Trouble In Paradise... Solutions... Chapter 4,666

Well, we didn't get even 24 Hours into the New Year before one of the Problem Vendors at the Antique Mall began being Drama and a Headache by filing a petty, and of coarse Anonymous, frivolous Complaint and Grievance about something in our Locked Case.   Now, ain't that a Bitch?!  *LOL*  Said Merch has been Displayed that way for about 18 Months now, and never been a Problem before.  But SUDDENLY this Vendor finds it Problematic enuf to ask Management to have us do something about it.  *Eye Roll and Resting Bitch Face*  I asked Management to do it on my behalf, since I'm still Recovering and don't want or need Drama and a Headache, so, just take care of it FOR me, will ya?  You have my consent, it's some bullshit, you and I both know it, but... whatever... I don't Care.  They agreed to, Problem Solved.  Moving On...  Which is what I would have preferred to just do... Keep it Simple, Short and Sweet...

But, then the Manager calls me immediately and asks if there's a Problem?  He doesn't want a Problem with or for me you see, it makes him Nervous, he knows how I am and claims he Needs me back to Work as soon as I'm Recovered.  *Winks*  I respond, No, I don't have any Problem, but clearly another Vendor does and is causing unnecessary Drama and a Headache for me.  About something that nothing has ever been Complained about in the 18 Months it's been there like that, until Now, how Curious and Interesting, huh?   And you KNOW how I Feel about folks causing me Trouble or Problems, Steven, and right now I don't NEED Problems or Problem People in my Orbit, so I Trust you'll handle it for me too?  Coz I'm trying to Recover from a very Serious Health Issue and if you don't want my Recovery to take longer and be prolonged, complicated or protracted, handle this, you're in Charge Kimosabe.  It's what he gets Paid the Big Bucks for after all, so, not REALLY MY Problem to hafta Squash and Solve. 

Then, I told him alleged Problem THEY have has now been amicably Resolved, I handled it and I complied THIS TIME.  So, I just want to make it known with the utmost Clarity, I don't want any more Problems with whoever this Anonymous Complainer is, Capisce?  He understands.  I Solved The Problem this time, I Trust he'll take it from here... *Winks*  We all know who the Problem Vendors are, for a long time none of them has dared stray into my Lane, becoz I'm a Problem Solver.  *Smiles*  If you Stray into my Lane, you'll be Dealt with immediately, let us just say, so stay in your own Lane Darlin'.  *LOL*  The Son said, well, they know you just had a Stroke Mom, so perhaps they foolishly think they're feeling bold enuf not to stay in their own Lane?  Yep, my Thoughts exactly, a VERY Foolish Mistake on their part to ever underestimate me or make me an Adversary.   To do so is at your own peril, I'm very Solutions oriented and Dark Dawn LOVES to come out to Play if Invited.  Great Sport and I Play to Win and demolish an Opponent.  *Smiles and Snicker*

Tho' Management won't Finger them to protect their Identity and risk Escalation and Retaliation, I know someone will throw whoever it is under the Bus and identify them.  I got a lotta Friends there, I already gleaned some intel in fact.  Step into and Test my Waters and you best be a very Strong Swimmer or risk Drowning.  *Winks*  I just loathe Problematic People, they're a Pain in the Ass that nobody needs to Deal with, ever, no exceptions.  They project outwards the Miserable Hot Mess I guess they are within and constantly create Trouble and Chaos in their wake.  I have a strong suspicion of who this is and Princess T immediately Called it when she knew what the Call about our Case was about too.   This Old Woman has been a huge Problem Child for a long time, Years in fact, she's made a lotta Enemies.  But IF our Spidey Senses are correct, Management hesitates to Deal with her coz she Rents a lot of Real Estate and they Kowtow to that.    The Plot thickens... tho' it needn't have... if Wiser Men prevailed...

But, I also heard rumors she's having Financial issues and desperate to reduce her overhead costs and try to eliminate any competition with shit stirring underhanded tactics.   So, pretty sure Management also is worried she's in over her Head with her Overhead Costs and mebbe owes them Money for Back Rent?  Desperate People do and say Desperate things, just sayin'.  They compromise themselves.  And getting in over her Head with me too would be Self Sabotaging.  I'd be more surprised if it's not her actually.  She's been on Thin Ice with me a long time now, coz she's also a Thief that shits where she eats.   So, if she goes Down, she's had it coming a long time and her Bad Karma is catching up with her.  As Karma does.  Other than that one pesky minor Annoyance, everything is Swell and Management assured me there will be no more Drama or Headaches.  Good.  That's my expectation.  Let's not start 2025 with a War someone else started, shall we, unless it's a Hill they wanna Die on? *Smiles*

