Maybe YOU are the problem…

So my darling husband just called me regarding a whole bunch of b.s. that is just ridiculous!  And I can’t help but think that it’s not anybody else’s problem but his own.  I have to write this out because I have to vent.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love Jacob.  I can get along with him great.  Other people can get along with him for the most part as well.  BUT when it comes to his working relationships, something is ALWAYS wrong.  I can’t think of a single job that he has had since we’ve been together where it hasn’t ended up with the end result of "they don’t like me" or "they’re out to get me".  Every single job has been the same.

So he just got this job back in September after being let go from his last job due to "his lack of ability to follow simple instructions".  Luckily he was hired on right away at a different landscaping company who actually gave him a chance by starting him out as a landscape foreman.  This first 90 days he has been training.  Part of the problem is that his supervisor refused to speak to him in English, so I can see where that would be frustrating like no other.  But I also no that Jacob doesn’t like to be told what to do.  He has issues with starting out on the bottom and working his way up.  I try to tell him that unless you have an educational background that allows you to jump ahead of the crowd or an extensive management background, that is where you are going to start out.  Well that’s just not good enough for him.  He is always wanting to jump the gun to become the one in charge.

Well I guess his supervisor has been telling another worker what the daily routes are going to consist of because the other guy speaks Spanish whereas Jacob doesn’t.  I personally feel that it’s a bunch of bullshit that they gave Jacob a "study guide" of Spanish words and phrases that he was recommended to learn instead of giving the Spanish workers an ENGLISH guide so that they can learn ENGLISH.  I know that the U.S. doesn’t have a declared language, but part of the problem at the last two of Jacob’s jobs have been the language barrier between him and the the Spanish workers.  With that said, I also know how stubborn Jacob is, so I’m pretty sure that he adds his own spin on the situations as well.

So yesterday, he is talking to his supervisor about something or other and there was a misunderstanding which ended up with the supervisor saying to Jacob, "Maybe this job isn’t for you."  Great.  I could already see where this was going to end up going.  Low and behold, Jacob was called into a meeting with his supervisor and both of their boss this afternoon.  They then proceeded to write him up for something (he didn’t give me enough details for me to figure out what exactly he was written up for), and he has now been demoted from Landscape Foreman to laborer.  I asked him if he got a copy of the write up because I want to see it.  He tried to say that he was written up because he doesn’t speak Spanish.  IF that’s the case, then there is no way that this write-up would really be able to fly.  BUT once again, Jacob will put a spin on things and make it out to be anybody’s fault but his own.

After five years of the same thing at EVERY SINGLE job, I can’t help but think that maybe JUST maybe, he needs to stop pointing the finger at other people and maybe JUST maybe reexamine where the problems really generate from.  The common denominator at every single one of these jobs is only one thing and that is Jacob.  The problem is… how does he fix it?  How do I even TELL him that he needs to fix it?

As far as tonight, I told him that maybe it would be best if he went and did his own thing while I stay home and relax.  I could tell just from our phone conversation that we were already going to be butting heads a bit.  *SIGH*

Hopefully this quick venting session will help.  For the time being though, I have to go to a meeting.

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November 7, 2009

” I can’t think of a single job that he has had since we’ve been together where it hasn’t ended up with the end result of “they don’t like me” or “they’re out to get me” Well, the explanation lives in the quote. “”his lack of ability to follow simple instructions” I HOPE this isn’t a sine qua non, or else 93% of my students during the last 15 years will never get a job! “Jacob will put a spin on things and make it out to be anybody’s fault but his own.” Then there’s only one place for him to go—politics!

November 7, 2009

RYN: You may send my word to whomever you please. I have no shame.

November 7, 2009

RYN: If you point me to the note in question, I’ll try to make it private or delete it.