Life at the plant

[papayahed]

This morning a contractor came in to start working in a tank. He showed up with a beard, the admin assistant told him he had to be clean shaven. Contractor didn't like it and fussed a little. Admin called me to deal with the contractor. (Beats the hell out of me why she didn't call the manager that brought the guy in in the first place.) Anyways I came up ready to lay down the law and before I could the guy said he'd shave.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Beats the hell out of me why she didn't call the manager that brought the guy in in the first place.Exactly. That would have been my question as well. I am normally quite easygoing but there are times when I can be a cast iron ba...rd, and this sounds like one of them. First of all, contractors would do well to do as they are told if they intend to survive, and secondly the person bringing a contractor in carries a huge responsibility when it comes to information about the risks connected to the task in question.

I am not even going to ask what the tank was for, but death lives in most of our tanks and a beard would render most protective equipment useless or at best ineffective.

/Claes

[Maximilianus]

How about a person wearing a really long hair, let's say straight down to the waist? Any workaround for that at a plant? I guess it must be troublesome to roll it down a helmet.

[JuniperWoolf]

Haha, I sometimes have to tell waitresses not to argue over who stole who's boyfriend, but imagine being called in to tell someone to shave.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

How about a person wearing a really long hair, let's say straight down to the waist? Any workaround for that at a plant? I guess it must be troublesome to roll it down a helmet.Hair that long would be an accident waiting to happen in any plant with moving parts (i.e. most of them). I have seen it happen, you know... In the early 80's: The ones I watched were lucky, and went bald in an instant, but one less fortunate bloke had a sizeable chunk of his scalp ripped loose. I am glad I was not around to see that happen, and even more glad that safety regulations are much stricter and better enforced today. We live and we learn, and sometimes the lessons are quite painful.

I suppose the simplest workarounds would be a hairnet or a haircut?

/Claes

[JuniperWoolf]

Eeeeeewww...

Seeing someone's skull is pretty bad, I have friends who skateboard. Actually I lost a chunk of scalp to a cat once. They sewed me back together but if I were to shave my head it would look a bit Frankenstein-ish.

[papayahed]

I am not even going to ask what the tank was for, but death lives in most of our tanks and a beard would render most protective equipment useless or at best ineffective.
/Claes

Exactly. During our last shutdown we were sending contractors in a tank. They are required to wear safety harnesses with lifelines attached. I walked up and the contractor was arguing against wearing the harness. A guy from our rescue team (and an ex-fireman) was telling the contractor that the reason for the harness was so that we have a means to grab him and pull him out quickly if needed, the rescue guy also said that he had seen people die because he couldn't get a hold of them to pull them out of harms way quick enough. And the contractor still tried to argue the point. :mad2:


How about a person wearing a really long hair, let's say straight down to the waist? Any workaround for that at a plant? I guess it must be troublesome to roll it down a helmet.


Hair that long would be an accident waiting to happen in any plant with moving parts (i.e. most of them). I have seen it happen, you know... In the early 80's: The ones I watched were lucky, and went bald in an instant, but one less fortunate bloke had a sizeable chunk of his scalp ripped loose. I am glad I was not around to see that happen, and even more glad that safety regulations are much stricter and better enforced today. We live and we learn, and sometimes the lessons are quite painful.

I suppose the simplest workarounds would be a hairnet or a haircut?

/Claes

I haven't run into too many issues with long hair.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

And the contractor still tried to argue the point. :mad2: There will always be the odd one you just cannot get through to. Safety used to be a bad joke everywhere back when I started working, but things are very different these days: In our case, not a single contractor is allowed inside the gates before they have read up on our internal rules and signed a note stating that they will adhere to them. It really is a case of our way or the highway and it is enforced, so basically they can argue any point they want to... Off our premises. That said, nigh on all our contractors are very good. I suppose the bad ones have been weeded out.

I haven't run into too many issues with long hair.This used to be a problem in the 70's and 80's when hairstyles were a bit wild (and long), but I have not heard anything like what I described above happening for many years now. The ladies would still be at risk, of course, but they are usually much more careful and above all less susceptible to the macho culture the blokes suffer from.

/Claes

[papayahed]

There will always be the odd one you just cannot get through to. Safety used to be a bad joke everywhere back when I started working, but things are very different these days: In our case, not a single contractor is allowed inside the gates before they have read up on our internal rules and signed a note stating that they will adhere to them. It really is a case of our way or the highway and it is enforced, so basically they can argue any point they want to... Off our premises. That said, nigh on all our contractors are very good. I suppose the bad ones have been weeded out.

