Now I Know What DMX Was Talking About

Ya’ll gonna make me lose my mind up in here, up in here. I swear this is how I felt today and for some reason I channeled DMX. While he’s not one of my favorite rappers, not sure if its the pit bull language he speaks or that he just destoryed any potential he had. But for once I’m going to give this brotha some props. Lord knows this verse has truly helped me pass the day.

The Blacktina Chronicles started out as a blog citing my instances as a black/puerto rican woman in corportate America. This blog has evolved into me just writing about what crazy inequalities I see not just in corporate america but in every instance and how it pertains to us. Today I digress, I’m going back to my roots for this article and talk about crazy corporate america.

Bitches! The next topic on my list and yes its related to this. I don’t know if it’s because I’m originally from New York and for the past 3 years have worked in the South that I find it hard to keep my cool with some of these crazy bitches. It’s no secret that I work in technology, which trust me is no longer the creme de la creme position it was say around 10 years ago. Technology in most organizations gets shitted on and I kid you not some people think you are as close to God in making miracles. But when you don’t make these miracles there is so much Hell to pay. Not to mention your schedule and how you manage your time is something that is hardly considered. It’s do it now, as I say, or else!! And here’s the or else; yesterday I was completely busy, I had worked all weekend including staying till 10:00pm on Friday. It was the first day of new image roll out, which users are unnerved, something new is coming their way and lots of hand holding is involved. While I’m trying to do 20 things at one time, I was approaced by this girl, I wouldn’t even call her a woman, after you see what she did, you’ll know why. Well anyhoo I was approached by this girl who needed a projector for a meeting that was starting at 10:00am, the time of the approach was 9:00am. I quickly retrieved the projector and then was asked for a screen. Screens are not handled by my department which this girl knew. I told her to contact Office Services. I even checked afterwards to see if the projector worked OK and if there was anything else she needed.

Today I found there was something else she needed. She needed for me to contact Office Services instead. I found this out because she went to HR and reported me. HR contacted my boss and told him that he needed to have a talk with me about providing exceptional service. Mind you I bust my ass working all weekend. Now funny thing is everyone in my office including her knows who they have to call and for what. This girl was a former secretary who kicked, screamed and probably sucked her way in so many ways to the top. She was just a secretary 2 years ago, now she’s some Department Administrator bullshit. Now I’m not knocking the girl for being promoted but I am questioning the who the fuck does she think she is mode?? I’m not sure if I’m more irate with her for even going to HR with an issue that I didn’t get her a screen or at HR for even listening???

I would think that HR had much more pressing issues than to deal with such trivial complaints. But apparently I was mistaken. One thing I am and I’m sure many of our folks both black and latinos are is self conscious about work. We triple check, we have to be 200% better, we know the standard line, the list goes on and on. Yet one little I didn’t get up and run for you is cause to go to HR and then for HR to approach my boss. I bust my ass all weekend, actually ran the show. Made sure I came in extra early on Monday and did all I can do to touch base with my users. Yet I get reprimanded for not running and getting this girl a screen. Not once did HR tell her well 1) You suppose to get your own screen 2) Inform that I had been real busy all weekend and 3) This isn’t my job. I guess their feeling is I should be the next coming of Wonder Woman and just do everything and the one little thing I don’t know then I need a talking to.

To say I was outrage is putting it mildly. I really felt DMX or better Colin Ferguson, the man who shot up everyone on the LIRR because he had a bad day at work. Trust me I don’t feel like shooting up this chick but I swear I wish I could kick her ass!!! Give her a real Bronx beat down, maybe that’s too drastic But I do wish I could defend myself and tell her and HR off. I mean really a screen?? I guess what really gets to me is the back stabbing way of telling on me. I am so curious to know what was the conversation about, what were her feelings, how did she express them?? Did she think this little black bitch is going to do what I say, if not I’m going to make sure she’s reprimanded. Did HR say, oh yes you were totally right, Kissie should of ran and got your screen, I mean WHAT??? That’s the part that infuriates me. It’s the issue that I can’t defend myself and then why do I even have to, it’s NOT my job to get a freaking screen?!?!?!?. Isn’t my work for the past month during this rollout sufficient to document how much I’ve been doing that something as trivial as I didn’t jump high enough is even thought of!! That’s the part that really gets to me! The nerve or as my 5th grade school teacher would say “the Audacity”! She was rocking this before President Obama .

