Let's get fiscal

So it's been a long time since I've written about my work - at least anything slightly funny about work.

I'd have to go back and look in the archives to see if I've mentioned it before, but Lance (the guy who used to be my co-worker and then became my boss) has a problem.

One that is pretty detrimental to being a good manager.

He gets his words confused.  Big time.

Like, almost a year ago, when they told us that we were going to be working out of a different building (another one that our company owns), he told us we were going to be working for AT&T.  The part of our company has two of those letters, but not all three...  you can imagine our confusion.

There is a guy in our company who's name is kind of like Calvin Coolidge.  He calls him Kelvin Kingston.  No one knows why.

We have a lady in our company who's name is kind of like Anne Botros.  He calls her Amy Billings.

It's like he can't hear people's names - and he doesn't retain the information.  It's as if he just can't hear the difference between the words.  Clarkson becomes Clarkston.  Alan becomes Adam.  Peaktronics becomes PeakLAtronics.  Pueblo becomes Pleblo.    It's SO weird.  And confusing.

But in this morning's meeting, he started talking about last month's numbers - which was our fiscal month #11 (our fiscal year ends this month).

And he kept saying, "In FY 11, we did X amount of business."  Since our fiscal year for 2011 hasn't started yet, we were a bit confused.  And then he says, "Sorry...I meant in physical month 11..." Which ALSO doesn't make sense - because WHAT is a physical month?

So he's going to our main headquarters today - to give a presentation.  And I know that last month's numbers are going to come up.  So I went into his office and asked him a few questions - ones that he answered with the same mistakes as earlier.

I said, "I think you mean fiscal instead of physical." 

He smiled and said "Physical."

Me: "Fiscal."

Him: "Physical."

Me: "It's spelled F-I-S-C-A-L."

Him: "Okay." (He is not a good speller)

Me: "You might want to learn the difference between the two words."

Him: "Can't I just explain last month's numbers as FY 11?"

Me: "No.  The FISCAL year 2011 hasn't started yet.  That starts October 1st. The abbreviation "FY" means fiscal year. So no...describing last month's numbers as FY 11 doesn't make sense."

Him: "Well, how am I supposed to talk about last month's numbers?"

Me: "Just say 'last month's numbers'."

Him: "Okay."

(sigh)

THAT is the guy who manages this whole place.  Nice guy.  Really.  Just not someone that I can really learn from, you know?