Overheard clients in the hallway

I always go to my shrink, but I don't get any smaller!

I'm reading this now and realizing it's likely some lame old joke, but it's the first time I heard it, and it made me laugh.  Gotta love when people can laugh at themselves too.

Academic Envy

A couple of my work colleagues are back at school this year, doing an upgrading program for working professionals.

Just overhearing them in the office have academic type conversations about white privilege, gender disparity, and social norms is making me itch to go back to school.  Or just butt into their conversation ;)

Everybody Wants Something

(Overheard at work)

"I want the Zit Remedy to reform and do a duet with Drake."

If you get it, you get it.  Made me laugh anyway.

Wurkd fer mee

A co-worker exclaiming over some (presumably) outrageous spelling errors:
I'm not hooked on phonics people, but come on!

Inquiring Minds Need To Know...

Co-worker to a client on the phone: Who or what is that screaming in the background?!?

O-H@W

Coworker speaking to a client on the phone: I don't know what that is, but I'll give that a Google.

Really people, maybe we're taking this whole "google" as a verb thing too far!

Really? Cuz that would seem to take all the fun out of it.

“I would die to be a 30”




Overheard at work, one of my co-workers, participating in our office’s “Biggest Loser” challenge.



I find this type of statement so disturbing, particularly from social workers. Am I wrong to think we should know better?

Good Advice

(my coworker, Ms. Calmtone on the phone with a client)
No, it’s pretty nice outside, I don’t think you’ll need a jacket.  Just a shirt…yes just a shirt…(long pause)…yes, please wear pants too!

At which point the whole office cracked up, because we had all tuned in.  Remarkably, Ms. Calmtone kept her cool until she hung up the phone.

Couldn't resist another one...

“No ma’am, I don’t think they could fumigate the hospital and take your husbands clothes but leave him in the room.”

-co-worker on the phone with a woman whose husband apparently “took a bunch of pills” and somehow ended up in a psych hospital at the other end of the province. He called his wife complaining that “men in white coats”* removed all his belongings but left him in the room while they sprayed some sort of noxious gas, and she in turn was looking to us for help. She also wanted to know what “rights” she had if the doctor said he would call her with an update at 3:00 and it was 3:01.

Wish I could have heard the whole conversation!

*apparently not just a terrible stereotype anymore!

Oh, you witty social workers

I’ll preface this by saying that I don’t usually wear shorts, but I did today.

Me, gabbing with my manager today: Wow, I never realized I had so many bruises all over my legs
Sarcastic supervisor: Nectarine, is this your way of telling me you have something you need to talk about?

*eyeroll*

Quote of the Day

"How can I be a mental health worker when I don't even know how to spell 'psychiatrist' or 'schizophrenia'?!?!

Thank you, unnamed co-worker, for making me laugh.

Overheard at Work

Co-worker trying to be tactful with a client (who is up on some minor charges) on the phone:
“Please when you send me a fax, only send me the new information. I have 9 copies of your documents now
“Really, you only need to fax this stuff to your lawyer, he will determine where it needs to go, and if anyone else needs to be informed
“No, do not fax me
“No, I really don’t think the RCMP needs to see your information (!)

Reminded me of a client at my old job who would send 30-100 page faxes addressed to about 40 names and offices, including any social worker he’d ever heard the name of, the Director of the Ministry of Community and Social Services, the mayor, and several news outlets. Dude musta cost the Region hundreds in paper and recycling costs!