Monday frigging Monday....

Things that annoy me….

I was watching this 1950’s black and white movie on television this morning before work – puke, spew - while I exercised – puke, spew. The heroine was holding her own against the bad guys while the hero went off and did heroic stuff on his own against overwhelming odds as heroes do. Anyway he fights his way back to the heroine getting the obligatory shoulder wound on the way – I say obligatory as a hero cannot have a life threatening wound, his noble visage cannot be marred and if he gets shot in the shoulder we get to see his manly torso as his shirt gets ripped off to save him. So the hero is just about back to the heroine and he gets into a fight with another bad guy. The heroine watches and she shrieks the hero's name over and over and over as he fights the evil doer. What is the point of screaming – Jim! Jim! Jim! Terror stricken look. Jim! Jim! Jim! Biting fingernails. Jim! Jim! Jim! Shot of angst filled eyes. Jim! Jim! Jim! - over and over again when she could have walloped the bad guy with the gun she was holding? And it’s not just in old movies. You see it today as well. Why does the heroine get the role of incessantly screaming the hero’s name as he fights? What is the hero supposed to do? Stop and say. “Yes darling, what is it?” Or “You go pick up the kids I’ll be just a moment.” It’s the most inane stereotypical rubbish. Why does the heroine become this spineless, wailing ninny? You don’t see the hero wringing his hands and shrieking the heroine’s name as she battles evil do you? I resolve only to have my heroines shriek in passion or if her Tim Tam supply is cut off.

Today at work…

It was explained to me that due to a re-shuffle, for the moment until things were sorted, someone would be sharing my office. I said that was no problem. So a spare desk was put in and the male that was to sit there declared he would only sit there if he could have an enormous partition put between us. The office is not big enough for that and it would make if exceptionally stuffy even for a short period of time, especially as summer is upon us. I asked why? Three men had to be brought in to discuss the room partition. The reason?

M1 – It’s already been decided Amarinda
A – By who and why?
M1 – Well, by us and he needs his privacy Amarinda.
A – He never had privacy where he was sitting before. We all constantly walked passed him and could see everything he was doing.
M2 – People just need privacy.



A – I totally agree but this is work and in theory you should be doing your job and that does not require privacy (I don’t include myself in this as my personal stuff I do at work is completely different)
M3 – Well you insist on keeping the ladies toilets all female and private
A – Yes because that’s all about bodily functions and genitals. Is he going to be doing something with his genitals at his desk?
M1 – (eyeroll) No, he just wants to be left alone
A – From me?
M2 – Well – it’s just that women….
A – What? Smell? Do womanly things?
M3 – It’s more that you are – um –
A - Am I ugly?
M1 – no, it’s an age thing (terror stricken look the minute he said this)
A – (grabs notebook and pen to get precise words down from blithering male) So this is a case of my being 15- 20 years older and female. Interesting. If I was a young female then this would not be an issue? (The worker that we are discussing is physically 22 but with the maturity of a 12 year old)
M3 – Yes, I mean no, I mean you are twisting our words.
A – How so? You mentioned age and sex. I am happy for you to explain this further. (Writing notes down)
M2 – We will put this partition up Amarinda.
A – Will you? (Standard I don’t think so look)
M1 – Let’s just leave it for now and we’ll all think about it. (Holy crap she will take us for discrimination look)
A – (Damn straight I will look) Yes, you do need to think about it so more, I agree.


I know my days are numbered at this job. It’s an all male office and I do get tired of all the rubbish that goes on. I get tired of fighting it all. Yes, I could stop fighting and accept substandard conditions but that’s just not me.I just have to accept one of the jobs I have been offered and get out. Will I take them for discrimination if they continue with this crap? Yes, I will. I will not be boxed into a tiny corner to suit some male who cannot do his job adequately and is concerned I may query what he had on his screen during the day. Like I give a rats arse what he does. I don’t do my job properly so I am hardly the moral guardian of what’s right and wrong. I do however care about gender and age based issues. No one should be made to feel inferior regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. Luckily, I am not someone who does but many do and it’s wrong. As much as they would like to think so, the world is not run by young men with penises alone.

Anny has the talented Vicky Burkholder author of Prime Time on www.annycook.blogspot.com and Kelly has the blog serial on www.kkirch.blogspot.com. My response when I read it was huh…check it out

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?