Test 1, 2, 3.

Because the rights of hypothetical children that don't actually exist supersede those of living breathing human women.



This post is brought to you by NPR being on in the bookbinding studio, and the fact that I had to put headphones on because it is too early in the morning for me to experience this much rage.

I am pro-Union all the way. Like, I will be joining the Graduate Assistantship Union-y doodles even though because of some funked-up Iowa law, you can still benefit from the Union without actually joining it and paying dues and such. Which strikes me as a rather douchey thing to do, but I know some Princeton Support Staffers would jump right on that gravy train (and still somehow find ways to complain that the Union isn't doing enough) because, well, people suck, and they are ignorant to just how epically screwed they would be if there were no unions.
But the really sad part of the Union presentation was that in addition to the Yay! Affordable Health Care! bits, their main selling point* seemed to be the 'social opportunity' of going to the (Union-funded) Happy Hour once a month. Meaning that my dues are going to [in part] be funding somebody's intoxication. Not cool.
I realize that I have a minority view in this regard, and "suck it up and move on" is really my only option given my stance on Unions and desire not to be a hypocrite, and I already filled out the Union membership card and turned it in and such, but it irks me, okay? I mean, if you want to waste your money on alcohol, you don't really need my approval anyway, so it doesn't matter that I think purposely impairing your own judgment is stupid or that I have zero sympathy for anyone with a hangover (because seriously, you did that to yourself there, sunshine), but when it's technically my money, that I would prefer to have spent doing labor-related Union-y things... it's just. There was a fleeting moment when I considered not joining because of that, and that irks me, too. And. Yeah. I realize it's probably not much in the grand scheme of my Union dues, but it bugs me, so I shall rant about it and maybe feel better afterwards.


*It's possible I'm overreacting due to my distaste, but it's my journal and I'll hyperbole if I want to. Also, to put this in perspective, it bugged me enough that I raised my hand and specifically confirmed that dues were in fact going to the aforementioned Happy Hour in a crowded auditorium full of people (and of course they answered 'yes' like that was a positive, though the one woman seemed to catch the snap and clarify that there were other beverages available which doesn't really help me since I barely tolerate sober people, so I sure as hell ain't hanging out in a bar with drunk ones.)


Aaaand now I have to decide whether or not I'm going to the Center for the Book welcome party thingummer for everybody in the program when I hate shit like that, and there will inevitably be alcohol there, too (though at least that won't be the sole purpose of the gathering-- of course the other purposes are food and social interaction which aren't exactly my strong suits either), but, like, I know I ought to go for the sake of social convention politening/pretend to be normal, but I don't wanna.

So I was fully planning on going to work today.
Yesterday, I shovelled the hell out of the area surrounding my car. Got the car itself cleared off. Even started it up and moved it back from the frontal snow bank.
This morning, I got up, I got ready, I went out to my car. I scraped the frost off. I tried to start it.

It will not start.

HATE.

So, now I'm up early when I would have rather slept in, and I'm gonna have to call Triple A.

There is a library book that has multiple chapters* worth of this bullshit:




I erased most of it on Tuesday and my wrist still hurts.

Why? Why would you write in a library book that does not belong to you? Why would you underline an entire chapter worth of text instead of just making some notation about how chapters 5-7 are the ones you need to use? Why can't you just make some photocopies? Why can't you just take notes? Why do you do these things to the point where I have to hurt myself undoing them?

*I decided to forgo actually counting how many chapters because then instead of reading this you'd be reading about the Princeton employee who went on a killing spree and first stabbed her victims in the right hand with a pencil before shoving an eraser down each one's throat.

Now, I admit that I know pretty much nothing about architecture, and for all I know , the new Lewis Library is an architectural masterpiece and not a giant sea monster (it totally looks like a giant sea monster though). But it seems to me that the point here would be to design a nice looking building that also manages to serve the purpose it was built for.
At the end of the day, dude was hired to design a library, and guess what?
THEY PUT BOOKS IN THOSE.
I mean, what was the point in spending millions of dollars on this architectural brouhaha if it doesn't actually fulfill its supposed purpose of housing the science collections? I mean, really, Mr. Gehry, if the book and maps don't fit your artistic vision? Tough. Shit. Use your mad architectural skillz to make them pretty-- don't bust out the Kraken of the Deep and give it minuscule amounts of shelving. Don't banish the Map Room to the basement for not having a pretty enough collection.
The Lewis Science Library we wound up with totally defeats the purpose of having a centralized Science Library at all. The majority of the Science Collections? Not actually in the Science Library. No, they're in the "Lewis Science Library Fine Hall Wing". Fine Hall is an existing building where the the Geo-sciences collection [and a couple others, I think] WERE ALREADY HOUSED. SO WE BUILT A BRAND NEW BUILDING JUST SO WE COULD LEAVE EVERYTHING WHERE IT ALREADY WAS.

