"Ch-ch-ch-chia!"

No doubt you recognize the American icon pictured here. It is, of course, the Chia Pet or more specifically, the Chia Bunny.

Perhaps you have considered adding a Chia Pet to your home decor but wondered if you have what it takes to grow your pet into a delightful companion and conversation starter. Well, not to worry, buckaroos, your old pal Merle Sneed has the solution for you.

I was a Target today after work and as I wandered the aisles, I came upon an amazing sight. Target has a fine assortment of artificial Chia Pets. Just the thing for today's modern busy American. No tending and no watering, just 100% enjoyment. Take it home and dazzle your family and friends. Is this a great country or what?

Add this next thing to the list of human behaviors that I don't understand.

I was on my way to a very important meeting today...okay the important part is a lie. I was on my way to a meeting today when I received a phone call from a fellow who is building a church here in our fair city. He was very worked up about a standoff he was having with one of the very fine sub-contractors that Tedious Systems, my employer, uses.

This was not technically my problem, but this fellow Lloyd had my cell number, so when he couldn't reach the jughead that was more or less responsible, he called me. I told him that I would be over as soon as I could get there.

The issue was about some wiring that the contractor was installing. Lloyd was trying in vain to tell them that if they installed it today, he would have to rip it out later this week, due to a change order he had received from the owner of the building. The two fellows doing the installation may or may not have actually spoken English, but they did get their boss on the phone. The boss told Lloyd that his guys had a valid work order and they were installing the wire today. He advised Lloyd to work it out with Tedious Systems. Brilliant.

This seemed to me like a ridiculous situation on a couple of levels. What kind of people go ahead a do something when someone is right there telling them to stop and check it out? And what kind of a contractor screws his client (Tedious Systems) with this kind of crappy work practice?

I did what every good Tedious Employee is trained to do in our yearly Ethics Training, I called the big boss to report the suspected infraction. I wanted him to know that Tedious was getting boned and that I, ever vigilant, would not let it pass on my watch. Not here, not now!

Big Boss was shocked and dismayed and promised quick action. This sort of thing will not, I repeat, not be tolerated. He promised to put his best people on this. He added conspiratorially that he was "with me" on this. My chest swelled with pride.

One of the problems with contracts is that the people who administer them often forget whose interest they are supposed to be protecting. So, this afternoon when I got a call from the fellow who is supposed to be riding herd on this contractor for Tedious Systems, instead of asking what I knew, he mounted a spirited defense of the contractor. Glad Big Boss put his best people on it.

It seems to me that paying to install cabling that will be ripped back out in a few days is no way to do business, but that's just me and why I wear the badge of underling, with pride.










Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky


Tag: Daily Life
Personal Finance
Humor