I’m trying my best to keep my cool and just know that this is another day that too shall pass. The one lesson I’m learning from this is there nothing you can ever do that would ever completely please these assholes. I would like to see them teach that in Diversity training!!! In the meantime I’m going to do my best to make sure I don’t lose my mind up in here, up in here!

You Got Served

Serving others for a living is an interesting art. It takes a certain kind of individual to take food orders and then serve them with such class and dignity. This art form usually entitles the server to a tip and at times a quite generous one. Well that all depends….. I love tipping I have no issue with giving someone a tip. But I’m a strong proponent of great service not good service but great. If service is great I’m tipping like no tomorrow but when service is horrible I wouldn’t tip a penny.

Today my family and I had an interesting time at the Original House of Pancakes in Charlotte, NC. After a grueling workout at Peak Fitness Center my husband, daughter and I were starving. I guess we were going through the Michael Phelps syndrome where you work out burn some carbs and then gorge like no tomorrow. Unfortunately we’re not Michael Phelps so I guess we most likely counteracted our workout, oh well Now getting back to the subject at hand as my family and I prepared to chop down some pecan pancakes we were greeted somewhat coldly by our waiter who I will refer to as Mr. Snotty. Mr. Snotty first greeted us by asking us for our drink order. We all agreed to start with water. He served our water and did not offer straws, which was the first eyebrow raised. Next he took our order and then served our food. Never once did he come by and refill our water and he never once came by asked us how we were doing, was the food alright, nothing. Mr. Snotty avoided us like the plague. At first I thought maybe it could be that we were funky from the gym, but trust me the answer is No. Mr. Snotty never came that close to us and although we worked out we were not funky! The other thing that got to me was Mr. Snotty’s interaction with the other customers. Mr. Snotty was no longer Mr. Snotty. He was nice and attentive to the other customers. At first I thought well maybe the other customers we’re ordering lobster pancakes or something who knows, but nope they were ordering the regular menu items. The only difference between my family and the other customers were that they were white and we’re black. OK wait, before you think I’m being sensitive – guess what Mr. Snotty was? He was Hispanic!

Being a Black Puerto Rican I know where Mr. Snotty was coming from. He was suffering from the minority superiority racism complex. The basis for this complex is when other minorities are prejudice against other minorities. To keep it real I’m just going to focus on the black and hispanic relationship. Hispanics for some reason tend to think they’re better than the morenos, the piertos, the negros, the mollos, trust me the deragotory name calling can go on and on. These terms are the equivalent of calling someone the “N” word. I don’t know what is or what they have been told. No excuse me, I do know because I am a Puerto Rican who grew up learning these terms. And had family members who told me that Piertos stink, their houses are dirty and they steal from you, there’s more to add but I just don’t have the time. These sentiments were shared by family members but fortunately not my immediate family. My father was as Afro-centric as you can get. He taught me the ignorance of our people and how hypocritical they were. The Puerto Rican rages against African-Americans yet they bang that conga and cook African slave food like no other. Yet they’ll denounce they’re African ancestry in a minute while promoting the 1% European ancestors and .5% Taino ancestor!

I don’t know which Hispanic ethnicity Mr. Snotty was but I could tell from his treatment that he thought less of me and my family. Yet he was serving us, ain’t that some shit. You are serving me yet you think we’re lesser than you. He had no idea what we were, what we’ve accomplished. All he saw was a family of mollos and for that he treated us like the gum on his shoe. All I could do was crack up. I refuse to let this man know that I too speak Spanish and have a cultural connection. All I could think of is if he has the audacity to treat us like crap then I have the right to deny this pendejo (spanish for Punk) a tip. And that’s exactly what we did. I told my husband he better not leave this man a tip. My husband the diplomat tried to reason with me but as I showed him this man’s actions he finally saw it for what is was worth. We left the restaurant without leaving a tip and felt good about it. If Mr. Snotty thought we were shit and not worthy then we’ll act unworthy of tipping.

There’s a part of us of who always wants to be perceived as right no matter how wrong the issue is. I believe tipping is one of those things where many of us excuse rudeness and attention and still tip. Guess what, we’re in a recession and I’m too grown to have someone treat my beautiful family of mollos like shit! The one good thing that came out of this is we taught our daughter a lesson, I’m sorry she had to witness this act of racism, but I rather she be aware and that was greatest tip of them all. Teaching her how to recognize inequality in any form even from your own ignorant people. With qualities like these she could never lose and for that I’m grateful to Mr. Snotty. This is one tip that will last with my daughter for a lifetime.