Our regular contractors are pretty good. Every year we do an annual shutdown and we have to bring in a bunch of extra contractors. The "travelers" are the guys that give me the most hearburn. But like you said they get weeded out.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

How about a person wearing a really long hair, let's say straight down to the waist? Any workaround for that at a plant? I guess it must be troublesome to roll it down a helmet.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_2wjRk02s&feature=related

.

[papayahed]

Why is it that every time I talk to a contractor the guys always make a big deal like I'm about to fall into bed with the guy. Seriously.

[qimissung]

Yes, why is that? If you've figured out a way to handle that let me know, wouljda please? :D

[papayahed]

Could I be a clod? I met with a sales guy yesterday, he was nice enough so I told him what I wanted and asked for a quote. He then explained that he was having surgery later this week so he probably couldn't get the quote back to me until the middle of next week. I'm pretty sure a decent, caring human being would have at least wished him luck with surgery. Nope, not I. I said "I'm not in a huge rush next week would be fine but not much later then that". Then he left.

[BienvenuJDC]

Could I be a clod? I met with a sales guy yesterday, he was nice enough so I told him what I wanted and asked for a quote. He then explained that he was having surgery later this week so he probably couldn't get the quote back to me until the middle of next week. I'm pretty sure a decent, caring human being would have at least wished him luck with surgery. Nope, not I. I said "I'm not in a huge rush next week would be fine but not much later then that". Then he left.

Don't beat yourself up. It's easy to get tunnel vision.

[papayahed]

evaluation are due today. Is there anything worse then having to self-evaluate?

[Paulclem]

evaluation are due today. Is there anything worse then having to self-evaluate?

Having to self-devaluate?

[papayahed]

Audits. The first audit of the year was last week. It's mentally exhausting to be under the microscope like that.

[papayahed]

Seriously. I know I'm being stereotypical here women stink. Not all women of course, the plant admin assisstant seems to be of the variety that give the women managers grief but bats her eyelashes at the guys and says "yes of course I'll get your coffee for you". Today she informed me she was doing my work for me. Come to find out the plant manager ordered T Shirts and banners for our safety record and she had to go pick them out. I know I'm the safety supervisor but how the heck does that equate to being my job??

[Paulclem]

One of the most annoying phrases I hear from my boss is "you need to..."

It wouldn't be so bad if all the "youneedto's" really were as needy as each other, but the boss has a problem prioritising things. Each "youneedto" is thus given equal harassment quality without it actually justifying such code red status.

I suppose there's worse things in life.

This is the place where I come to moan about work isn't it?

[papayahed]

This is the place where I come to moan about work isn't it?



Absolutely !


Went dumpster diving yesterday. Why is it a girl can't put on a Tyvek suit and crawl around a dumpster without everybody commenting?

[tonywalt]

Dumpster divers are becoming more and more open these days, in fact some are quite brazen. I admire and respect the lifestyle and have gone as far as having drinks and dinner with them. What they do after dinner, in a dumpster(s) of their choice, is their business:leaving:

[papayahed]

I admire and respect the lifestyle and have gone as far as having drinks and dinner with them.

Are you asking me to dinner??:banana:

[tonywalt]

Yea, just wash up a bit....

[papayahed]

Yea, just wash up a bit....


So now you're trying to change me?:biggrinjester:

[papayahed]

Next question: Why can't a girl don a pretty dress and show up at the company banquet without everybody commenting?

[kasie]

Because they've forgotten you're a woman, papaya - you're just 'you', a genderless person who turns up for work every day, wears a hard hat and gets on with the job. When they see you in a posh frock, they are embarrassed to remember that you are an individual and cover their embarrassment with inane comments. Been there, done that (or had it done to me).

[papayahed]

Because they've forgotten you're a woman, papaya - you're just 'you', a genderless person who turns up for work every day, wears a hard hat and gets on with the job. When they see you in a posh frock, they are embarrassed to remember that you are an individual and cover their embarrassment with inane comments. Been there, done that (or had it done to me).

That makes sense.

So this week I had to call someone to task and he got very defensive and loud. The guy is known to be loud however this time he took it to a new level. I got loud back and told he he needed to tone it down or the conversation was over. I haven't been in that type of position since....I can't remember when I've had to do that in a work setting.

[Paulclem]

That makes sense.

