Initiation "rights" ...

The past four days have been rather busy. I'm confident that everything will even out over the next week or so, allowing me to adjust to the new schedule. Be that as it may, last week's training was definitely trying. For the majority of the week, two other women trained right along with me, one of whom I'd work with during the last spring season in the data entry department. I'll call her "H". Based upon past observation and interaction, I felt I had a pretty good idea about her personality - arrogant, loves to hear herself speak, and always right about every topic under the sun.

Keeping her personality traits in mind, "H" basically completed packing procedures as she saw fit, disregarding the trainee's umpteen years of experience. The other woman, "C", was rather quiet and seemed polite. I took an instant liking to her. LoL! By Friday morning, "C" was moved to her own packaging section, leaving me with "H" and another new woman, "S", to be trained. Well, "S" wasn't really "new". "S", like "H", was hired to work in data entry for the past spring season.

Once we'd completed the packaging for a job, the trainer gave me a sheet containing the specifics for the next job and asked me to give a copy to "S" in order for her to follow along. While "S" was asking about the different components of the sheet, the trainer left the area to take care of another task. Naturally, "H" began talking over me, so I clammed up. I wasn't going to compete with that whatsoever to be heard. I chose to push the cart (to hold ordered components of the job) and allow them to walk in front of me.

We were just going out on the floor when "S" and "H" suddenly stopped. "H" was explaining what could be possibly picked up in the first section. It was clear she wasn't going to take a breath anytime soon, so I simply stood there with the appearance of relaxation on my face (trying to do so anyway possible - LoL!). I happened to glance to my right, noticing the supervisor and our trainer standing close. I looked the supervisor in the eye, noting her expression with a slight tilt of my head, then grinned at her and our trainer. The supervisor's initial expression appeared to be one of irritation and/or frustration. She made a comment which cemented my perception for she stated, "Something tells me you're a very patient person." I simply grinned, winked, and asked, "Who me?" The trainer then added, "She sure seems to be. And she's quiet, too." All the while, she was chuckling and smiling. Those two ladies had no idea what they did for me at that moment. I've always been hesitant to divulge personal perceptions of different people, primarily due to the fact that it would come back in my face when I acted upon it in the past. To no avail, others would still get hurt by the shady character I'd forewarned them about. The connection I felt with the supervisor and trainer was reassuring/validating that I wasn't "off track" in terms of perception.

When "H" finally came up for air and moved enough that I could maneuver the cart around, I shot ahead to get what was next on the list. LoL! After standing still for so long, my feet began to ache, so it felt good to sprint a bit - well, maybe more like a spring than a sprint. I could hear "H" behind me, once again she was telling "S" about where other items were located. To me, she sounded like a tour guide. I simply kept going, moving on to the next section. After about a total of four stops, I waited at the end of the aisle with the cart and talked with a lady I knew from data entry as "S" and "H" walked down a narrow section to gather the next job component. Since "S" was going through training as such, I felt all that I could do was just allow "H" to knock herself out. I simply stood back and minded my business, only stepping up if it was asked of me.

Once we returned to our training area, it felt as if gathering the components of the job had taken an hour to complete. Our trainer left early for the day due to a family matter, so we were left to complete the packaging on our own.

After sorting the components, packaging began. Everything was fine, settling into my spot to complete my task. For the longest, it was quiet and I was comfortable. Yep, there's an "until" coming up. LoL! I had completed 95% of my task when "H" came over to my section, asking, "How we doing?" Before I could even respond, she moved nearly everything in my area around. She began doing my task. I'm standing there, thinking "what the @#$%". Keeping my composure, I simply moved the rest of the task near her and sat down. If she wanted to do the job, so be it. She had "S" come over where we were. Once again, "H" began lecturing. I kept thinking, "This is training, so you won't be working in the same packaging area with "H" after this week." That thought definitely kept me calm. LoL! I doubt she would have pulled that stunt if the trainer hadn't left early.

As "H" was finishing up my task, she began to cough. As a former smoker, I don't have room to talk, so I sure won't open my mouth when the topic concerns smoking. I know "H" smokes. She smoked during the spring season while she was pregnant. The first time I saw her as such, my chin dropped. Other people in the data entry department saw her smoking at that time as well. She didn't make a favorable impression from what I observed. She might as well be placing a gun to her abdomen and pulling the trigger. That baby didn't have a choice in the matter. Knowing that is upsetting. It's hard to fathom how a parent could do that to an unborn child. She'll be lucky if the baby doesn't have a disability.

Anyway, "S" asked her if she was a smoker. "H" replied with, "Everyone always asks me that and that's not why I'm coughing. Yes, I smoke and have done so since I was 9 years old." Despite her argument that she came down with a cold within the past month, she clearly has a smoker's cough. "H" went on to say she had written a thesis about smoking during her senior year of college and how the impact of her statement upset a few students. She was attempting to make the point to us that if a person is predisposed to have an illness and they quit smoking, the illness will worsen. I kept my mouth shut for two reasons. The first reason is due to knowing she couldn't have written a thesis. That's doctoral level material and she clearly doesn't have it. She's in her early 20's and it does take awhile to work on a doctoral degree, so it's simply not possible. I can't see someone with a Ph.D. working in a packaging department either. The second reason is that, like many others who have quit, I, too, can breathe much better and don't suffer from chronic coughing fits anymore. Clearly, this woman is nothing but a pathological liar.


Source: WikiAnswers - How can you tell if someone is a pathological liar -
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_can_you_tell_if_someone_is_a_pathological_liar

Pathological liars, or "mythomaniacs," may be suffering from histrionic personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder. The following comments basically reflect a pathological liar who has the characteristics of histrionic personality disorder.

Some characteristics:

1. Exaggerates things that are ridiculous.

2. One-upping. Whatever you do, this person can do it better. You will never top them in their own mind, because they have a concerted need to be better than everyone else. This also applies to being right. If you try to confront an individual like this, no matter how lovingly and well-intentioned you might be - this will probably not be effective. It's threatening their fantasy of themselves, so they would rather argue with you and bring out the sharp knives than admit that there's anything wrong with them.

3. They "construct" a reality around themselves. They don't value the truth, especially if they don't see it as hurting anyone. If you call them on a lie and they are backed into a corner, they will act very defensively and say ugly things (most likely but depends on personality), but they may eventually start to act like, "Well, what's the difference? You're making a big deal out of nothing!" (again, to refocus the conversation to your wrongdoing instead of theirs).

4. Because these people don't value honesty, a lot of times they will not value loyalty. So watch what you tell them. They will not only tell others, but they will embellish to make you look worse. Their loyalty is fleeting, and because they are insecure people, they will find solace in confiding to whomever is in their favor at the moment.

5. They may be somewhat of a hypochondriac. This can come in especially useful when caught in a lie, for example, they can claim that they have been sick, or that there's some mysteriously "illness" that has them all stressed out. It's another excuse tool for their behavior.

6. Obviously, they will contradict what they say. This will become very clear over time. They usually aren't smart enough to keep track of so many lies (who would be?).