beans and lettuce than anything else, but overall the combination created an odor here that was probably not super pleasing to the nostrils of my co-workers. But,

Healthier Food Campaign

Plus

Save Money Campaign

Equals

Stinky Leftovers in Office


Still, however odoriforous my lunch may be, it's no match for the bombs the men drop on the bathroom here. My vengeance has long been overdue.

So, I get a call from a customer who has an invoice that is almost 30 days past due. He would like me to fax him a copy of the invoice because his records show that it has not been closed out. I faxed it over, and everything was swell.

Until...he called back to say that his company made the check out to TCI, instead of SER, and wants to know why my invoice shows SER. I explain that what he ordered was not a TCI product, it is from a different product line that is not affiliated with TCI, and that's why it was billed on SER. He asked if he can just mail it to us made out to TCI, but unfortunately we can't deposit a TCI check into an SER account. So he then proceeds to start reading me the riot act:

"WELL THEN WHY IS IT THAT I HAVE A SHEET RIGHT HERE THAT SAYS TCI AT THIS ADDRESS?!?! HUH?!?!? WHY IS THAT?!?!? IS THAT JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU PUT ON EVERYTHING BUT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO SOMEHOW KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?"

So I said, "What is the document you are looking at with TCI on it?"

"IT'S MY PURCHASE ORDER! AND IT CLEARLY SAYS TCI AT THE SAME ADDRESS!"

"Yes, but do you have something from us about this invoice that says TCI? Because the only document I show here is the invoice, and TCI is not referenced on it."

"WELL HOW WOULD WE HAVE SOMETHING FROM YOU THAT SAYS SER? YOU NEVER BILLED US!!"

"Yes, I billed it out on May 29th. It was on my calendar to contact your accounts payable department when it hit 60 days. Perhaps the person who received it did not recognize it as your invoice because based on your purchase order, they were expecting a TCI invoice."

"LOOK, NOW, CALM DOWN, ALRIGHT?!?! JUST CALM DOWN!!!! FINE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PRETEND LIKE THIS IS ALL **OUR FAULT**, ALRIGHT? AND EVEN THOUGH THIS PURCHASE WAS MADE ALMOST 2 MONTHS AGO - YOU DO REALIZE THIS IS ALMOST 2 MONTHS AGO, DON'T YOU?!?! WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CHANGE EVERYTHING AROUND ON **OUR END**, OKAY? WILL THAT WORK FOR YOU?!?!?!"

"Yes, that will be fine. Thank you."

CLICK

Perhaps I missed something, but I'm not sure why he treated me as if I had become hysterical at some point in the conversation. One of us was yelling, but it wasn't me. And yet, I'm the one whose stomach hurts now. His probably doesn't, because he might be one of those people who behaves like this all day and then sleeps like a baby because he takes all of his stress out on strangers. 2 more minutes and I can forward my phone to voice mail and spend the next couple of hours in relative peace.

I think we find out who won Last Comic Standing tonight! We are rooting for Chris or Ty, but we expect that the winner will be Josh Blue.

We left for Las Vegas on Sunday, July 16th, and were supposed to get back on Saturday the 22nd, but that didn't work out for us. Over the next few days I will try to recap our adventures, because I need to have some kind of journal to use when it's time to put together a scrapbook.

Overall rating of vacation (not including travel to and from): A+

Overall rating of travel to and from: D-

Overall rating of The Venetian: A to A-

Overall rating of Blue Man Group show: B+ when you first come out of it, but C- after you see any of the Cirque Du Soliel shows and realize Blue Man Group's show is just random crap instead of random awesomeness like Cirque provides.

Today is the first day back at work and reality, and so far, I have not enjoyed it much. It's been better than hanging at the airport for hours on end, but the A/C in my car doesn't work, and I have jet lag, and there were half filled coffee cups in the sink at the office that had been left for me to wash. But, after a long commute home, and a long visit to the grocery store, I will be able to hang at home with Charles and the animals. Hopefully I will be able to find my way to the bed before falling dead asleep and then starting another exciting day back at work!