So this week I had to call someone to task and he got very defensive and loud. The guy is known to be loud however this time he took it to a new level. I got loud back and told he he needed to tone it down or the conversation was over. I haven't been in that type of position since....I can't remember when I've had to do that in a work setting.

Better coming from you - from another man then the tribal male kicks in and violence ensues.

[papayahed]

Better coming from you - from another man then the tribal male kicks in and violence ensues.

Funny you should mention that. This guy has been known to be chased by other guys who want to sock him. This guy has even shown up with a black eye on occasion.

[Paulclem]

Funny you should mention that. This guy has been known to be chased by other guys who want to sock him. This guy has even shown up with a black eye on occasion.

I understand. It is the inevitable consequence of having a loudmouth around blokes.

At one place I worked I was accused of being a loudmouth, and this ended up in a fight later when we were on the town. (I was a cocky little ******* at that time, and he had a grudge). I survived because he was drunk.

At the same place I had a loudmouth harass me, which nearly led to a fight, but for the usual people jumping in. (In that case he was the cocky *******).

Blokes - what can you do?

[papayahed]

Blokes - what can you do?

I just don't understand.

The guy apologized for his behavior. He wanted me to know that it wasn't directed at me, that he was frustrated with his coworkers and I'm the one that brought it up. He told me he loved me and I said I loved him and we went on with the day.

It seems every place I work there's a guy who tells everybody he loves them. At my last place I'd be in a conversation with this guy and he'd say "I love you" and I'd say 'k and keep on with the conversation and he'd stop me, grab my arm and say No, I love you. And I'd have to say "Thank You" or "I love you too" depending on my mood then the conversation was continued. He did that to most people.

[Paulclem]

I just don't understand.

The guy apologized for his behavior. He wanted me to know that it wasn't directed at me, that he was frustrated with his coworkers and I'm the one that brought it up. He told me he loved me and I said I loved him and we went on with the day.

It seems every place I work there's a guy who tells everybody he loves them. At my last place I'd be in a conversation with this guy and he'd say "I love you" and I'd say 'k and keep on with the conversation and he'd stop me, grab my arm and say No, I love you. And I'd have to say "Thank You" or "I love you too" depending on my mood then the conversation was continued. He did that to most people.

No. I don't understand either.

Apologised for behaviour - check.
Frustrated with co-workers - check.
Told you he loved you.....er
Guy X - grabs arm and says he loves you...er...edging to exit.

[MystyrMystyry]

Explanation: Without love to any degree, the human race wouldn't have gotten anywhere. No Bronze Age, No Iron Age, No Space Age.


This morning I've finally decided to throw the record label in. It's cost too much in time and money, and I don't love it or the sleepless nights anymore (actually not in a long time). Maybe I'll find someone to take it over, otherwise I'll just scale it down to a free occasional service.

And get back to making music, yeah...

[ClaesGefvenberg]

I understand. It is the inevitable consequence of having a loudmouth around blokes.I'm afraid you're right. It does not always have to end up with physical violence, but in that sort of situation it is very likely and there will definitely be some kind of showdown sooner or later...

...if the loudmouth is on his own, that is. The situation becomes much more complicated if he has even a few followers.

/Claes

[papayahed]

I arranged for an hourly guy to come in on his off day and help me. I made a list of tasks, presented it to the plant manager and got his ok. I went to the union chairmen and got his input on how to proceed (there are rules about how/to whom you can offer overtime). I followed his recommendations. After all that I went back to the plant manager and made sure it was ok. In short I crossed all my "i"s and dotted all my "t"s. The guy came in today and did really well.

The second best part is that the office ladies were all giving the guy the side eye and murmuring about why I have help and they don't. The best part was that he brought me Starbucks this morning.

[papayahed]

It's been a while. I've scrambled the last few weeks to submit two environmental reports to the regulatory agencies. They were both sent certified mail yesterday morning and I have a few minutes to breathe.

[Paulclem]

Now my work computer has a virus and so I had to use the anybody's computers in the Tutor room. It was a jolly time, me putting them off their prep with daft comments.

The techies have taken my computer, and four other manager's computers, away for decontaminatiion, de-weevling and a healing discombobulation. Two days they said. Still, hot desking can be fun.

[papayahed]

blech.

[papayahed]

First snake of the season was caught yesterday. Why is it that people looooooovvvveeeee killing snakes and secondly why do they loooovvveeeee even more to play with the carcass?

[Paulclem]

Blokes was it?

[papayahed]

Blokes was it?

