What made you smile today?

[Animeniax]

For those who don't believe in karma and the universe watching: I couldn't log into PSN this morning to play some Destiny. Tried repeatedly for 20 minutes before it finally started downloading some updates and then let me log in. So I leave the office for a minute while it finishes updating, walk about 10 feet into the lobby and look up to see my boss walking towards me. He normally works out of HQ and rarely visits our branch. If PSN had been working normally this morning, instead of greeting my boss in the lobby and diverting him to another office, he'd have walked into my office while I was playing a video game. Weird how the universe works.

[KrayZ33]

disgusting,

poor co-workers
do what you are paid for and work or help others.

[shinta|hikari]

Are you being paid to help others? I was under the impression that you're being paid to do your job. If that's done, then what's the problem?

[KrayZ33]

ask your boss then?
if thats the case, why hide playing console in the first place?


That being said, it should be everyones job to help each other too as long as you are able to do so in a reasonable manner

[shinta|hikari]

That being said, it should be everyones job to help each other too as long as you are able to do so in a reasonable manner

I don't agree with this. It's like making someone work harder for being more competent than his colleagues. I'm not against helping if someone asks, but this is not an obligation.

[Animeniax]

disgusting,

poor co-workers
do what you are paid for and work or help others.

Nah, I work alone. And like Shinta said, since my job is done (and well at that, I recently received an award for my performance) I have no qualms about how I spend my time.

[MFauli]

If you have to feel scared about your boss walking in on you playing vidyagames, maybe you should re-think your stance.

[shinta|hikari]

I think bosses would mind if their employees are playing anything during work hours, regardless of the circumstances. It makes no sense, but that's how they think. They don't understand that people simply run out of work sometimes.

[Buffalobiian]

In my field, running out of work means self study time.

[shinta|hikari]

That's because you are/will be getting the big bucks.

I don't even get enough to stop pirating stuff.

[Animeniax]

I think bosses would mind if their employees are playing anything during work hours, regardless of the circumstances. It makes no sense, but that's how they think. They don't understand that people simply run out of work sometimes.

This right here. In my experience, bosses don't care what you do with your free time as long as they don't have to talk to you about it (because someone complained about it directly) and it doesn't interfere with your work. One boss at a previous job told us up-front that she considered sleeping and playing video games the two absolute no-nos at work. So people spent their free time watching movies and finding other ways to pass the time.

In my field, running out of work means self study time.

A few of my colleagues are in that boat, spending their free time at work earning their bachelor's degrees or master's. I already have a bachelor's and don't care to pursue a master's at this point in my life, so video games it is.

[EpyonNext]

I got my motherfucking DD-214 today bitches. You hear that? I'm free. I CAN DO WHATEVER THE FUCK I WANT, WHENEVER THE FUCK I WANT. NO MORE FORMATIONS AT 0500 IN THE FUCKING MORNING, NO MORE MAKING SURE A GROWN ASS MAN KEEPS HIS ROOM CLEAN. IT'S OVER, MR. FRODO. THE RING HAS BEEN TOSSED IN THE FIRES OF MT FUCKING DOOM.

[Animeniax]

Congrats. Veteran status will help you find work in the civilian sector. But did you not realize that nonsense was the majority of what you'd be doing when you signed up?

[Death BOO Z]

congrats! enjoy the feeling of freedom!

[Animeniax]

Bought a ticket on short notice on Expedia.com, but wasn't worried because it says "you can cancel within 24 hours of booking" right before you confirm the purchase. Then I bought a second ticket withoutcancelling the first trip because of the "1 ticket left at this price" warning on all the available flights at a reasonable price so I had to act fast. I go back to cancel the first ticket, there is no option to do so online and everywhere on the ticket email and the Expedia website says the ticket is nonrefundable and you can't cancel it, despite the fact that Expedia says you can cancel within 24 hours using the website. Kept reading and find some fine print that some airlines won't allow cancellations but you might be able to change the flights for an additional $150-250 fee. Kept reading and find that the airlines involved in this ticket don't allow any cancellations or changes to this ticket at all. So I think I'm out of luck and out $500. I call Expedia, on hold for 20+ minutes because of call volume, listening to constant recorded reminders that Expedia can't cancel tickets or go against airline rules or waive fees, so my chances of getting a refund are sounding pretty slim.

Smiling now because the Expedia agent gave me no hassles, she cancelled the trip, refunded the cost of the flights, and everything is great. So don't let the policies and fees listed on the website scare you out of your rights. Call them, explore every option, talk to someone, and it might save your day.

[Buffalobiian]

Good for you.

In general I dislike the principle that talking to someone gets you out of conditions clearly stated in writing though. It penalises those who take the time to read and supports the idea that if you make more noise you get what you want.

This isn't a passive aggressive rant towards you Ani. In your position you should exploit what you've got (as your face permits). This may explain their call volume as well.

[Animeniax]

Good for you.

In general I dislike the principle that talking to someone gets you out of conditions clearly stated in writing though. It penalises those who take the time to read and supports the idea that if you make more noise you get what you want.

This isn't a passive aggressive rant towards you Ani. In your position you should exploit what you've got (as your face permits). This may explain their call volume as well.

Normally I agree (I think I've stated that before too) but I think this case was different, and not just because it concerns airlines and their ridiculous fees and surcharges. It clearly stated on the website that you can cancel your booking within 24 hours. I don't recall any asterisks or other disclaimers suggesting this didn't apply to all bookings, unless that was hidden in fine print.

Reading the website rules also convinces most that there is no recourse and no options for remedies, which is misleading. Expedia goes so far as to dump all responsibility on the airlines for change fees, basically suggesting that it's not worth the time or effort to contact them but rather the airlines themselves. Yet a simple phone call to Expedia within the allowed change time was all it took to cancel the flight and get a full refund. The fact that the agent gave me zero hassle or didn't try to dissuade me from asking for a cancellation tells me this is kind of a scam on their part that penalizes those who won't go the extra mile to fight for their rights. If it was outside the 24 hour time limit for cancellations, I'd agree that it's the customer's fault and Expedia is absolved of responsibility. But then I think the airlines shouldn't be so draconian in their handling of changes to tickets. Why make a ticket nonrefundable or not changeable or nontransferable, and why charge such high fees for changes? Does it upset their scheduling and planning so much to make that change? That's what they claim, but it's bs. I can't wait until travel by teleportation is a thing, but then some capitalists will find a way to monetize that and charge us for it.

[Kraco]

I imagine it must have helped your case a lot that you still had the other flight you bought. So, you were in practice exchanging one flight for another, not cancelling the whole deal.

[Animeniax]

I imagine it must have helped your case a lot that you still had the other flight you bought. So, you were in practice exchanging one flight for another, not cancelling the whole deal.

Perhaps. I wonder though that the airlines care as long as they can dupe customers out of money with unreasonable policies and fees or even blatant false advertising on the Expedia site. I really think if it was outside the 24 hour window guaranteed by Expedia, I would have been saddled with both tickets even though they fall on concurrent days. Since I was in the 24 hour window, even though the website claimed I was out of luck, I was still able to get the tickets refunded.

[Assertn]

Booked a flight to japan with a friend. Going for 3 weeks in April. Should be fun.