Just Venting..

Landed myself a new job a few weeks back programming and developing websites. I like my bosses, heck, there are only three of us in the office but recently they've just been arrogant towards me.

Okay, they are Cornell graduates, are intelligent people no doubt but we just live in two different worlds. Boss#2's family used to own half of Cape Cod, Boss#1 is the son of a lawyer.. both gents are high society type people (they're 25 and 26 respectively). They talk about foods, and wine and jazz all this stuff that I frankly have no interest in and as such I have no clue wtf they're on about half the time. I don't drink (medical reasons), don't like steaks, hate fish and listen to Heavy Metal. Completey opposite I swear.

I'm not an idiot by any means. Not tootin' my own horn anything but I have a BS in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience. I have a 141 IQ, taught myself everything I know about computers (with the exception of being enrolled in a web dev program at ITT since Nov 04 ); I even taught myself how to program in ASP and VB.NET. (not saying I am the best at it or anything, but not everyone can say they know anything about programming)

Well, I'm sitting here doing some research on potential target sites and I run across a site that is just not contained well.. ie.too much white space. I may not be the best "from scratch" designer but as the son of a desiger who was among the best in the country, I did learn a few things and white space is bad when it's not contained properly. ANY solid color is bad when not contained properly and some colors just don't belong on the web in large quantities unless they have something else to balance it.. i.e (RED).

Any way, I felt like I was getting talked down to when I started to talk to them about perception and how focus floats when there's lots of whitespace and I got the comment "Well, I guess that's why you're a programmer and not a designer" and it rubbed me a bit. I may not be a designer but I know design. I can tell if you if something is a good design or not rather quickly. So my response was, that this was all part of human perception.. and he started spouting off design methodology and was like "when you get a degree in psychology, then we'll talk.. " I got a little fed up with this superior attitude that's been floating around. I needed to let them know that this part of knowlege was my playground.

Maybe it's my own fault though, maybe I tried to hard to fit in and by doing so I gave them the percieved attitude that they are superior to me. I don't know their system yet and I ask a lot of questions. Boss#1 has worked on his own and I've worked on my own for so long that when boss#1 tries to explain something to me it doesn't always sink in because he has a different slang vocabulary for things so I'm trying to pick that up.

I knew it was going to be difficult to work for two guys who are 5 years my junior , are best friends and have a successful small business.. I admit, I am very much a geeks geek; but I don't like being treated like I'm an idiot because I don't have the same background as "you".

-/end rant/-

 

I despise those types of people. Probably when they get to know you better they'll incude you to be "among" them. if not, I would get the hell out of there ASAP! (if possible)

 

Hey Kodo...sorry to hear you are having a few teething problems with the new place.

I guess these guys have their feet firmly under their own table and feel challenged by the new (and older) guy having an opinion different to their own. Thing is, it takes everyone within a busienss to make it work. Without each person the whole place goes to ruin, and that includes the sanitary workers and the clerical staff too. Everyone is important, and no-one is more important than another. Take any of the spokes out of a wheel and it will sooner or later collapse and not function as a wheel should.

You obviously know your stuff and do a great job...that's why they hired you. Just keep giving it your best and as they gradually see you are more than the average employee they will start to listen to you more and more

 

Venting is good, or what I do is write it down and THROW It AWAY later. If your never goin to fit in. Just be there when they need you, a good employee like your self is needed. Someone has to do the WORK. And there's nothing you can't do but NOTHING.

 

ROFL @ title...was that you Kodo or MA? Ya both nutters

*wanders off singing "I gotta title!" *

 

ok, the thing that gets me laughing is the other day boss#2 crawled UNDER his desk.. that's right. UNDER his desk and took a nap.. I walked out and was like wth are you doing? he says "I'm taking a nap".. now, I'm not an anal person , and ya know, it's his business so I giggled and walked away and asked boss#2 what I needed to have answered. I certainly don't think that was professional of him one bit.. and when I have nothing to do, I read my news sites or my books yet boss #2 will "make up a reason" to go into boss#1's office and he'll peek in and make sure I'm doing something.. It's my lunch hour you little shit.. is all I have to say about that.. lol

 

Sounds like boss#2 doesn't have enough to do.

 

give it time, you're just the new kid on the block to them. show them your stuff and I'm sure they'll come around and respect you!

