Category Archives: work

ironic musings, work

Entitled

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When you deal with the general public in any form, be it by your job or you’re just that big of a social butterfly, you’re going to run into them. The Entitled. Those people who believe everything is to stop when they enter or that any sort of idea of personal space does not apply to them.

I’ve dealt with many Entitled people. Some of them I actually find funny. Others leave me with my blood boiling.

One such Entitled came up to me one night while working at the hot dog stand. This gentleman came up, ordered a hot dog with mustard, and then proceeded to go sit down at a booth across the bar and wait. Now, see, a hot dog with mustard will take me a maximum of about 30 seconds to put together. So this mans ability to move that fast was impressive and absurd. I stared. In disbelief.

However, I take him his hot dog, tell him how much it is, and he proceeded to request salt, relish and extra napkins. Uhm. See. The idea of a hot dog stand is you make your order, you get it there, and then you go to your seat. Occasionally when its an order that will take longer, I’ll happily deliver to your table. Its not delivery that I minded. It was the attitude of the man, and the idea that he felt I was supposed to wait on him the entire time he was there. Never mind that I had other orders.

Ultimately, I brought him what he asked for, but refused to leave until I got my only salt shaker back, and was left with… absolutely no tip and annoyance. The Entitled had struck.

Another such Entitled was probably  not so much as Entitled as just not thinking. But I still group them as an Entitled.

While working at my parent’s tax office last year, I was helping a woman with her tax information. I had to get something from my desk which is behind the counter we have at the door to log people in, etc. So I go behind the counter and my desk, grab what I need, and turn only to find the women right behind me. Behind my desk. Behind the counter. Uhh… what?

People are amazed that we actually had to put a small swinging door and large sign up stating the area behind the counter is “employees only.” In most cases, people know not to go into a personal working area. But to those that are Entitled, it does not matter. They will go wherever they please, any time they please.

Similarly, we’ve had to put up other doors to attempt to keep clients from other private areas. Attempt being the operative word. It doesn’t always work. Because those that are Entitled, see nothing wrong with walking into private offices at any time. Because, after all, THEY have arrived. Everything needs to stop for them. They take the idea of “the customer is always right” to the next level.

Well, I’m here to say… keeping the customer happy is job one. But the customer? They aren’t always right. Especially Even if they are as Entitled.

memories, random musings, texas, update, work

Tax season widower

I still remember my dad doing tax returns out of our living room when I was a kid. He had a full-time job during the day, but would do returns in the evenings between January and April 15th.

As the years passed, the living room office turned into a separate building, and the full-time job for both Mom and Dad became the family business. By the time I was in high school, I was used to having them able to attend countless events due to the flexibility of self-employment. However, in the same breath, I coined myself the term “Tax Season Orphan” as through tax season, I was used to their putting in long hours at work.

I would help out at the office regularly. Sometimes filing. Sometimes shredding papers. Sometimes data input. Sometimes just running errands. I could really truthfully say I’ve worked at the office since high school, its just been a bit sporadic.

I swore I wouldn’t do anything dealing with math, and my love for writing sent me to a Journalism degree. I worked at a newspaper for a year and a half, and, of course, I’ve married and moved to Nashville. Nonetheless, I have continued to help out using my degree for advertising, designing the web-site, etc.

Last year, I spent most of tax season in Texas working at the family business. My husband and I joked that it was my turn to be on the road for work, like he usually is doing his job. I would spend three weeks in Texas, one week in Nashville, and then do it all over again. All the way through tax season.

It worked out nicely! My parents didn’t have to hire and train a new employee, and I was happy to have the work. So, it was pretty much a no-brainer to do it again this year.

Today was my first day in the office for this tax season.

My husband and I drove down to Texas last week, as he has a show in Houston anyway. I was able to come see him at work for the show, and we got to spend a few extra days together going into the season.

He left back for Nashville yesterday, and I teased him that he was a Tax Season Widower.

It is what it is, and we’re good at the long-distance thing. For the next three months, I’m the Musician’s Widow married to the Tax Season Widower. We’re a pair, aren’t we? I think the time apart makes us appreciate our time together all the more… and that makes me grateful.

So here we go! Most of my time in Texas, with trips to Nashville in between. Let the “Tax Season Shuffle” begin!