Encouraging pansies ...

[Andrew1972]

The tough guys like you got screwed at my job this morning. Our local office had a balmy temp of 35F as the heat failed and frozen pipes over the holiday weekend.

Fortunately I was running late(school bus was 25 mins late) and got the related blanket text to work from home in my driveway.

My wife works in a hospital setting and yes she shows up no matter what. But she does not think she is anything special just part of the job she signed up for working at a hospital. She and I don't think people who chose these jobs are anything special just part of the career choice.

 

[PeterPolyol]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
Originally Posted By: Eric Smith

as many others have said. Grew up on a farm so I learned young how to deal with the cold. Rode my bike to work today at 2 degrees, although having chest pains which I haven't had before. My kids have it too easy as their school is only 1/2 mile away but their mother drives them anyway.. just blame it on her!
Be careful with chest pain. Exerting oneself in cold weather can be dangerous.
Be safe.


Chest pain is for girly men.

 

[Subdued]

The snowflake generation are the product of poor parenting and policy decisions from baby boomers and early gen-Xers.

Don't forget that.

 

[HemiHawk]

Originally Posted By: Subdued
The snowflake generation are the product of poor parenting and policy decisions from baby boomers and early gen-Xers.

Don't forget that.


Every generation thinks the next is inferior... even though they crafted it.

Also, I don't even believe in this "snowflake" generation. The media hypes things up to extremes. I bet if you asked everyone here if they'd consider their sons "weak snowflakes" they'd say of course not, not MY son under 35 haha.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
Be careful with chest pain. Exerting oneself in cold weather can be dangerous.
Be safe.


+1

I had chest pain one morning at 19 and didn't think it was too bad, until I collapsed in the middle of the street walking across campus from a collapsed lung.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
Originally Posted By: Subdued
The snowflake generation are the product of poor parenting and policy decisions from baby boomers and early gen-Xers.

Don't forget that.


Every generation thinks the next is inferior... even though they crafted it.

Also, I don't even believe in this "snowflake" generation. The media hypes things up to extremes. I bet if you asked everyone here if they'd consider their sons "weak snowflakes" they'd say of course not, not MY son under 35 haha.


I'd say it is a bit blown out of proportion. Don't get me wrong, being a millennial myself I know PLENTY of people who fit the snowflake and "all about me" stereotype, but there are also lots of people from that age group who are hard working. They have to be in order to compete for jobs and make a decent living. Most of my friends work 2-3 jobs or work a job and are in school at the same time and have basically no money to their name.

 

[Srt20]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
Originally Posted By: Subdued
The snowflake generation are the product of poor parenting and policy decisions from baby boomers and early gen-Xers.

Don't forget that.


Every generation thinks the next is inferior... even though they crafted it.

Also, I don't even believe in this "snowflake" generation. The media hypes things up to extremes. I bet if you asked everyone here if they'd consider their sons "weak snowflakes" they'd say of course not, not MY son under 35 haha.


I'd say it is a bit blown out of proportion. Don't get me wrong, being a millennial myself I know PLENTY of people who fit the snowflake and "all about me" stereotype, but there are also lots of people from that age group who are hard working. They have to be in order to compete for jobs and make a decent living. Most of my friends work 2-3 jobs or work a job and are in school at the same time and have basically no money to their name.


I know alot of people give the millennials [censored] for being snowflakes. Im not a millennial, but I know plenty of all generations that are snowflakes. Its not just reserved for millennials.

 

[javacontour]

I think the difference is the Millenials are documenting their status via Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram to name a few.

As long as some choose to highlight the snowflake status, people will start to believe the self-promotion of that status and apply it to the entire generation.


Originally Posted By: Srt20
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
Originally Posted By: Subdued
The snowflake generation are the product of poor parenting and policy decisions from baby boomers and early gen-Xers.

Don't forget that.


Every generation thinks the next is inferior... even though they crafted it.

Also, I don't even believe in this "snowflake" generation. The media hypes things up to extremes. I bet if you asked everyone here if they'd consider their sons "weak snowflakes" they'd say of course not, not MY son under 35 haha.


