Call me a chicken shit. Call me a scaredy cat. I don’t care. There are just some things I don’t do, or do well, and other things there is no way in hell I’ll ever do.
Sky Diving
Seriously? If it’s a perfectly good airplane and flying without issue, why on earth would I jump out of it? Also? I know someone who’s parachute collapsed before he landed and he broke both legs and an arm and now has all sorts of steel bits and pieces holding his bones together. That is not normal.
Bungee Jumping
Like sky diving I’m sure there’s a thrill with jumping off a perfectly stable bridge. But the thought of hanging by my feet bouncing around and being whipped all over the place, then depending on the mercy of someone to haul me back up, makes me crazy in the head.
Scuba Diving
I have water issues. I am terrified of swimming in deep water. If I can’t touch the bottom, forget it. Then ask me to breathe out of a tank of air and hope that nothing goes wrong when I’m not near natural air? Please. I have no doubt that the ocean or waterways are stunningly beautiful. And I am sure that there is freedom and tranquility floating around beneath the surface of the water. But I am blissfully happy to sit my ass on my sofa and watch the underwater scenes on Planet Earth on my HDTV.
Newsflash: I’m a Taurus who likes to keep her feet firmly planted on solid ground.
Hold a Snake
Snakes are gross. Slithery, smooth, creepy creatures that freak me right out. In college I lived with some friends who had a giant python. And they’d take her out to clean her cage and lay her on the floor. I would not go in the apartment if she was out. This snake didn’t move fast and it wasn’t going to eat me. But I imagined she would. I also could not be in the apartment when she was being fed. She got fed live rats. Rats that were stunned first when its head was whacked against the wall. But it was still alive and would shriek as it was dropped in the cage. So yeah, I was TOO CHICKEN SHIT to be in the apartment when the snake was fed. And I never touched her and I never held her. If someone forced me to hold a snake I’d probably bawl my eyes out.
Ask My Boss For a Raise
I am STRUGGLING with this one. I am afraid to talk to him about this. I am so severely underpaid it’s ridiculous. Like I’m not even ON the bell curve for my position on any of the job boards. My problem here is not that I don’t value myself or think I’m worth more. I know I am good and I know I deserve more. But I have such anxiety over sitting down and discussing it with my boss. He was a corporate executive for like 30 years before his job now. He’s a master negotiator. He’s one of those people who can think of every rebuttal on the fly and I am the type of person who can sit there and choke on her own drool as I vacantly stare past him in mortification. I’m working on this though. I have my talking points. I have done my research. Now I just have to have confidence in myself that I can hold my own in a debate with him.
Getting Involved In Twitter Fights
This ultimately boils down to “I just want people to like me” and I would hate for people to unfollow me. I hate how shallow this sounds. Trust me when I say I want to get involved sometimes if only to bash some heads together, but I just don’t want to stick my neck out. Get me on an IM though? Shoot… I’ll voice my opinions there.
Writing a Snarky Post On MY Blog Making Fun of Someone Else
I have this post brewing in my head. I am DYING to write it. It’s not like I care if this person likes me or not either. But I haven’t written it yet because, while I am laughing about it, is it really worth it for me to be a total bitch? Ah, I justify my chickenshittedness with integrity. How awesome is that?
So? What are you too chicken shit to do?
p.s. I know my post title is ridiculous too. I’m ok with that.
do it. ask for a raise. you’ve done your homework, you ARE worth it. (i’ve had to do this a couple of times — sometimes successfully, sometimes not immediately, but i always felt better after i asked.)
ps. i like the title.
.-= tara´s last blog ..all i want to do is just sit here … and write it all down =-.
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Ask for the raise — if he’s been in the business world for 30 years, you are not the first person to ask him for money. (Always something I hate doing!) Even if he is a good negotiator, it doesn’t mean he’s out to get you — you’re not trying to buy a car for him, you’re asking to be paid appropriately for the excellent work you do for him.
My dad always said he respected the people who asked for a raise (provided they did their homework before coming to him), even if he couldn’t find the money to give them one then, it showed they were confident in the work they were doing and valued it appropriately.
Good luck!
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
I like your perspective that he’s not out to get me. I think he is but I know he probably is not.
Thanks for the advice and encouragement!
.-= Colleen´s last blog ..Jacksonville Friends of Maddie =-.
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I’d totally do all of those except the last two, but you’d probably do what I won’t do (see: put on a bikini).
