Did you get that memo on the TPS report?

Just one more reminder of why I no longer enjoy working in customer service. As if I needed another reminder, but whatever. I quit my job at Bank of America in July after 3 years of service because I was finishing my Master's program at Austin Peay State University. During this program, I was required to complete one semester of student teaching at the middle school and high school level. I actually completed all of mine at the middle school level because of unforeseen circumstances, about which I still have nightmares, but it was still working with students. In my experience, interacting with students for 8 hours is a MILLION times better than working 1 day with cranky people and their money. Don't get me wrong, I loved my job at Bank of America, but it became wearing after a while. Somewhere between cranky customers, yelling customers, unhappy customers, and dirty old men customers who insisted on trying to stare down my shirt or ask me out on dates...my life as a teller got old.

Anyway, with that background information, we can move ahead. I loved teaching. I loved working with cranky kids, yelling kids, upset kids, and kids who probably tried to even look down my shirt a few times. It was rewarding and wonderful, and completely out of the realm of customer service. It was the greatest change and greatest feeling to know that I had found my niche.

So today, in my new job as Instructional Support Specialist II, I came to the realization that I am back in the industry of working with the public. And I also remembered exactly how little patience I have left for working with the public. It's quite funny really, and it wasn't even a big event. I've probably talked it up far too much at this point, and none of you will understand how it could possibly have worked me up to the point of writing a blog about it. But don't judge me yet.

I got to work this afternoon and there was only ONE student in the computer lab. So I take my seat, log on to my computer, and begin working on another computer that has been giving us problems with Microsoft Office. While waiting for that computer to defragment, I noticed that I had not cleaned the computers yet this week. I try to run antibacterial wipes over the keyboards, mice, and desktops at least once a week...the thought of 30 different people per class using this equipment seriously grosses me out. So I grab my wipes and begin working on the first computer in the back row. As I am cleaning, the ONE student in the computer lab keeps looking back at me to see what I am doing...I couldn't tell if she was grateful or just nosy. Turns out, she was neither. As I start on the second computer, she snaps at me, "Can you please stop using that wipe on those computers? I am terribly allergic to antibacterial wipes. *insert her shudder and loud sigh here* The thought of them just makes me sick."

Of course, I immediately stopped cleaning and told her that was fine, I would wait until she had left the room if that would make her more comfortable. As I returned to my desk, I glanced at her worksation because something looked a little out of the ordinary.

She had an antibacterial wipe that she had taken from MY supply covering the mouse she was using.

Seriously??

SERIOUSLY!?