Princess T and The Son are also having New Year's Troubles at their Paid Work too, due to masses of Co-Workers quitting at the end of 2024 and the Positions not being filled.  So, all that Work is just being spread around and overwhelming whose left, coz the Understaffing and Overwork is at Critical Mass now, so Morale, Quality Control and Production suffers and sucks.  Typical.  It's the New American Way of doing Business and it's having blowback and consequences these days.  They each Consulted with me on what to say and how to say it, they know how I use Leverage to my Advantage all the time and been in The Game a long time, so, I'm what they call a Seasoned Player.  *LOL*   I know both of them have considerable Leverage and Value, in that they're exceptional Employees who Add Value and are very, very difficult to find these days or replace with just a Single Worker.  I Taught mine how to be Invaluable and an Asset to any Employer, thus, building Leverage to use when you need or have to exert it in your Favor.  And Favor ain't Fair, it's just Favor.

The Son had his Employers BEG him to come back after Foolishly laying him off for less than a Fortnight, they knew and discovered they'd shit the Bed.   He does the Work of about Five People, no hyperbole, he's just that good at anything he does and shows out constantly.  It's his usual State of Being, he doesn't know how to Be any other way.  He'd Consulted me then and I told him how to Negotiate his best Terms to agree to come back.  But, I knew the Internal Posturing and Politics were above his Pay Grade and made him realize, Son, it's their Ship, they'll either Sail it or Sink it, NOT YOUR Problem, but keep Playing YOUR Best Hand before the Shop becomes The Titanic.  Get yours while there's still some left, I did it when the Banking Industry was Going Down and in Crisis.  Very Profitable and lotsa Leverage to be the Clean Up Person.  I'll be the Fixer any day, but it'll Cost ya... and Dearly... to mop up your Messes.  My Clean Up Crew too... they know having my Leadership and being on my Team, means they get a good Cut of the Action...  And show Appreciation in my Paycheck, coz Words ain't never Fed my Family.  Make it Rain.  *Winks*

  But, you don't have to be an Asshole to drive Home your Point to Upper Management.  You can tactfully, skillfully and Diplomatically make some Observations and Suggestions to Problem Solve and offer Solutions so their Iceberg Moment is avoided or delayed.  Then dump it all in their Laps.  It's HOW you do it that will be Key.  With The Son's Autism his Filter is absent and he's Aware of that, so he needs Coaching on Diplomacy and how best to use Leverage he's Earned and Words/Tone to use to his Advantage and not to his Detriment.  Princess T is just Inexperienced, First Paid Job, but, she's a Quick Study and a Chip Off The Ole' Block here.  *Winks*  She absorbs Mentoring and reminds me of myself at her Age.  I always picked the Oldest most Experienced Mentor and had them School me and get a Free Priceless Education, they became Best of Friends along the way.  They Greased a lot of Track and Traction for me, so I only hadda do half the Work of a Meteoric Rise when I'm their Prodigy... and they're generously Passing The Mantle, taking me under their Wing.

   I absorbed ALL their vast Years of Experience and Knowledge, which is usually an Education you can't even Buy at the Best Universities that I couldn't afford.   It Served me well and I rose to the Top Of My Game quickly, even quicker than those with more Degrees than a Thermometer.   I  Cultivated Contacts and knew who was a Power Player to Partner with and who was a Landmine to just navigate around or let blow themselves up.   Some folks aren't worth Finessing becoz they add no Value.   Whatever the Corporate Game is, Learn to Play it better than the other Players.   Those who Add Value will Notice and the Rewards are typically ample and prosperous, better to be Looked Over than Overlooked, my Dear Ole' Mom always Schooled me on.  You don't have to Kiss anyone's Ass if you become a Person who Adds Value, coz it's all about the Money or the Rise in the Ranks within the Corporate Grind.  You'll never eliminate the Posturing and Politics, but you can sidestep much of it for others to Deal with and Stress Out on instead.   Delegate the Stress.  *Snicker* 

It's all quite Transactional, everyone having their Price and not necessarily getting what they Deserve, but, what they Successfully Negotiate or how much Favor and Privilege they're afforded.   Which, doesn't make it Right, but I don't make the Rules and didn't Invent The Game.  And, it's never been a level Playing Field, ever.  If you're a Female, or a Marginalized Group, or not Independently Wealthy, you will Learn to just be an exceptional Player of The Game to get ahead and get yours.   Coz it's Obscenely Wealthy One Percenters, mostly Male, White dominance, who are in Charge of just about all The Games and all the Players.  Until that Demographic has a major shift, which is highly unlikely, it is what it just is and has been for too long.  If you're not in The Game, you're on The Bench or the Bleachers, and that rarely Pays Dividends to just be a Spectator or a Player not Playing.   I Retired from The Game, but, I like to still make Observations of what Games are currently being Played.  Sometimes I dust myself off and get back in to see if I still Got It or not, just for Fun, shits and Giggles?  *LOL*  You OG's know what I'm talking about, Right?  *Winks*

  You don't have to Play anymore, which is quite Liberating in and of itself.  I don't like Games, but I do like Playing... and Winning... if it Serves me Well enuf to engage.  If it doesn't, well, I'd just sit that one out and merely be Entertained.  Or stay in Retirement, which, ain't a bad Space to Hold, once you have some Legacy you left in whatever capacity you Played and are Respected. *Winks*   You don't have to be The GOAT, just have developed a Reputation that precedes you and is Respected or Feared, either one will do just Fine.  *Winks*   My Dear Ole' Dad Schooled me that some folk will NEVER Respect you, so have them Learn to FEAR you instead, it'll do you just Fine.  And, it does.   I got a fair amount of Scalps I've Taken in my Corporate Lives.   More decided to be on my Team, beneficial to us all then.  *Winks*  Dad's tactic was to have them never see you coming and fight you all day long without ever seeing you, Old School Apache Style.  And you'd fight an Apache all day long and never see one.

 If the Battle can't be Won right then, disengage, bide your Time for your Advantage, coz the War is only over when you say so or when someone Surrenders.  I don't do White Flags or Bow Down to any Man.   The very best Advantage you can ever have is for an Adversary to underestimate you and overestimate themselves and their Position.   To overpromise and underdeliver is always Problematic, so, just switch it around.   If expectations are low then the Advantage is still yours for the taking.   I know my Kiddos will go for the Throat when it's exposed and if and when someone needs to be just Taken Out and won't be in the way.   Lead, Follow or get the Hell out of my way, I don't need anyone messing with my Money and fucking things up for me by being an Obstruction, to where they compromise our Livelihood.   I'll be Chill and Nice until YOU give me a Reason NOT to be.  But don't Test my Waters.  On the Surface it might look Calm, but once you dive in and get in over your Head, it ain't.  But, Fools rush in...

  If it's You or Them, make sure it's Them that Goes Down.   The Man always said in War it wasn't his Job to Die for his Country, it was his Job to make the other Guy Die for his.  He's cut from the same Cloth that way as us.  *Smiles*  Whose A Problem, here's how you take them Down.   I may have 99 Problems, but you won't be One of them.  *Winks*    Anyway, seems a lot began the New Year problematically already, which was quicker than I thought things might take a downturn once it was 2025.  I think it's gonna be a Year with a lot to unpack and process.   I'd of began it better, and differently, if it were all up to me, yet, here we already are.  *Bwahahaha*   An early Neg Post about Peopling out there in Public, which becomes ever so much more unpredictable these days, no matter how Chill you are and prefer avoiding Conflict.  *Le Sigh, but, Oh Well...*

The Son had to leave even Crazy earlier than usual, Assigned Under Protest to a Special Project he no longer is even in the Department of, he's not Painting anymore and was moved elsewhere after returning.  Which is Why he was Wound Up tighter than a 7-Day Clock last Night and Soliciting my Advice and Wisdom.   Apparently all the New Painters they Hired after they Laid Off all the Seasoned Workers, have no real Experience and don't know how to Prep nor Service their Equipment!  So, they asked The Son, who is the only Re-Hire they did of any Experienced Workers they'd Laid Off, if he'd come in and Prep their Stations FOR them and Service the Equipment that had broken down.  He reminded them, you know I don't Paint anymore and you Moved me, Right?  And that's an Important part of their Job and Position, so, Training them how to DO the Job THEY were Hired for is Muy Importante.  *Winks*  He'll get Overtime, but, he doesn't Care.  To be the Fixer... and depended on to Bail Out Messes... he wants mo Money and to sidestep being thrown under any more Buses either!!!  *Winks*

He already had to do something a Newbie had not even tried to do, or didn't know he was supposed to even do on the Regular, that had piled up and thus halted Production.   The Son did it, without being told, since everything came to a grinding Halt and the New Guy was Clueless.   After he Solved said Problem he just walked up to Upper Management and said, "You're Welcome..." and walked off... no more Words necessary.   So, they got a Cluster Fuck going on and he's not sure he wants to stay, so, they're on Thin Ice, and I can tell he's not been back long, but, it's more of the Same and Management is either impotent to make the necessary adjustments and changes, or incompetent, mebbe even indifferent to?  Not the best way to run a Business... but then again, look at how we're choosing to run our Country in 2025... I have No Words... really.  It will Play Out as it just will when whoever is Leading ain't up to the Job and surrounds themselves with other Losers, Grifters and Saboteurs.   And lately those Clowns seem to be everywhere... the Circus is mos def in Town...

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Happy New Year... it's gonna be a Trip... I can tell already... Bwahahahahaha... Dawn... The Bohemian