I'd say it is a bit blown out of proportion. Don't get me wrong, being a millennial myself I know PLENTY of people who fit the snowflake and "all about me" stereotype, but there are also lots of people from that age group who are hard working. They have to be in order to compete for jobs and make a decent living. Most of my friends work 2-3 jobs or work a job and are in school at the same time and have basically no money to their name.


I know alot of people give the millennials [censored] for being snowflakes. Im not a millennial, but I know plenty of all generations that are snowflakes. Its not just reserved for millennials.

 

[pandus13]

dnewton3,
You think you had it tough?

Imagine when a local teenager played a joke and disconnected most of the garage doors from the pullers...
Nobody knew:
-how to connect it back
-how not to break their backs lifting a metal double door (most of the "clients" where baby-boomers)

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
I'm not mad that I'm at work today with very few others. I'm disappointed in that everything in the world today seems to be an excuse for failure, rather than a challenge to build character for success!

I certainly agree. However, in this case, I wonder how many "sob stories" about wanting to work from home were an attempt to extend a long weekend.

Heard the zoo penguins had to go inside out west … what’s up with that?

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Srt20
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: HemiHawk
Originally Posted By: Subdued
The snowflake generation are the product of poor parenting and policy decisions from baby boomers and early gen-Xers.

Don't forget that.


Every generation thinks the next is inferior... even though they crafted it.

Also, I don't even believe in this "snowflake" generation. The media hypes things up to extremes. I bet if you asked everyone here if they'd consider their sons "weak snowflakes" they'd say of course not, not MY son under 35 haha.


I'd say it is a bit blown out of proportion. Don't get me wrong, being a millennial myself I know PLENTY of people who fit the snowflake and "all about me" stereotype, but there are also lots of people from that age group who are hard working. They have to be in order to compete for jobs and make a decent living. Most of my friends work 2-3 jobs or work a job and are in school at the same time and have basically no money to their name.


I know alot of people give the millennials [censored] for being snowflakes. Im not a millennial, but I know plenty of all generations that are snowflakes. Its not just reserved for millennials.


Srt20 is 200% correct. Every generation has its spoiled pampered wussies. I'm a gen x'er and the snowflakes from my generation were the "bowheads". These were the overly papered by daddy types who,especially the chicks,always had everything handed them them by their daddies,married a "surrogate daddy",and ended up fat and divorced.

 

[daves87rs]

While I'm not going to lie, I do agree with OP on this is many ways... I too grew up learning to prepare and suck it up....just part of growing up....

But, here I am to add a bit of logic....

#1- We're afraid. Like everything else-we can be sued, lose our job-or sometimes not even following the crowd. Heck, I get laughed at going to work because I look like the kid from a Christmas Story....but it keeps my asthma at bay....

#2 Population : Since from the time many of us were young, we now have quite a few more people roaming this earth even as little as 20 years ago. I've seen traffic jams in places that I used to get through in a hurry just 10 years ago! So there are quite a few people out there doing whatever... Remember that one dumb person? Well, you can times that by like 100 now...

Things like this make it hard to care for the general public, more so with much less in the way of resources....

But will i lie- Nope-it still drives me crazy....

 

[Shannow]

While I agree with the OP nearly 100%, I've once been in an acting site leadership decision where I had to make a decision on whether it was safe/reasonable to expect 200+ people to get from their abodes, to work, do a day's work, and then get safely home again.

Had to weigh up the initial conditions (snow, we get that a couple of days a year), the forecast, the fact that people live in any direction for up to 60 miles, through a whole bunch of different regions...and again, in having them get to work, had to assess whether they could get home again afterwards.

Also the operating staff on site...they run the machines. What happens at the end of shift.

Anyway, called a snow day. Yes not the topic of the OP, but as the responsible person (not) on site, had to do what I had to do.

BTW, the apprentices (young people, just out of school) were already there.

Got lambasted by other managers (who weren't there, weren't in the district, and certainly weren't engaged at the time)...morning got worse, lunchtime was OK (I drove in) early afternoon got worse (I left), and cleared some in the evening. Most guys made change of shift.

