Tuesday, October 16

What I learned today

I am very bad at letting things go when I know I am right. We had a bid today and I am the desinated bid runner. Let me give you a short synopsis of how the bid process works. We have subcontractors calling us and faxing us bids for their particular scope of work. We list the lowest bids and put together a total price which we then turn into the owner at the specified time. It can get pretty stressful because we often don't know what our price will be until just minutes before the time the bid is due so I am on the phone with the office, scribling our number down so we can turn it in on tine (if you are 10 seconds late at turning in a bid, it gets thrown out).
So today I was getting ready to leave for the bid and I look over the info I have to fill out and I specifically ask my dad if I need to list any subcontractors on the paperwork this time and he says No. I follow that question up with, so the only thing I need to fill out are the base bids and the alternates and he says Yes.So I am where I need to turn the bid in and I am on the phone and it goes something like this:
Dad: "Ok lets list subs"
Me: "You told me we didn't have to list subs"
Dad: "No I didn't"
Me: (This is where I start getting myself in trouble) "Yes you did, I asked you right before I left if I needed to list subs and you said no"
Dad: "Kasey this is a previaling wage project, we always list subs- you asked if you needed to list the subs before you left"
Kasey: "Well, you must have misunderstood me because I was asking if the subs needed to be listed for this bid-"
Dad: "Stop aruing with me, thats not what you asked"
Kasey: "Fine"

Obviously we were pressed for time otherwise I would have continued that argument, even though I know that it wouldn't do anybody any good I just can't let that stuff go. So I call back later, about 5 minutes before the bid (I still don't have a number and I have to not only write the numbers but also write them in words as well and there are 3 total numbers we list so I am short on time). He gives me the number, I ask him to repeat it because it was loud and I couldnt hear very well I hear him say (and he wasn't praying but definitely using it in vain towards me) "Jesus Christ" - GRRR! I kept my mouth shut this time because I still needed to write the numbers down but I was really annoyed because in fact I didn't hear him correctly and I would have turned in the wrong number had I not asked.

Well the good news is we were the low bidder so all is well that ends well but I am still annoyed. I think part of the problem also is that he is a stubborn old man and refuses to get his hearing checked even though he can't hear everything. He doesn't even hear me come in the office in the morning...hmmm do you think that might turn into misunderstandings sometimes? Obviously I also need to learn to just keep my mouth shut but that is not something I am good at doing. It isn't my fault though, I was raised that way:) Honestly ask my sister, she is the same way too but I would much rather speak up than be be some quiet, timid little thing that doesn't stand up for herself. I will have to work on the happy medium.

4 comments:

  1. You just need to have a little recorder for all your conversations with pops and then when he disputes something, you play back the recording.

    Then you can wrap it up with something like, "In your face!"

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  2. i don't believe you even have a sister. you and your lies.

    'cause your a liar. what? a liar.

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  3. Ed Ill tear your mind up, Ill burn your souuuul!

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  4. Oh and Adam, this tspe recorder is a good idea. Although it doesn't help me get over being argumentative, at least it expedites the process of proving that I am right. I prefer saying "moated" though, with the finger point of course;)

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