Who else?:sosp:

[Paulclem]

Yes. Of course this is perfectly reasonable behaviour for blokes. Killing the snake = fearlessness = more manly.

Therer's very little opportunity to be fearless these days.

Handling the carcass = lack of squeamishness = more manly.

The next stage is to find out who is sqeamsh/ fearful by leaving it in other males' bags/ coats/ on desks/ lockers/ food/ hats/ shoes/ jackets etc. The person or persons can then be ridiculed and laughed at at the time, and the subject can be regularly brought up for future humiliation. They could even earn themselves a new nickname.

Then the chasing around with it begins. (See Jackass 2 and 3).

The final act is then to inflict it on the sqeamish ladies and laugh about that.

Knowledge is of course power, and so all those schooled in the buffoonery of males would have immediately gathered together their belongings and guarded them = wisdom. They may then have warned the general populace of the pranks going on and thus become a protector.

[papayahed]

Yes. Of course this is perfectly reasonable behaviour for blokes. Killing the snake = fearlessness = more manly.

Therer's very little opportunity to be fearless these days.

Handling the carcass = lack of squeamishness = more manly.

The next stage is to find out who is sqeamsh/ fearful by leaving it in other males' bags/ coats/ on desks/ lockers/ food/ hats/ shoes/ jackets etc. The person or persons can then be ridiculed and laughed at at the time, and the subject can be regularly brought up for future humiliation. They could even earn themselves a new nickname.

Then the chasing around with it begins. (See Jackass 2 and 3).

The final act is then to inflict it on the sqeamish ladies and laugh about that.

Knowledge is of course power, and so all those schooled in the buffoonery of males would have immediately gathered together their belongings and guarded them = wisdom. They may then have warned the general populace of the pranks going on and thus become a protector.


You are absolutely correct. I found out about the snake by walking to the maintenance shop and on the way seeing one of the guys trying to scare his coworkers with it.

[Paulclem]

You are absolutely correct. I found out about the snake by walking to the maintenance shop and on the way seeing one of the guys trying to scare his coworkers with it.

I used to play rugby and I witnessed this kind of jackassery a lot - though not with snakes - that happened in the army.

Once, we were on a rugby trip to play a team in Lancashire, and so we were on a coach travelling across the Penines. Some of the other lads had played with the Professional team the previous week, and, in a yawningly predictable example of establishing male dominance, the older guys had shaved their privates on the bus.

So, in a predictable continuation of this rock ape behaviour, the now shorn lads wanted to establish their domnance over us by shaving two of the quieter members of the team - me and my mate.

They were young and daft though, and assumed that it would be easy, and so they talked about it in gleeful anticipation. The simple strategy of sitting by the card table on the coach and wrapping ourselves around the legs foiled their cunning plans. They even tried to burn me off, but I was tough and could stand it.

It's just the rich tapestry of male development. Just be glad you're female. Being male often involves pain, humiliation and ridicule. We still laugh though and end up with scars and stories for posterity.

[tonywalt]

Sometimes on rugby tour, if females are present, I jump onto the nearest tree and shake the branches violently while screaming rugby songs. If any other males try to dislodge me, I scurry over to them and flail away.

I have not met any willing females yet:confused:

Our big rugby initiation was making the newbies shave their heads while we sprayed them with shaving foam-after 20 or so times it gets really unfunny. Then doing a mock trial if they committed an offence like not knowing the words to a rugby sing-song.

[papayahed]

ok so listen. I feel tainted and kinda good at the same time. I'm at another site with a coworker from a third site. Yesterday, one of the employees that work here reported that he saw one of us commit a safe infraction. I knew I didn't commit the infraction but I was still beside myself thinking that everyone else thinks I would do something like that.

When it was first brought up to the site managers one of them said "papayahed doesn't do stuff like that" so that's the good part.

The tainted part is that I still feel like I have a mark against me.


(the other coworker confessed but they did have a pretty good reason)

[Paulclem]

You're worrying too much.:D

You've got a character witness, a witness and a confession. No worries.

[papayahed]

You're worrying too much.:D

You've got a character witness, a witness and a confession. No worries.



I guess you're right.

[Paulclem]

Perhaps worrying goes with your line of work in health and safety. :D

[papayahed]

Perhaps worrying goes with your line of work in health and safety. :D

At times. Like when we do big lifts, In my head I know the area is barricade, I know we did the pre lift meeting, I know the guys were trained, but I still stand there and worry that something could go wrong.

[Paulclem]

That's normal. A less conscientious person would be unsuitable for the job.