Nope, Australian's are never prepared for the weather events that you guys experience day in day out...but deciding on people's safety was one of the more stressful days of my career.

 

[TWG1572]

To me, it's about risk/reward. I have a job where I can decide to work from home in bad weather conditions. I take advantage of it. What's the point in going out there, busting through snow drifts/dealing with icy roads and risking a crash? I can get more done at work by staying home and working remotely anyway. If that makes me a pansy, then so be it.

I work with the people who make the close/open decision for our facility. Like Shannow says, you never make the right decision. Someone always gripes and hindsight is 20/20. That's the fun of being a manager.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: KGMtech
I agree with you 100%. I watched my 2 boys play sports where no score was kept and everyone got a trophy, I saw so many "snow days" that would have been regular go to school days, I saw the medical community pass out pain pills because nobody wants to suffer some pain.

What do we have now? a big amount of self absorbed idiots that think they are the best, take no risks and don't prepare, and are addicted to Oxy and other meds.

We've got -15C and 20cm of snow on the ground with more to arrive. Go ahead Winter - Hit me with your best shot!


The issue with this sort of rhetoric, is that we are blaming the recipient, when the creator of the scenario was bad theories and modes of operation on part of the "boomer" and "greatest" generation folks.

I'm glad to not be a millennial. I'm in a time domain where I'm really nothing. But Ive observed a lot of the issues, especially with the younger generation that came right after. They were dealt a bad hand. Some say through no fault of their own. They're kids, right? Now some of them are starting to have kids. Research is showing how toxic much of what was used as "parenting" on these people are. But combine liberalism with them not knowing better, and it's a wild mix.

But the dealer is to blame here, not the person who was dealt the cards. The situation was intended, wrongly so, for the kids to win, not the house. And these toxic parenting strategies are an issue with that. Not the kids, not the people who were subject to this.

WRT cold and the OP, it's snowing today. Could I have gotten to work? Sure. Did I? No, I'm working from home (on lunch now). It's equally smart to limit exposure when possible, in fact, its more intelligent to do so from a financial and personal standpoint, then to go just because I'm prepared (which I am). But this is a snow day. A bomb something or other blizzard.

Had it just been cold, there's zero reason to delay anything. To any job, any workplace, etc. To school? Well I personally can't stand anything but walking districts, so you toughen up and walk or if you're lucky, get a ride from a parent. I always had to walk. I remember lots of times where despite bundles, ears and fingertips hurt, bad. And I don't even live in a place where it's that cold...

I'm sure that poor contract negotiations on part of the same people who invented participation trophies and other soft situations, allowed bus companies to avoid duties, causing delays. After all, it's corporate efficiency. That bus company doesn't have to pay hourly employees more to come earlier and get busses ready. This means the CEO is being efficient and maximizing profit by minimizing labor cost. That's good, no?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: csandste
My ten year old grand son's biggest complaint in moving from Missouri to northern New Hampshire is he misses the constant snow days that he enjoyed anytime that more than an inch fell. I grew up in a small town in South Dakota and remember only a handful of weather closings in my twelve years there. Of course that was before constant lawsuits.


There are probably three sides to the lawsuit thing:

1) if towns privatize bussing to save a buck, they likely shift/change the ability of parents to sue due to delays, "exposure", and heaven forbid, accidents. The ability to sue the city vs a private contractor may be different.

2) people thinking they're prepared can be more of a liability, including to busses. When show falls, who ends up in the ditch the most? The 4x4 tough, prepared guy who can blast through, because their job is "essential".

3) if a court allows a lawsuit over a delayed bus, because kids are out in the cold, that judge should be disbarred, as should the suing lawyer. I doubt that real public transit can be sued due to delays in case of weather and cold. Why would this be allowed for school?

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: KGMtech
I agree with you 100%. I watched my 2 boys play sports where no score was kept and everyone got a trophy, I saw so many "snow days" that would have been regular go to school days, I saw the medical community pass out pain pills because nobody wants to suffer some pain.



