They won't have The Captain to kick around any more!

[captain_slinky]

Please excuse the needlessly optimistic tint to this post, i think I'm riding a nice big wave of Denial right now.

As of 2:30 this afternoon, I have officially been "Let Go" from Comcast. I am completely unemployed. Our family has exactly *ZERO* income.

See, on Tuesday I was called in to Bob Stanbury's office (he's the Call Center Operations Management Supervisor PM or some such nonsense) along with Kristy (my kick-ass Supervisor). Bob wanted to "Play a call for me" (they record our calls along with screnshots) and get my opinion of it.

It was a sub-par call. Nothing spectacular. A Push-The-Modem-And-Reboot-The-Router type of call. Unfortunately, DURING the call i had received a text-message in The Ninja Chat asking me if I could tell them what I had done for my Birthay in work-safe terms. Being the smart-ass that I am, I replied (AFTER the call was done, mind you) "What, you mean other than setting homeless people on fire so I could get an erection? Nope, nothing at all :)"

This was caught by the call recording. And Bob was NOT amused.

Did he think I was serious about an erectile disfunction involving the ignition of hobos? Does he have a similar problem that he's to ashamed to talk about in public? Who knows. ut the fact of the matter is that I typed it on a Comcast computer, and therefore I am obviously NOT the type of person that Comcast wants in their call center.

Continually in the top-5 for the department in Sales.

Most Proficient calls on my team.

Enough "Kudos" to wallpaper a Winnebego.

...but if you indirectly quote a hillarious SNL Wil Farrel sketch? I'm sorry, you've got to go.

But enough about that; this is a choice that Comcast made and hey, it's their right to decide what types of folks they hire there.

Unfortunately, I kinda ratted-out Management during my desperate attempt at saving my career. "But... but Kristy and Bob and Alvaro and I joke in this way on a regular basis! They even come to me ASKING for innapropriate humor! Just ask any of them about TRAVIS' CHAPSTICK!!!"

So not only did I lose my job, but you can expect Management to have a new push regarding "Proper Behaviour". Some management (only the GOOD ones of course) will probably even lose their positions; expect another outbreak of that mysterious "Bird Flu" that claimed Bill Rose a few years back :(

The WORST part of it, though, was that they put me on Administrative Leave while they filed out al the paperwork! I had to stay home and not talk to anyone aout the situation AT ALL or risk immediate termination! Guess I didn't really need to worry about that, huh?

Kristy was cool aout it. She let me know that she didn't have anythng to do with this, she didn't bring it to Stanbury's atention or anything, it just kinda *happened*. She gave me a hug on my way out of the call center on Tuesday.

Winnicky was cool about it. He said that I'm a great asset to the call center and he was sorry to see me go like this, but they really had no choice or say in the matter. he shook my hand and wished me luck on my way out of the call center today.

So this REALLY screws us as far as The Lap Band is concerned. We have thousands of dollars worth of equipment in our bodies that are completely WORTHLESS without monthly servicing, and the service will cost us $500 each month without insurance! I can get another job almost immediately if need be, but gettng insurance that covers weight-loss procedures is damn near impossible :(

I'm considering starting-up on Ebay again for a while using someone else's uid and password... special thanks to all of you who offered to let me use your accounts after my previous post (you know who you are so I won't name names and implicate you in any way)... it might e a good way to bring in a little income while we look for a permanent sollution. I really don't want khristle to have to go back to work instead of me, but she really is the MUCH more desireale worker. She STRIVES for EXCELLENCE, whereas I coast by on mediocrity. But I hate to take her away from Molly!

Lots of stuff still up in the air right now... no idea what to do...

Comments

[nani-ka.livejournal.com]

Well, if you're up to it, the Ninja Shirts need to do another run, & we need someone to handle taking orders etc. while the rest of us screw around... With an appropriate markup, of course.

Also, I have what i think is a usb wireless nic in a drawer at home if you want to try sponging off any unsecured wireless networks near your house...

Also also, let me know if you need anything. Seeing as i'm a universal crap repository I may be able to hook you up...

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! You send me the orders, I'll do the Processing!

Leeching internet... isn't that ILLEGAL?!?!?

[nani-ka.livejournal.com]

Leeching internet? *whistles innocently*

So, as far as the processing... actually, I should start a locked thread over at the ninja comm for this.

[sasjhwa.livejournal.com]

Wow. That does suck. I'm sorry to hear about that. Do you think there is any way to put your sense of humor and writing skills to work for you on the Internet? I've been thinking of a geek page with commentary on movies, comics, games etc. Sell t-shirts and stuff. It isn't real work, but it might make some scratch. Who knows it might even take off.

The state has some basic "we cover everyone" insurance you might check out. It probably wouldn't have covered your surgery but it might cover the follow ups.

If you need to drop Molly off for a few hours so you can get some de-stress time, my condo is baby proofed and I'm a pretty cool babysitter. Oh, and I don't currently own a TV so the worst I could show her is the weekly Heroes episode from the Web, my one DVD that isn't packed (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) and whatever new geeky thing they have on youtube. Okay, scratch that last part. We don't want to expose her to that!