.-= Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing]´s last blog ..I’m too chicken shit to wear a bikini. Please pass the chicken. =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
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How funny is this!: We have almost the same things we are afraid of doing! And I didn’t even think about the asking for a raise one! Me toooo! Not that I have a job right now that I can do that, but still.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
I was so happy to get a job when I got this one that I didn’t challenge the pay at first. Now that I’ve rocked the job, I need to be brought in to this decade with my pay scale. Soooo intimidating though!
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If you can give any of those I try, I say start with the raise! It is a super hard thing to do, I agree, but it seems more worth it than jumping out of a plane, you know?
You can do it!
.-= Anne´s last blog ..I Am Afraid Of The Dumbest Things =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
You’re right. Asking for a raise if far less terrifying than jumping out of a plane. But… still…
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I was cracking up that you’re afraid to write your “snarky post”. Not laughing necessarily at your fear of doing it, just that it’s there in the back of your mind. By writing this post you probably just made a lot of people wonder if it’s about them lol so by omission you’ve created inner turmoil in people.
Awesome post! Really made me contemplate some of the stuff that I’m chicken about.
.-= Brittany´s last blog ..Washer Woes =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Ok well you (and everyone else (not that there are many) wondering) can safely know that it’s not any of you!
I just want to be snarky without the backlash of people taking me too seriously… the point being someone else takes herself too seriously and needs to be reminded that you gotta pick your battles. You know? Sigh. $10 says I won’t write it. me = CHICKEN!
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My first “real” job was for a boss who wouldn’t GIVE you a raise if you didn’t ask for it: I thought I was going to throw up on his shoes after my first yearly review/asking. That being said, after you’ve done it once, it does get easier, especially when you’ve done your homework!
.-= Chibi Jeebs´s last blog ..Yellow-bellied, lily-livered, chicken sh*t =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
I might just barf on my own shoes on the way to the meeting *when I finally get around to asking for it.*
Why is this so hard?!
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I’m DYING to go bungee jumping/ skydiving its just that its soooooo friggin expensive!
.-= Pamela´s last blog ..Oh Padme (And a wedding) =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
When you go, let me know how it was. I’ll live vicariously through you!
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Ask for the raise, then go have a drink! LOL… I have only asked once, and I felt like crawling out of my skin. Eek!
.-= Mary Jo´s last blog ..Girl Talk Thursday – Chicken Shit =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Maybe I should have a drink *before* I go too? Just one?
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I’m terrified of being snarky on my blog, too. I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it! Even though I really, really want to sometimes.
.-= Andrea’s Sweet Life´s last blog ..Girl Talk Thursday – Chicken Shit =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
I know right? My blog is my space. But yet, it’s not. And so I can’t bring myself to do it…
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I’m not scared to sky dive or bungee jump, I just think it’s stupid.
.-= Miss Grace´s last blog ..Diptych – Fresh =-.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
um, word. (but I’m still afraid on top of the stupidity factor)
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In my experience, I get all worried about all the things I expect they (employers) will say to argue against me. But, when you’re right – you’re right. Usually, I’ve walked out of a meeting after asking for a raise or a promotion and thought, “Well, that was a lot easier than I thought it’d be…”
Good luck, girl! Go for it!
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 11:54 pm
I seriously hope it’s a lot easier then I think it will be. Seriously. I might need to go out for a drink afterwards. I’m that worried.
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Heh.
The Twitter fight thing doesn’t frighten me. The nasty comments on my blog thing? That makes me crazy.
I’d go in and ask for the raise. Of course, I’m the one who never asks about salary even when interviewing for a job. It’s not that I don’t care, it’s that I’m afraid they’re going to ask me what I think I’m worth, and I have no idea how to answer that.
.-= Beth´s last blog ..GTT: Scaredy Cat =-.
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Baby is yanking on the laptop so this will be quick – ask for the raise.
And go read about what gives me the heebie jeebies.
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Colleen Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
I have never ever heard of anyone petting a bumblebee… ever. Whoa. Bees and I do not have a good relationship. They sting me, why on Earth would I ever want to pet one?
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[...] like the girls over at Girl Talk Thursday, I’m afraid to do many things. [...]
Just ask. The worst that can happen is he’ll say no. That’s the worst. He won’t punch you in the face, he won’t say what? a raise!? I’ve never heard of such a ridiculous request! The sad fact is he probably knows he’s been living on borrowed time and that you are worth a raise. He’s been dreading the conversation as much as you, but be likely knows it’s coming. So practice your speech and go for it!!
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