Because Frank Gehry is a hack.

And of course, the University is just going along with this bullshit like it's not a non-functional mess, and I guess Mr. Lewis doesn't care what happens so long as he gets his name on a building.

(But you still wouldn't like me when I'm angry)
Okay, see, if you are making an enclosure, you do not leave exposed adhesive such that the Rare(!) book you are ostensibly trying to protect will get stuck to said adhesive.
And the issue is not that he made a mistake: we all make those and try to salvage what we can so we don't have to redo the whole thing. It's not even shoddy workmanship. We're talking a fundamental nonunderstanding of what it is we do.
And on top of that this is the douchebag who spends large amounts of time complaining to me about our co-worker's supposed deficiencies. It's probably better for both of that he's not actually here today (which is a rare enough occasion to potentially be considered a sign of the apocalypse).

Oooh look at my big fancy legal words!

Anyway, ranting is about to ensue, so prepare yourself.

So, the Union Meeting for ratification of the proposed contract was today (and also 2 fucking hours long, thankyou), and what it mostly consisted of was people being obnoxious, whiny whiners about friggin' everything. for the first part of the meeting they had the people from HR and the Labor Relations guy there to explain the what and wherefores and answer questions. Pretty much the same question got asked over and over again: "I'm not getting as much money as I want- how come whynot?" with the subtext being "Why can't the Union negotiating committee get me what I want?"
Which, I get, because, yeah, the University is run by greedy little bastards, and it's not the best contract ever, but come on, people, it's not like the Union makes a list of demands and the University capitulates. They've been negotiating for 6 months now. Every single gain we got (however pitiful) is because of the Union negotiating for us. What sort of imaginary, miracle contract were you expecting to get? And consider, for a moment, how much worse off we would be without the Union because then it wouldn't be a contract so much as the University saying this is what we're giving you, and if you don't like it, tough shit.
And do you really think going back to negotiations is going to magically make them change thier minds? Labor Relations guy was actually refreshingly blunt about the University being a business and therefore not inclined to accomodate our every whim (sadly, he didn't entirely abandon the "University as benevolent father" schtick that I could really do without). Maybe I just have lower expectations than everybody else, but I mean, seriously, what else would you expect? For them to be fair? For them to be nice? In what alternate reality do businesses give a flying fuck about being nice? I mean, sure, it would be nice if the University were a socialist utopia, but it's not, so why are you expecting the Union negotiators to work miracles. They're fighting the University every step of the way on this because the University's goal is to pay us the least amount possible and accomodate us as little as possible, so the fact that they got for us what they got, is pretty impressive.
I handed in my vote and left early because I just couldn't stand it anymore. The negativity was like, a separate presence in the room. And even though I didn't say anything I felt like I had been in a long argument or something afterwards.
What I wish I had the guts to have said:
"Look, let's all just take a moment to be grateful for the fact that we actually have jobs and are not desitute or living in a cardboard box. Because yeah, there are starving people in Africa, blah blah blah, but there are also starving people in New Jersey, and I, for one, am glad to not be one of them."

And, I mean, I despise the University (and that's on a good day), but I wound up being on their side because y'all are a bunch of selfish whiners.
Try shutting up long enough to get a little perspective, people.

The roads between here and Princeton are actually fucking closed due to flooding, and I'm a little unclear as to how they plan to unflood them between now and 10am.
I suppose I should be glad they're giving us 'til 10am, since the first time I checked, there was a big giant nothing under the Emergency Alerts section.
But, yeah. If they are currently flooded, and it's still raining, how is it magically going to be better such that we can get in by 10am?

Update the first: I am wearing my Harvard shirt just to be contrary right now because apparently, I'm supposed to take my fucking rowboat and/or swim my way to hypothermia work. As predicted, the roads have gotten worse, not better (and seriously, people, if I can figure this out, the frakking Ivy Leaguers shouldn't be having this hard a time). My options for getting to work:
295 to Rt. 1- ramp from 295 to get onto Rt.1 is closed due to flooding.
295 to 206- supposing I could get past what is sure to be stand-still traffic at the ramp closing for the Rt.1 exit, 206 itself is closed at Province Line Rd.
And even supposing I knew which local roads to take, if the major roads are flooded, I am uninclined to believe that the minor ones aren't.

In short, due to road closings, it is actually physically impossible for me to get to work today.

I think I am going to email Robert instead of calling him because if he has the nerve to tell me "It's not that bad" I'm going to fucking curse him out and/or throw my phone out a fucking window. That's what it's come to, folks: phone defenestration.

Update the second: Okay, they've finally come to their senses and given us the whole day. Even though in order to be there by 10am we would have had to leave before they made this announcement. And people more dedicated than I would be stuck on the road right about now. So yeah, they're still assholes, but at least I don't have to use a vacation day.

