At work they have been replacing computers over 4 years old when users complain the computer is getting too slow. If less than 4 years old the computers are upgraded to SSDs. If your computer is less than 4 years old and has an SSD, then tuff, computers are not instantaneous.

Well...It's Morning. Hope you guys fair better than I. Got an email that I have to go in for the "random" drug test. Don't think it is very random if I ALWAYS get picked. And like the last 3 times, they contact me in the mornings after I have already done my morning constitutional and will end up sitting there for 3 hours then get taken for a hair sample.

I ain't talking to nobody about nuthin this time. And if my IBS acts up, I may have to pay a visit to the HR Director and stink up her office.

We are on a 3 year cycle here, but I think it is for tax purposes.

Well in theory you could get picked several times at random. One of my buddies was picked for county jury duty 5 years in a row.

It is for sure against the odds, but possible.

Morning all. They are random here are well unless there is an accident then its do it or else.

Think they just add me to the list because I am the only one that works from home.

They are testing everyone again this time. But they are doing the mouth swab instead of urine or hair sample. Nephew thinks that means they are going to give a Christmas Present (cash) and just want to get rid of any new hires that won't pass so they don't have to gift them. I don't understand his thinking because new hires have to pass a drug test as part of on-boarding. And as part of the bonus plan we look to receive at least 11% of our wages for the past quarter. They also do the calculation based on a year's salary and then subtract the 3 quarterly bonuses we already received. The 3rd quarter was 9% so that means 11% of our salary for the last quarter, and 2% for the first 3 quarters to make up the difference to make it an annual bonus..

And yes, you get hurt on the job, you get to take a drug test then as well.

at least you get a bonus.

Have not gotten a pay raise in a very long time. Think they did the bonus thing to keep from giving pay raises just in case the market isn't done tanking. Sales have really picked up, but I'm pretty sure the market right now is exaggerated to fill warehouses etc. and sales will go back down once that settles. In 36 years working in this industry have seen it before.

Looked at a salary reports for my area and as an Exchange or Email Administrator I am about $15K below the average. Our bonus while substantial, is not half that.

And while I have changed my lifestyle to keep my budget in line I have noticed eating out has really gotten way more expensive.

Cut the cord on my Cable and don't have my TV on unless actually watching a show or movie. That is saving me on my electric bill as well as not having to pay for cable. The cable box used 15-25 watts whether on or asleep. TV, Stereo, and Apple TV sleep at only 2 watts each. Go up to about 15-20 when watching something. Have converted all my lights to LED and still keep them off most of the time. Got a toaster oven because it only uses 1500 watts and the oven uses 3000 watts and I rarely make anything bigger than will fit in the toaster oven. Electric bill this summer didn't go over $100.

Keep my thermostat at 71°F during the day. If I run it any warmer I get sweaty. Do the setback thing to 68°F at night. Temps don't really start going down until after midnite because the house holds temps pretty good. Bob complained because he got cold. He turned down the offer of a t-shirt and some wool socks. Still kept complaining.

Yea, getting a bonus is a real bonus at any job.

It never happens in government service, or in many industries. Your biggest bonus is working at home, and your spending on clothes. Your commuting costs are pretty low.

My mean cruel boss is now gonna make me go work on the toilet! Damn thing has a problem so I have to remove the tank and switch out the flush valve. The tank has to come off on this type of valve. That means the bolts that hold the tank in place that has been in place for many years are gonna have to be replaced.

And I don't get a bonus at all and I still have to catch up on my regular work!

no cost of living here either.

Wow, no cost to live there. ;) Dang cheap. We pay a couple grand in property taxes. Several grand per year in insurance and utilities. And I do like to eat. It is expensive to keep me fed and warm and entertained.

No COLA. Seems that believe in a performance based system. All based on how billable you are and I don't have any control over my own work flow and am salaried as well.

I has determined I need a bigger fire. There are just to many irons in this one.

Ours is performance based also, which sucks for those that are capped after 10 years.

bad news on the home front. Wife seems fine at least until the next check up. Dad on the other hand was just told he has B cell lymphoma. At 84 that's going to be a tuff one.

Sorry to hear that. And here I was going to complain that my day sucked because I broke a switch.

go right ahead. But first tell how it was broken just in case its good for a laugh.

Sorry to hear that about your dad, David.

I have lots of switches out in the back yard under the Elm tree in the neighbor's yard. It would be tough to mail it however. They don't use any electricity, and since they fell off on their own they are 100% organic, all natural, low in cholesterol, gluten free, and low fat and low calorie.

Glen, thanks for the offer but I need to have a switch with PoE which is how I broke it in the first place. It was denying power to the new cameras we put in so the mfr said to upgrade to the newest firmware. OK, upload the newest as hte backup firmware and off we go. Well, it uploaded it as the primary, deleted the primary, decided it did not have enough room for the new and now it has no firmware to boot from. That's OK, it is just the phones and computers in the business offices. One of which is my boss.

Mark Lowry was joking that his dad made him go cut his own switch when he misbehaved. He asked for a chainsaw to cut it.