don't have this conversation in public...or at all.

Pertaining ironically to my last post, this afternoon I overheard a conversation that went [generically] something like this:

Complainer: "So I've worked, like, 60 hours this week already. Today was only a 15-hour day though, which is nice."

Reciprocator: "Wow, that's a lot. Don't they, like, call you in every day that you're supposed to be off?"

Complainer: "Oh yea. Like next week I was supposed to have a day off but they already told me I have to work. I basically just live here."

And it only went downhill from there.

I would love to know who it was that told people their hours worked can appropriately serve as a badge of courage that will be overwhelmingly honored by all who encounter it. By advertising the supposed demand for your efforts, you are essentially complaining because it's slightly more socially acceptable than blatantly stating, "I'm so good that they won't let me leave" -- complaining in a manner that you feel people will be impressed.

Well, here's the truth: just because you work A LOT does not mean you work SMART A LOT. The people you want to impress know the difference, and telling them [complaining to them] will likely show your need to compensate with quantity what you lack in quality. So, next time you feel compelled to impress someone through your professional achievements, think of this: SHOW, DON'T TELL.