The Waiting Room

...Before I found someone at my new job who will make my annoying people list.

I attended the new faculty orientation for my new job yesterday. Mostly speeches by the HMFIC and others. The HMFIC has this annoying habit of repeating the last few words that he speaks (the last few words that he speaks. Sorry, his voice is still ringing in my head.)

While somewhat annoying, he did not make the list.

After the speeches, the new faculty members were divided into groups to tour the campus. First, let me say that I hate tours groups. But for the fact that I had to get all my computer stuff done at that time, I would have just gone home. So, I decided to suck it up and get it over with.

There were five of us assigned to a veteran faculty member. I did not know any of the new faculty with me except for one person who ironically taught at my former employer around the time I started there. She seemed really cool.

As for the others, I just wanted to slap the crap out of them.

Have you ever been in a situation where there is one person who dominates a conversation with complaints and whining? The other three woman were that in spades. But there was this one woman I will call Bitch and Moan. Bitch and Moan is a fellow adjunct and sadly is in my department. Let me give you a sample conversation I had with her:

Bitch and Moan: So, how many classes are you teaching?
Me: Two.
B&M: How many sections are there for that course?
Me: (Shrugging my shoulders) I don't know.
B&M: Well, don't you think you should know that? I mean I have one class and there are five sections. I don't understand why you have two classes and I only have one. I need to talk to someone and see if I can get more classes. That is just not right. I mean, you don't even know how many sections there are for your course!
Me: Uh, yeah...whatever.

Later, she had this 10 minute argument with the IT guy because her classroom was not outfitted for power point. The IT guy said that all the classrooms should be ready by the first day of class, but he could not make any guarantees. That just set her off. So, the IT guy suggested that she sign out the power point equipment for the semester. Well, that just made it worse. She demanded that the IT guy set it up for her because she cannot be expected to transport the equipment every day she has class. When the IT guy said that perhaps she could bring a cart, she said that IT would have to store her cart for her. (Let me just interject that space is at a premium on campus). IT stated that they did not think it was possible. All hell broke loose at that point.

At that point I left the room, mostly because that exchange was making the group late for the next part of the tour. Also, I was not sure if there was going to be a bloodbath.

Next was the Public Safety building where we were to recieve our id tags. There is a portable defibrillator on the wall which prompted the following conversation between Bitch and Moan and the Public Safety Officer.

B&M: So, you have a portable defibrillator?
Public Safety Officer: Yes, we just got it.
B&M:How many of them are on campus?
PSO: Well, I believe every building has one. And the dorms have one too.
B&M: You mean you don't know the exact number?
PSO: Well, not off the top of my head...
B&M: Well, you need to know that information. I mean what if something happens, How could you not know that? I mean I don't know how to use one of those things anyway. You should be doing a better job!

Sweet Merciful Crap! All I kept thinking was "Please God, grant me the strength not to slap the shit out of this woman!" I mean DAMN!!!!! Then it hit me. I am going to have to put up with this woman because she is in my department and we will be sharing a workspace.

DAMN!