*wakes up to the sound of ice hitting the AC unit/windows*
*proceeds to get hopes up*
They gotta at least give us a delay, right?
*listens to the super-long list of school closings on PST*
Is it weird that I always have to listen to see if Pennsbury got the day off? Probably.
*calls Princeton snow hotline*
"Blah blah blah-normal operating hours-blah blah blah."
*throws down phone*
"Assholes. I fucking hate them."
*turns on TV*
"Blah blah blah-roads are very icy-blah blah blah-traffic is slow-blah blah blah-look at all the accidents!-blah blah blah."
*listens to PST snow closings again*
"Blah blah blah-don't drive unless you really have to-blah blah blah."
*calls snow hotline again*
It'd help if the guy doing the announcement didn't sound so smug about it.
*calls Robert*
"Hi Robert, it's Nicole- I'm not feeling particularly inclined to risk my life in order to come to work today so I'm going to take a vacation day."
"Blah blah blah-roads aren't that bad-blah blah blah."

Yeah, maybe not in downtown fucking Princeton.
I mean seriously, Robert lives close enough to ride his bike to work. "The roads aren't that bad." Shut up, Robert.
Seriously, I think it's pretty safe to say that the professional staff are the only ones who can actually afford to live in Princeton and the rest of us plebs are just expected to schlep in from Trenton if not farther.

I'm glad I have a job. I like my job- it's probably the least miserable I could possibly be while being employed full-time. I think it pays well, considering.
But there are times when I really fucking hate my employers and the gorram caste system they perpetuate.

Fuck you, Princeton.

Dear Anyone Who Thinks It's a Good Plan To Sit Outside an Apartment Building (or Any Residence) and Intermittently Honk Your Horn for Half a Gorram Hour,

Is it not obvious that your strategy is Not Working?
Would it not be more time effective and oh, I don't know, Less Obnoxious to get off your lazy ass and go ring the doorbell of the person you are so impatiently waiting for?

Just a thought,
me.

I'm glad I wasn't the target of your ire, but honestly? I don't think Christ gives a flying fuck whether or not you fill up your obnoxious SUV before or after the people who cut in front of you in line.
Speaking as someone who has waited in line a good long while only to be hijacked of my spot by someone coming in another entrance, I get that it's annoying, but is it really worth the apoplexy? Is it really worth the shouting? Is it really worth the "for Christs' sake"? Really?
Meanwhile, Christ is off to the side, quietly desperate: "No, no. They're not with me. I don't know these people."

Just suck it up, and if it's still bothering you when you get home, write a big, angry, ranting, vitriol-filled blog entry about it. It'll make you feel better, and people might actually be sympathetic to your plight rather than just rolling their eyes and muttering asshole as they drive away.

I mean, I sort of already knew, but it's like being officially told that Santa Claus doesn't exist as opposed to just suspecting that to be the case. And it's dumb because as much as I hate mom's ageism, I do have higher expectations for people older than me. I mean, they're adults.
Granted, there is a culture/language barrier in this instance since co-worker #1 was born and raised in China, but still- he's been working at Princeton for 10 years. Co-worker #2 has been working there for at least 5, whereas I've been there less than a year. So why hasn't all this shit with the radio and cleaning the job-backers come up before now?
Because these two people, like, refuse to talk to each other. They both talk to me, no problem, but they've been working together for five years. I mean, seriously, even I can talk to a person after I've known them for five fracking years. These are problems that could be solved by just, you know, actually telling the other person there's a problem. They're both perfectly nice to me, why can't they be nice to each other? Because I am not the mediator here. It is not in my job description to resolve your squabbles. Complaining to me accomplishes jackshit nothing because I'm not the one doing the whateveritis that bothers you so damn much! I am the newbie-the lowest person on the toem pole. Like Nog, I am only in charge if everybody else dies, and then they'd hire new people and I still wouldn't be in charge. If it's really that big a deal, why not talk to someone with actual authority? Or, again, you could talk to the person who's bothering you, rather than just subtly hinting at it and insisting they know it's a problem, because obviously they don't know and if it hasn't worked for the past five years, it's not going to randomly start working now.

GAH!

The bathroom has been vandalized. Not just the girls' bathroom and not just our floor. As far as I know every bathroom in this hall has had two things taken from it: all the toilet paper and all the shower curtains. This is an exceptional quandry for someone who

a) sometimes can barely make it down the hall let alone to another hall or halfway across campus
b) might go to the bathroom thinking only of urination and bringing enough tissues for that, but then find that an intestinal spasm strikes requiring much, much more

So thanks, ever so, to you lovely folks who decided that stealing all the toilet paper would be a fun prank. You have now made my life and my intestinal problems that much more crappy (pun intended).

As for the shower curtains, if replacements are not available by this evening, I intend to improvise using a combination of bed sheets and nautical charts.

And the best part is, the people who are currently suffering the effects of this vandalism are the ones who are going to have to pay for it.
Assholes.