We did a fire evacuation last Friday. It's a four storey building - our biggest - and we share it with 7 other agencies. So I had to co-ordinate them and change the way we check the building. Previously we had a complex system of registers and signing in books, and so we went for a cleared zone approach instead. I had enough anx to get the adrenaline going, and it went pretty well. It was nice to meet all the other people too.

[papayahed]

I Don't Order the Freakin' Water!!!!!! And Don't try to tell me Water is a Safety Responsibility!!!!

[papayahed]

Regulatory inspection!! No issues found.

[Calidore]

When it was first brought up to the site managers one of them said "papayahed doesn't do stuff like that" so that's the good part.

You know, I had no idea that was your real name.

[Paulclem]

My building is being visited tomorrow. I was going to go round and check everything today, but I was too busy to in the end.

Perhaps there'll be time in the afternoon. I'm teaching in the morning. I seem to be working all the time at the moment. I get a couple of weeks off at Easter though, so I shouldn't complain.

[papayahed]

You know, I had no idea that was your real name.

my parents were hippies.


My building is being visited tomorrow. I was going to go round and check everything today, but I was too busy to in the end.

Perhaps there'll be time in the afternoon. I'm teaching in the morning. I seem to be working all the time at the moment. I get a couple of weeks off at Easter though, so I shouldn't complain.

Visited? by whom?

[Paulclem]

my parents were hippies.



Visited? by whom?

By the person who does the venue assessment and who then will give me a list of stuff to put right.

The last time she said - the first floor kitchen was filthy, and I went up and thought - where?

It's better than it was though. The dead plants have gone.

[papayahed]

OK, I broke down and ordered water, but that's the last time.

[papayahed]

I have some consultants doing work for me. They are preparing documentation that I need to send to a regulatory agency. I told them back in January that we needed this paperwork quickly, after several phone calls and me hounding them I got the paperwork on wednesday (the consultant told me it would only take two weeks).

I reviewed it yesterday and it's poo. In addition to two major errors they got our company name incorrect. How do you get the name of the company you're working for incorrect??????

[Paulclem]

Time to call a coupl'a people and have them visit.

You're owed a few "favours" surely?

[papayahed]

The Sheriff's are going to be our gate attendants for Turnaround!!! How fun is this going to be?

[Scheherazade]

Like Sherriff Carter???

http://writerwoman61.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/colinferguson.jpg?w=500


Do you need someone to run your errands during the turnaround?

:smilewinkgrin:

[Helga]

of all the sheriffs in all the world, Carter works in the best town

[papayahed]

Like Sherriff Carter???

http://writerwoman61.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/colinferguson.jpg?w=500


Do you need someone to run your errands during the turnaround?

:smilewinkgrin:

Yes, however with my luck the Sheriff's will probably be closer to this:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-30uKRGO3lP4/TkLX3XNfjeI/AAAAAAAAAJg/aCbeYQ09NwU/s1600/fife.jpg




of all the sheriffs in all the world, Carter works in the best town

right?

[Paulclem]

The Sheriff's are going to be our gate attendants for Turnaround!!! How fun is this going to be?

What's a Turnaround?

[papayahed]

What's a Turnaround?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U4MaR3g-4Y&ob=av3n


:smilewinkgrin:

A turnaround is what we call our annual shutdown. The plant I work at is 24/7 with the exception of 2-3 weeks in the spring when we shutdown and do repairs/inspections/upgrades we can't do while running.

It's quite a time, we go from 30 employees to an extra 75 ~ 100 contractors onsite.

[Paulclem]

That sounds like a lot of stress potential. Do you employ dogs on herding duties?

[papayahed]

That sounds like a lot of stress potential. Do you employ dogs on herding duties?

No dogs.

Last year I saw a contractor pretend to put out a cigarette on his tongue. I told him I'd give him a dollar if he did it for real. Of course he declined. Another contractor overheard, took the cigarette, put it out on his tongue, then demanded his dollar.

Every time I saw him after that if he had a ciggy* he would put it out in the same manner and ask for a dollar. I think I paid him ~ 4 dollars over the course of the turnaround.

(* we allowed smoking in designated areas only which is the reason I was only out 4 dollars)

[Scheherazade]

of all the sheriffs in all the world, Carter works in the best townThe only place in the USA I might consider moving to...

What? They might need average Janes like me to use as test subjects or something!


Another contractor overheard, took the cigarette, put it out on his tongue, then demanded his dollar. I might consider taking up smoking just to be able to do that trick.