I think if anything we could blame the parents for that (whatever generation they were). I'm 27, and growing up I played little league right when the whole "no trophy and no score" thing started to take place. It was mind blowing. My dad ended up being a head little league coach with no previous experience because all the other coaches were leaving. I remember the parents and how they insisted that no score be kept, everything be fair, and everyone had to bat. I left the sport after two years, and many other kids did too. It honestly wasn't any fun. The kids didn't care about everything being equal, kids are kids and they wanted to compete and have a good time. How parents obtained so much power probably has to do with petty lawsuits. I see it to this day since I work with school districts.

 

[supton]

I figure, I can work from home so why not? I recall having to brave the weather, and while I didn't mind it, I always hated sitting in traffic. So, when I stay home because of the weather, I like to think I'm making the roads BETTER for all those who have to be out there. Maybe some day I'll have a change of job and have to be out there too, and if that occurs, I'll be thankful for all those who will be able to take the day off. Well, maybe a bit envious, but put another way, would I look up to someone who went out when they didn't need to go out?

 

[simple_gifts]

The premise apparently is temperature can never be considered a safety issue.

You are viewing the situation from 'your' perspective, 'your health', 'your resources' Not everyone can just 'get what they need' for extreme circumstances. People have different pressures and the fundamentally you are questioning other people's decisions without any knowledge of the situations they may be in

Not totally disagreeing with you but there is also the mindset of 'have a concussion, get back out there'; a little common sense often averts cascading tragedies

FYI; my brother works in Fairbanks AK, outside; while I am 'working from home' during the blizzard. lol

 

[dnewton3]

So to bring this thread I started full circle, I'm going to come in from the opposite direction.

This coming weekend we're predicted to have the potential for some really bad weather in central IN. It's been well below freezing for about 2 weeks, so the ground is already COLD. But we're going to be on the cusp of a potential snow/ice storm Sunday into Monday. Monday is when my kids start spring semester at college again (two different campuses in the state).

As my thread title says, many folks encourage the "pansies" by allowing life to dictate the easy way out; excuses are like posterior orifices as we know - seems like everyone has one.

Instead of getting stuck at home on Sunday, and missing out on their first day back, I'm telling them to go back a day early (Saturday) which is going to be cold, but very clear skies and no precip on the roads. Or at the very latest, head back first thing Sunday morning BEFORE than warm/moist air comes in from the south on Sunday.

See - this is about planning and knowing your strengths and weaknesses. Rather than let my kids sit at home and blame the weather, we're going to do something ahead of time to put ourselves in a better position to succeed. The risk of two teenage kids driving on slick roads on Sunday evening in the dark is that the propensity for accidents is greater, and the potential for delay of arrival is greater. Or, just get your booty out of bed in the a.m. and get started PRIOR to the expected event! Rather than use the weather as an excuse for failure, we'll plan to beat the weather by modifying our actions. My wife is our family groundhog; she won't come outside until she sees her shadow in spring! And I have to work the SO this weekend; I'll be in a patrol car and unable to come "rescue" my kids. They need to learn how to assess a potential life storm PRIOR to it happening, plan for alternatives, and make the best effort to succeed and meet the commitments. School starts 8am Monday morning for them; don't wait until Sunday afternoon in an ice storm to decide your 2 hour drive just became a 7 hour nightmare fraught with danger and bad decisions. Instead, plan for the worst and hope for the best. Do NOT blame something you have control over. You cannot control the weather, but you CAN control how you plan for weather events!


My initial complaint at the start of this thread is that too many people use weather as an excuse for failure. On Tuesday of this week, it was bitterly cold, but it was not unforeseen, nor was there any snow/sleet/ice to deal with, and the roads were totally clear. Why call off work for it being "cold"; that's too easy in my mind. Some forethought and planning can get you to work on time! As for this coming weekend ... we cannot stop the weather, but we can predict it and plan for it. Get our plan in action PRIOR to the event! Modify our routine if we have to, so that we're where we need to be, when we need to be there, all while minimizing risks.

There are times when staying home (snow storm) or getting away (hurricane) are the prudent thing to do; some things are so catastrophic that we can hardly deal with them. But cold? Really? It's a state of mind. Get up early, get dressed extra warm, plan for potential obstacles, and get your butt to work!