got English?

So last week on Wednesday evening I got an emergency request to teach a class this week in DC. The class was going to happen Tuesday or Wednesday, they weren't sure. So I told scheduling I could do Tuesday but that I was booked Wednesday.

I didn't hear anything back so I sent an email Thursday asking if I needed to change my flight (I'm flying to DC tomorrow) and asking if the class had been confirmed with the client (I can't travel without a confirmation).

So Thursday afternoon I get an email from the training coordinator that just said "Get it confirmed!" There were others cc:ed on the email so I assumed the training coordinator was asking someone else to get the class confirmed ASAP. I am supposed to receive an automatically generated confirmation when the class is "officially" confirmed (they have to enter the new status in a database so a charge code can be generated). I did not receive one so Friday I sent a final "WTF is going on with this class?" No response. Also, the only information I had about this supposed class was the teach location - no contact, no idea who the customer was, etc.

So, as I think any NORMAL person would assume, I assumed I was not teaching the class. Then I get a call at 3 PM yesterday from the customer wanting to go over logistics for the class. I politely told him I did not get a confirmation for the class and then I called scheduling. It turns out the training coordinator meant to write "got it confirmed!" The scheduler insists I should have been able to discern that. She is mad at ME.

Given the amount of classes canceled this year, the amount of last minute engagements that don't happen, not getting a formal confirmation or client information, HOW THE FUCK was I supposed to know there was a typo? Further, why didn't the training coordinator respond back to my email friday asking for clarification (she said she didn't have time to read it and just assumed it was something she could get to on Monday). They, seriously, wanted me to try to get a flight to DC last night (at this point it was 5 PM). Even if I could have gotten a flight it would have gotten in super late and then I would have had to be on site with the customer at 730 am.

A few years ago, I would have tried to make it. Now, fuck them.

The ironic part of the story is that there are two consultants in DC that could have taken the class, thus clearing up the problem, but they didn't want it.

My friend Camile says I should start taking anti-depressants. I don't think they would help.