Though, I might demand $2.

[papayahed]

I might consider taking up smoking just to be able to do that trick.

Though, I might demand $2.

That's a little steep for me..




This morning a contractor accidently hit a control valve and shut the whole plant down. Before anybody whines the valve is about twenty feet off the ground and the guy had to knock it pretty hard to trip it.

[Paulclem]

Was he a very tall chap?

[papayahed]

Was he a very tall chap?

No, sorry the contractors were building scaffolding and were passing board up when they hit the valve.

[MystyrMystyry]

So did you all go out and celebrate?

[papayahed]

So did you all go out and celebrate?


erm, No.

[papayahed]

Turnaround Day 15

I'm pooped. This is the first time in 15 days I've been able to sit in my office for longer then 20 minutes at a stretch.

Finally getting a chance to catch up on non shutdown activities. It seems I missed a star wars weekend here on the forum.

[papayahed]

Favorite moments of Turnaround 2012:

The contractors taking pictures of themselves in acid suits.

Having one of my favorite contractors back onsite.

The rescue team being onsite. When they weren't busy monitoring confined spaces they were hunting for brick/wood scrapes to take home, killing snakes, and feeding me little debbie snack cakes.

[papayahed]

The man is trying to keep me down. I was asked to be on a reality TV show and I said no. One of those wild life shows want to film wild hogs being captured on our property.

[Paulclem]

The man is trying to keep me down. I was asked to be on a reality TV show and I said no. One of those wild life shows want to film wild hogs being captured on our property.

It could have been your big break.

[papayahed]

It could have been your big break.


I coulda been an adopted Kardashian!!

[qimissung]

I can not believe you didn't want to do that, papaya, lol!

[Paulclem]

I coulda been an adopted Kardashian!!

I didn't get it, but then I looked it up.

I thought at first they would be a species from a Star Trek series. Perhaps they were.

[papayahed]

I thought at first they would be a species from a Star Trek series. Perhaps they were.

They probably are not from this world.


qimi - Even if I wanted to the company would more then likely said no.

[papayahed]

A coworker called me "baby girl" over the radio today. Ugh, that makes me crazy.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

A coworker called me "baby girl" over the radio today. Ugh, that makes me crazy.Well.... When I was 30 my coworkers called me "old man". since then, I have gone to another employer where the mean age is considerably higher, and now at 52 some people call me "lad". Perhaps I am crazy but I am actually :rofl: about that.

/Claes

[papayahed]

Well.... When I was 30 my coworkers called me "old man". since then, I have gone to another employer where the mean age is considerably higher, and now at 52 some people call me "lad". Perhaps I am crazy but I am actually :rofl: about that.

/Claes


Don't get me wrong, I don't mind nicknames. It's not the age thing that bugs me, it's the "baby" connotation. As in "It's ok baby, don't worry your pretty little head over this, let the big strong men take care of things". Like the song says:

"No, my first name aint baby, It's Papayahed"

It's wrapped up in that big ball of weirdness and egos when working in a predominately male field.

[Helga]

I didn't get it, but then I looked it up.

I thought at first they would be a species from a Star Trek series. Perhaps they were.

I actually thought so too when I first heard about them and I wanted to look smart and say 'hey you spelled it wrong' but I am glad I looked it up before I did.

[Paulclem]

Well.... When I was 30 my coworkers called me "old man". since then, I have gone to another employer where the mean age is considerably higher, and now at 52 some people call me "lad". Perhaps I am crazy but I am actually :rofl: about that.

/Claes

I'm 48 and I still get called lad, too by the older members. I've always been called the lad or young un by someone. When I really was young, I was called "youth", which I didn't like much, but the blokes who called me it were a lot bigger than I was.

[Paulclem]

I actually thought so too when I first heard about them and I wanted to look smart and say 'hey you spelled it wrong' but I am glad I looked it up before I did.

I'm forever looking things up.

[Helga]

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind nicknames. It's not the age thing that bugs me, it's the "baby" connotation. As in "It's ok baby, don't worry your pretty little head over this, let the big strong men take care of things". Like the song says:

"No, my first name aint baby, It's Papayahed"

It's wrapped up in that big ball of weirdness and egos when working in a predominately male field.

well, I was at my favorite coffee house and my (from about 7 years ago) ex boyfriends current girlfriend (she works there) gave me my coffee and said 'here is your coffee honey' she is like 3 years younger than me and calls me honey!