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Sounds cool, thanks! Not sure when I'll need a de-stressing, but it sure sounds keen!

[closer-to-fine.livejournal.com]

OMG that is the suck! I am SO sorry to hear it, especially the lapband bit. I will think very employing thoughts for you guys.

I am lucky that my surgery cost included the first year of fills; I can't imagine having that happen. Any way you can COBRA your insurance until you find another job?

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Did the math; COBRA would cost just as much as paying full price. We were lucky to find insurance that covered the operatio AT ALL, really!

And thanks... good thoughts are appreciated :)

[hallerlake.livejournal.com]

Buy COBRA anyway. It will cover your fills and anything else bad that happens in the next 18 months.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

If only we could afford it :(

[hallerlake.livejournal.com]

Who was your insurance provider at Comcast? (ie, who covers this sort of operation?)

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Independance Blue Shield. Cobra for it is $800 a month.

[cutenessfact0r.livejournal.com]

Dane wants to let you know Certainteed is looking for people :) we will really miss you here :(

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Wish I could be there :(

So what is this "Certainteed" which Dane speaks of?

[cutenessfact0r.livejournal.com]

Troy will bring an app. with more info

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Coooooooool... thanks!

[freydis.livejournal.com]

Not only is that the biggest ball of suck I've heard this month, its the stupidest reason for this big ball of suck.

Why do companies get rid of their best people for stupid reasons?

Well, on the up side, you won't have to deal with incredibly stupid people, anymore.
Although the stories amused me.

:(

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

The stories amused *me*, too :(

[zannah.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about this. Hope you can get a new job and figure things out soon.

Don't know if you get comment notifies - I got you some information about your ebay account here.

[the-4th-doctor.livejournal.com]

Oh dude, that totally sucks. I'm so sorry to hear this.

[schizoauthoress.livejournal.com]

My goodness! I'm so sorry! I wish there was something I could do to help.

[agelesseuridice.livejournal.com]

I don't even know what to say.
I'm sorry you got caught up in the bullshit.
Maybe it's for the best. Maybe you should be Mr. Mom, start your own day care. Whats child care go for these days? My sis was paying 500 a month 12 years ago. You should check into how many you can take before you have to get a license and if you do off hour child care you may be able to charge even more. Lots of shift workers need good loving child care.

[tigernach.livejournal.com]

I told my friend das_prompt about your dilema.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Uhm... thanks? Do I know das_prompt, or does he just delight in the misery of others :P

Okay, he has SUPER-COOL videos on his blog so I's gotst to add him to my fl :)

[tigernach.livejournal.com]

sorry sorry... He works for a computer service in seattle... I forgot some of his posts are locked.

Here's the company he works for, and they are hiring if you're interested:
http://www.speakeasy.net/employment/

his name is Craig. Everybody knows Craig.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Oh, Craig! i think I've used his List :P

Thanks for the contact :)

[tigernach.livejournal.com]

oh, you're a dork :p

no problem, if ya need more info:
tigernachtim@yahoo.com to get me direct.

[tfcocs.livejournal.com]

Ouch! I am sending good thoughts your way.

[d-a-r-a.livejournal.com]

Craptastic doesn't begin to cover that. *hugs*

[baeleth.livejournal.com]

Dunno that I've got much more to say than what I said when we talked earlier today. "Craptastic" does pretty much sum it up tho. I'm honestly getting sick of how *some* companies (or at least the management staff of certain departments therein) seem to just jerk their employees around & pick & choose the reasons for their actions...

[teegin.livejournal.com]

Captain my Captain! Sorry bro.
So I talked to my sup last night for a long time. You of course were the starting topic. I think there was still some residue there of me thinking it was me that got you canned. Talking with my sup I find out the ninja chat may be going away here real soon. Supposedly management is going to only allow chats with a sup in it and or only IM's between 2 people about work related only. we will see how long that lasts. My sup and I are going to box up your desk today sometime I think and I all ready snagged your spoils cards so management doesn't see them and because they are actually worth some money. See my post for more...

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I think you and I need to make plans to drive up to Marysville on Sundays so we can play The Spoils with Jon and his wife. Whadaya think? We'd have to run it by Jon first of course...

[teegin.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a plan assuming Jon is on board.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

We'll start our own The Spoils LEAGUE!

[teegin.livejournal.com]

The Spoils LEAGUE! Fighting injustice through out the cosmos. The Canauckian, Captin B, and Majors J&A are The Spoils LEAGUE!

[bghsmith.livejournal.com]

What the hell? Corporate bullshit at it's best. My dad calls it Circuit City Business Practice -or- fire the best people so you don't have to pay them for their skills.

Sorry, man.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Thanks. And yeah, my Mantra for the past three eyars has been "If this weren't free, I definately wouldn't pay for it"

And hey! There's a new Action Figure Collectors group on Yahoo that you might be interested in! Seems to have collectors from all walks of The Hoby, been meaning to tell you about it. It's ActionFigureCollectorsSpeakOut, and it's a good way to get some plastic-based networking going on for trades and opinions.

Just thought I'd saher... as soon as I joined I thought "THIS is where Ke7bo belongs!"