 

Those guys all ready have money, “born with the silver spoon”…..and didn’t they hire you, to make things work……

……sleeping under a desk,……wow, like hiding from mom when we were younger….tell him that big boys, just take a nap………

……..not much common sense between the two, is there………wobbles

 

I know.. it's gonna take some time.. I was just getting it off my chest..
Thanks for letting me yabber

 

I love white background pages with black text,with red nav bars(with some mouse move properties) on top and left and boxed contents on the right,Must also contain some black/grey material and small text and images on gifs,and links must be red text,but space must be used wisely.I am a big fan of formula1 site and microsoft sites too.
FORMULA1There are some white spaces on either sides that spoils it a bit.
Sample Microsoft Page

happens to me too.

 

MEMO From Kodos workplace:

Mr. Kodo,
If you had been a designer and not a lowly programer, you would have known why it is good to take naps under the desk. It has been proven (ask any child in kindergarten) that time with blankie and teddy can stimulate the neurons in any esspresso induced mind, and work can be more productive in the long run with a few winkies. In fact in the future we are planning on redesigning the office and each cubicle will have roll out mats and every employee will be required to take a nap after cookies and milk (served by our servants of course).

Further Kodo, don't presume that actual experience in the field of computers will get you anywhere in this office. We have the Cornell (go Big Red) diplomas, and our mommies and daddies own stuff, and you are just a know it all metal freak who is lucky to have a paycheck. We actually like to talk about sailboats and how much gas milage our BMWs get when cruising the coast, because that proves our superiority over you knowing that you have a dingy and a toyota corolla. Whoever has the most stuff wins, LOSER.

By the way "Boss #1" doesn't come in as much to peek at you because he has a mini camera installed in your monitor, in the sprinkler head and in the bathroom stall and can see what you are doing all the time. #2 just pops in to throw you off the trail. Yes I saw the one finger salute you just gave me...and I am not impressed.

Now, get back to work before we dock your pay. By the way what are ASP and VB Net?

Management

 

You may joke, but I read a few months ago about some independent place in NY where you could go during your lunch break and they had this very thing so you could power nap before going back to the afternoon session in your own office. Not sure they did the cookies and milk thing tho

 

The Formula 1 site is well done. It's self contained, meaning that there isn't gobs of white-space on the inside. It's all on the outside but the focus immediately moves to the center of the page where the content is. Red is good in small quantities and when it's balanced out it can look nice.

The MS site is a little less self contained, but the text takes up the entire body and breaks the white-space up so it's not blinding. Your focus is on the text which is what you're there for..to read

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

sorry to make light of your situation but it sounds like Boss #2 has been watching too much Seinfeld!... in one episode George Costanza starts taking naps under his desk... he even has Jerry's handyman Conrad come over to his office and make more headroom under the desk... lol

------------------------------------------------

[George enters]

GEORGE: Jerry, look at my eyes.

JERRY: A little less beady today.

GEORGE: Because I'm REFRESHED. I finally found a way to sleep in my office. Under the desk. I lie on my back. I tuck in the chair. I'm invisible.

JERRY: Sounds like a really cool fort.

 

I agree with Halo, give it time. You guy's will find things you have in common and in the process learn about each others personal traits.

Steve

 

Uhg, I don't envy you. Snobbery gets on my nerves, especially when you don't even have any interest, you design snob, you. I agree w/ the find a common interest suggestion. And sounds like you may have created the mess, like you said- time to switch gears. Put that psychology degree to use.

Who is your dad anyway, I'm curious.

 

Paintballing with nurses.......kinky.

Yeah, anything offsite, away from the office usually strengthen relationships at work.

Have them over for dinner Kodo, your wife might offer a little insight on these guy's.

Steve

 

While I think getting together outside of work will be effective in strengthening your at-work comraderie, I don't think I would have them over to dinner.

I know I wouldn't want to have someone in my house if I was going to be worrying about them critiquing the decor, food, wine choice etc as soon as they leave.

Just my $0.02.

 

And leave the building at lunch time. Stuff 'em. Bazza

 

...or let that cute son of yours stay up to meet them. Kids have a wonderful ability to get straight to the point of a person's character without any prompting from parents whatsoever when guests are about that you want them to be sweet and angelic infront of