Sometimes I really wish I could say "no".
A guy called up today. Lives about 2 hours away. Wants to visit my shop to learn All There Is about Sleigh Bells (that's what I work on for a living). Wants to pick my brain about their history, see how I put them on leather, learn all the secrets about how we clean and polish the bells, and so on.
In other words, he's madly in love with sleigh bells, assumes I'm just as mad about them as he is, and thinks I will be perfectly willing to spend several hours of unpaid time entertaining him and his wife on the subject. He's not the first one to assume this, nor will he be the last, but he is as unwilling to take a hint on the subject of "NO" as I've ever encountered.
I was blunter than I normally am about the reasons why I don't care to deal with casual shop visitors who Just Want to Visit, but he blithely ignored all my reasons and warnings. The only thing that MIGHT have put a stop to all this was me saying a plain 'n simple NO, Do Not Visit.
And of course my Iowa Nice training kicks in when I finally face up to facts -- I have to pick one of two options -- either say NO or cave.
I caved.
I have no one to blame but myself. I will resentfully spend several hours tomorrow playing nice to a total stranger who just thinks it's the most nifty thing in the world to wander my sleigh bell "disneyland."
I'm about ready to interview for that process engineer spot at the local plastics factory. No one thinks its nifty to learn what an engineer does. When I worked for corporate engineering America some years ago, I was occasionally trotted out as an example of a tame female engineer, but otherwise I was expected to just do my job, not entertain.
Venting here. Not looking for sympathy. Another few swift kicks in the pants might help learn me this lesson, so you have my invitation to drive the lesson home! :think:
A guy called up today. Lives about 2 hours away. Wants to visit my shop to learn All There Is about Sleigh Bells (that's what I work on for a living). Wants to pick my brain about their history, see how I put them on leather, learn all the secrets about how we clean and polish the bells, and so on.
In other words, he's madly in love with sleigh bells, assumes I'm just as mad about them as he is, and thinks I will be perfectly willing to spend several hours of unpaid time entertaining him and his wife on the subject. He's not the first one to assume this, nor will he be the last, but he is as unwilling to take a hint on the subject of "NO" as I've ever encountered.
I was blunter than I normally am about the reasons why I don't care to deal with casual shop visitors who Just Want to Visit, but he blithely ignored all my reasons and warnings. The only thing that MIGHT have put a stop to all this was me saying a plain 'n simple NO, Do Not Visit.
And of course my Iowa Nice training kicks in when I finally face up to facts -- I have to pick one of two options -- either say NO or cave.
I caved.
I have no one to blame but myself. I will resentfully spend several hours tomorrow playing nice to a total stranger who just thinks it's the most nifty thing in the world to wander my sleigh bell "disneyland."
I'm about ready to interview for that process engineer spot at the local plastics factory. No one thinks its nifty to learn what an engineer does. When I worked for corporate engineering America some years ago, I was occasionally trotted out as an example of a tame female engineer, but otherwise I was expected to just do my job, not entertain.
Venting here. Not looking for sympathy. Another few swift kicks in the pants might help learn me this lesson, so you have my invitation to drive the lesson home! :think: