Lasr year on April 1 my friend Linda wrapped up our co-worker Roger's desk with bubble wrap. It was kind of a joke because he had fallen shovelling snow and broke his elbow.She spent a couple of hours, wasted our employers supplies, but it looked hilarious!

I swear this board loses its sense of humor more and more each day. Can't imagine what the response would have been if the Dogs in Elk thread has been posted for the first time now. Instead of it being funny, the majority would tell us all how awful dogs are, elks are, people are, etc. Sad indeed

I agree with you Gardnerwannabe, and now the finger wagging will begin. The get over it and lighten up comments are to be taken with a grain of salt. Some need to get over themselves, they appear to be the high and mighty.

I think the finger wagging has already begun...

"when posts go beyond opinion and add things like "Get over it" and "People need to lighten up," these comments take the thread out of the realm of discussion and move it into argument."

Pretty arguementative and judgemental in your own right it would seem - I guess it doesn't count if you're telling everyone else off.

my point exactly.

That was predictable, Tally (although I didn't expect it from you).

BobbiD, your comments seem unusual for someone who's been at the KT for less than a month.

BobbiD, your comments seem unusual for someone who's been at the KT for less than a month.BobbiD, your comments seem unusual for someone who's been at the KT for less than a month.

This comment touches a nerve. I hate when people take an attitude that a "newbie" is supposed to hold their opinions back for some imaginary, probationary time when coming into a group be it live or online. I want people to be themselves and feel free to give their opinion. Not some drones who agree for the sake of being "accepted".

Gardnerwannabe is so right. We used to have so many witty, able to laugh at themselves, intelligent posters.

Our sweet,funny Marlen comes to mind. Today she would probably be attacked for being too political and certainly not PC enough for some of your sensitivities. Probably be relegated to posting her wonderful recipes and allowed to say little else. RIP Dear Marlen

I agree with Alisande who said BobbiD, your comments seem unusual for someone who's been at the KT for less than a month.. If we were all together in real life and BobbiD (who is a newbie posting just a handful of times) came up to us and stated Some need to get over themselves, they appear to be the high and mighty. I think most of us would be taken aback. Sorry, just my opinion.

Is that really an opinion, or are you being arguementative?

I need a playbook.

If you're talking to me, yes..that's really my opinion. It's always bugged me when newbies come in and right off the bat begin stirring up the cr*p or judging other KTers. I was disagreeing with Wildchild... but respect her opinion. I think she's been here long enough to say whatever she wants. :)

What many forget is that this is not a private forum. It is fully open to the world wide net. People can read and observe for years without posting. Just because they are newly registered doesn't make them new to the board.

When I first came to the KT I felt silly posting to others as if we were all best buds and neighbors. I limited my comments to things I had actual knowledge about. I guess it some n minds that made me a "know-it-all" because I wasn't being warm and fuzzy. As time when on and I got to "know" people better by their responses to things I said the board became more personal and in many cases warmer to me. But if someone posts something that can have an opinion or asks for specific 411 on something then all are free to post theirs on an open board. That's the way the internet works and has always worked.

If people want to make rules of who can say what and when they are granted the privilege of saying it then they need to keep to private boards. Open boards are just that. Open to all.

This post seems to have taken an odd turn. So I'll throw my thoughts into the mix.

The post-it prank didn't strike me as particularly funny but that's because my first thought would be that it was a waste of paper. Then I'd wonder how long it took to cover all those areas. Pranks don't usually appeal to me unless there's a touch of wit or whimsy - pranks, pratfalls and slapstick just don't do it. The dean obviously has a sense of humor.

Different opinions and experiences make the board a livelier place and more enjoyable for me. But I do cringe at the manner in which some differing opinions are expressed. Sometimes it's a more 'in your face' attitude than I find necessary and it seems like the comment was made just for the sake of confrontation. As for newbies- I hope they feel free to express themselves. I didn't even realize that BobbiD was new until it was pointed out because her comments sounded like a long time poster.

Welcome to the KT BobbiD - if no one has asked you yet - tell us a little about yourself. We'll always glad to add another seat at the table.

"BobbiD, your comments seem unusual for someone who's been at the KT for less than a month."

OMG I wasn't aware there were posting rules on opinions for 'newbies'.
I think the person/persons/clique in charge of distributing the new poster manual has fallen asleep at the switch.

Maybe they ran out of post it notes?

Lots of assumptions going on....

Who is to say that a "new" poster hasn't been reading for a while before even joining? The same way that, if in person, a woman might politely stand around and understand the dynamics for a bit before piping up....and if it's someone's "first" day, and they share an opinion, I say WAY TO GO! I shouted that. I love a woman with a strong opinion.

Who is to say the pranksters and cleaners aren't super productive to the point that a bit of time cleaning matters not? How much time of OUR day is wasted on the computer?

Interesting thread, I must say....

Have we given serious thought to ...

... the glue that's on post-it notes, also?

That's pretty wasteful, too, isn't it? (Unless we stick 'em back together, retreading ...

... and how much valuable time does *that* take???)!!

And where's it sourced?

Petroleum, maybe?

More trees? Yikes!

Life do have its problems, don't it?

ole joyful

How about the plastic the Postits were wrapped in? More landfill, for a prank of all things. LOL.

How much gas was used to drive to the store and back to purchase said Postits?

And this while children are starving in China. ;)

I thought it was funny:)

I've always enjoyed April Fools jokes but miss out this time around. I had a bad start to the morning with an irate customer. It pretty much set the tone for the rest of the day. LOL

I, too, am bothered that newbies should keep their opinions to themselves for a certain amount of time. Who said? Who is the KT police? Newbies...step up, spout off, and slap back if you need to. Welcome!

I think it's funny. And I think it shows wonderful office morale that the employees felt comfortable enough to do this to their boss and that he laughed it off and helped clean up the mess. Who to say those post it notes weren't recycled?

Last September, my boss put a fake dragon fly on my keyboard. It looked real. It's one of the few bugs that I have a phobia about, and because he was new, he didn't know that. To get him back, I tin foiled his office. *I* paid for the foil. Another manager helped me. I went on vacation the next day. He texted me saying he was getting me back. I texted him back reminding him about the bug. He called it even. Some of the foil is still on one of the chairs in his office.

As for who is allowed to speak up here and who isn't: this is a public board. EVERYONE has the right to speak their mind. WE don't own the board.

Id like to see a picture myself I bet that was funny..

Just for the record....I think it's funny....

My aunt that raised me told us if we couldn't say anything nice don't say anything.

Now I'm not promising that I've always stuck to it...

Anyhow....it reminded me when Denny's cousin got married they had bought a trailer home. When they got home from the honeymoon their entire trailer was full of blown up balloons. The beds were short sheeted. The toilet stool had saran wrap stretched over the stool under the seat.
They probably had a lot of work popping those balloons and cleaning them up...but they have a good sense of humor and they took lots of pictures and had a lot of good laughs.

patti

Ditto pattico - it was funny...and if you can't say anything nice, it's best not to say anything at all.

We are friends here and we shouldn't make comments that will hurt the feelings of our friends...EVER. Amen.

It's no wonder that so many are jumping ship here. I would never have believed it would come to be such a cruel place.

I thought it was a real good laugh for the office. I can imagine that happening in the office I used to work at. My Dad was a practical joker and April fools was his favorite day of the year. My brother is a standup comedian. I say we need to laugh more and judge less. The comic relief was worth whatever. If we want to get into the landfill and really get serious lets start with disposable diapers. Women have really good washers and dryers now, I had to dry diapers on the line. Just think if we were using cloth diapers.........

Marcy

I just finished reading this entire thread. Holy hell what a trainwreck it turned into.

With so much tragedy and chaos in the world today, it's important to find some levity in our lives.

I thought the joke was harmless and funny.

As someone said a while ago - "Some folks have 'way too much time on their hands!"!

If a blast here saves a kid from getting a slap across the ear - maybe rather worthwhile. As we used to say in school, "Sticks and stones'll break yer bones - but words'll never hurt ya!".

Trouble is - often they can. I do think, though, that when someone tees off on us, we should give some thought to whether or not the complaint has a measure of justification and that we should amend our ways ... or just let it roll off like water from a duck's back.

ole joyfoul

I just wanted to say I had a great time april foling ladies at my work.1st I copied a paperclip at my house 3 times. Took them to work and put in the copier. They went to an unintended person ( copier took from a different drawer ) Person at front desk looked into why a paperclip copied only on three sheets of paper...So funny.
Then I made a caramel covered onion, someone ate into it becauce it was after all is April 1st Have some people who let me have my fun at their expence...LOL

I don't think it matters if anyone thinks this is funny, but it really makes me think. People are beside themselves because some government employee used a little time to play a joke, and considered that some of their money may have been spent on post-it notes and wasted. Kind of reminds me of swatting at gnats while being over-run by elephants. Just take a look a government spending and put this into prospective.

As a civil service employee (rank and file, working in Information Technology at a state agency), I'll add this to what I've previously posted...

During former Governor Gray Davis' final year in office, the California Highway Patrol spent $14.4 million providing security to the governor and six other constitutional officers, as well as state Appeals Court and Supreme Court judges and building grounds. In 2007, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was Governor, the total was $37.6 million. I don't know how much it was in 2008 through 2010, but I'm sure it increased every year. Yes, some of the additional $23.2 million went to the other constitutional officers, judges, etc., but the vast majority of it was spent on security for "Ahnold." The state is in a big fiscal crisis, and Ahnold determined that the little people should bear the brunt of the burden. He furloughed state employees for three days each month for about a year and a half. My husband and I both work for the state, so we had about a $2,500 per month pay reduction because of the furloughs. Now we aren't furloughed, but we work one day a month without pay, so it's still over an $800 per month reduction, AND the amount taken out of our paychecks to go into our retirement plan has been increased (this is involuntary - all state employees have to pay into it).

The only point I was trying to make with my previous comments in this thread is that if what SamKaren reported had happened in a state office, the rank and file employee responsible would have been disciplined. The Governor can waste our money, but we can't.

Good for you if you think that's funny. I don't.

Imn2crafts......Did you know that plants scream? You sacrificed an onion for a prank. Think all the starving people that onion could have died for instead. The horror. The shame.

Plus the victim of your prank could have had allegy to onions. You could have killed someone. Even without an allergy maybe the victim was entering into a new relationship. Well the bad breath caused by your "harmless" prank could have sealed that deal. Maybe they would have gone on to be married and lived happily ever after. You homewrecker!

TSk TSk people simply have to think through the potential consequences of all their action when it comes to pranks.

Zero tolerance for pranks I say. That way no one gets hurt. No one laughs either but those around may mistake the laughter as being at them.

I'm serious. Be serious. Seriously. Earn you PC points today. Serious matters, laughter can hurt.

OMG! It was a JOKE, people! Ligten up a little, will you?

It's good to keep humor in our lives. Don't be so stiff...let go and enjoy yourself!

lindsay_ca said My husband and I both work for the state, so we had about a $2,500 per month pay reduction because of the furloughs

I would feel sorry for you, but my pay before taxes is LESS than the amount of money you lost during that time each month. Minus the taxes and it's way less. And we manage.

Wildchild! Love your post. So funny!

It's funny how such an innocent post has turned this way (yeah, I'm guilty of coming back. It's like a train wreck)

Glad to see that the "old timers" are still slapping around the newbies for having an opinion that doesn't agree with theirs.

Nice welcome

Put me in as harmless fun.

To the person who works for the State of California, I hope your not using the states time to make personal phone calls, making doctors appointments, talking to a mechanic or just plain chit chatting with your co-workers while your on the clock.

samkaren: One thing you MUST learn as a newbie around here, as I've learned myself, you may only post a recipe, but don't start the thread. Try to leave out any sugars, cholesterol causing agents, too much pepper or any animal organs in your recipe. You may post a reply on how to get that ugly brown ring out of the toilet but only after you've been here for 4 or more years. Just be vewy, vewy careful, there's some really nasty people on this board.

I personally thought your April Fools joke was funny. I would love to work for your boss. I doubt it cost someone $2,500 in salary or killed a whole tree.

Do take to heart the "tongue in cheekers". They make you smile.

Post lots, laugh lots and live large.

(I am a little ticked at Iowagirl....all those post-it notes with nothing written on them. Is she like me? Why write something on them when you're gonna forget where the h3ll you put the note anyway?)

Sorry everyone but I am LOL at the moment�.honestly�.how did this become such a heated topic? After reading some of the comments one of the first things I thought of was how many of us have ever doodled on paper while sitting in a boring meeting at work? Or made a quick photocopy of something important that was of personal in nature? Or as stated made a quick personal phone call? Just remember�with the stress that a lot of people are under these days it�s nice to be able to have a good chuckle. And..what about the folks were have been job hunting just hoping to find a place that can be a little lighthearted at times?
SamKaren
Your resident DJ

well I have had people at work who say I make their day with my funnies, and I make up for the really hard time they were having. ( only 50 people work where I work. The onion did go home with someone how did eat it and they knew it was an onion. Only trying to contribute to a post...So sorry the humor was not felt, not again will I tell anything...???

Imn2crafts......Wildchild was being sarcastic. She did think your pranks were funny, and was just mocking the people who can't take a joke.

"To the person who works for the State of California, I hope your [sic] not using the states [sic] time to make personal phone calls, making doctors appointments, talking to a mechanic or just plain chit chatting with your co-workers while your [sic] on the clock."

I'm much too busy each day to waste my or the state's time. The state has had a hiring freeze for quite some time -- when we lose employees (whether the employee dies, or leaves the agency), we cannot fill the position. As I've stated previously, I work in Information Technology. Our division has 40% fewer employees than it did 18 months ago. We have just as much work to do as we did before, but fewer people to do it. Therefore, each remaining employee has had to take on additional duties. Additionally, our former Governor signed Executive Orders and had his cronies put through some new laws mandating the statewide consolidation of servers and e-mail services. (You may think this will save the state money, but it won't. It will end up being more expensive because each agency is going to have to pay "big bucks" to the Technology Agency (the State CIO's agency) for them to "administer" everything.) So, the agencies have the looming deadlines to change their individual Active Directory forests to meet the new state standards.

I'm entitled to a one-hour lunch each day, but I eat my lunch at my desk while I'm working. And, no, I don't take the time to go get food - I bring my lunch every day. So that's one hour of work for which I don't get paid; and I don't leave work until at least 30 minutes after my workday is over. It's more important to me to get the work done so the end users (the agency's employees) can do what they need to do. (I am a Domain Admin and Active Directory Administrator.)

debbie_ab said, "I would feel sorry for you, but my pay before taxes is LESS than the amount of money you lost during that time each month. Minus the taxes and it's way less. And we manage."

I never said, or implied, that my husband and I "didn't manage" during the pay reduction. I also didn't say that the $2,500 was net pay. It was gross pay. Even with the pay reduction, our combined gross monthly salaries were more than the gross annual salary for many folks. But people buy things - homes, vehicles, etc. - and arrange vacations, travel, etc., according to what they can afford based on their income. When you have bills due and things planned based upon that income, and then suddenly get hit with a not-insignificant income reduction, it forces you to change your lifestyle.

"furloughed state employees for three days each month for about a year and a half."

Are you kidding me? 3 days a month? You've whined about this before - do you have any comprehension what that translates into in the real world?

I know people who have been out of work since July of 2009. Let's put that into private sector terms, shall we?

Lets see - over 1 year a private sector lay off would be about 250 days a year they've been "furloughed" (5 days a week times 52 weeks less 10 holidays).

Talk to me about your woes when you've taken your hardship 36 days a year and compare it to those 250 days a private sector employee laid off from work has been "furloughed" - that would be about 7 years equivalent for you to even begin to comprehend to a private sector "furlough".

Cry me a river.

Tally, you need a refresher course in reading and comprehension. I made statements of fact. I didn't "whine." I didn't claim hardship.

I just thought of something.....

If I had done a post about:
how the government wastes the taxpayers money or
how the taxes in this country have gotten out of hand or
how the citizens of this country are burdened with the problems that have come about due to the officials we elect

This post would have been pulled immediately...instead... all I posted was a joke that happened on April 1st. Amazing how one little post can bring out the laughs for some and the claws for others.

SamKaren
your resident DJ

Have been out of town, and just catching up and saw how many posts this had, so I read it.

I just want to say that the level of vitriol is amazing. Whether you thought the OP's April fool's joke was funny has become a bi-product of a reason to bash other posters. And some of you have been pretty cruel, Tally. Oh, and obviously subtleties of the printed word don't work around here, Wildchild. Better stick to your usual upfront and personal attacks. And all this over a few comments regarding a joke that people didn't was funny. Can you say hypocrite?

Get a life, folks. If you don't like the joke, leave it alone and go on to the next post.

Lots more important things to worry about.

Did I say I think it was fuinny as heck!!!!!!!lol

Oh my goodness, over post it notes really? You guys are too funny. It's a hoot just reading this thread.........

How many April Fools do we have, here, anyway, do you figure - does anyone have a count?

ole joyful