Story Andrew I worked really hard all week on a marketing proposal for work. I wanted to impress the boss with all the effort I’d been putting in. I wanted him to realize that I am the most valuable member of the staff, and that the other people just sit around the office all day accomplishing next to nothing. One guy Jeff, just talks to girls all day on his MSN messenger account and when the boss comes around, is somehow able to convince the boss that he isn’t totally worthless. Anyway, I didn’t care, I was just about ready to show the boss what I’d done but I noticed he was on the phone. I printed out my proposal, left it on my desk, and took a bathroom break. When I came back I saw the boss with his arm around Jeff congratulating him for a job well done. While I was in the washroom, Jeff had apparently taken the proposal off my desk and shown the boss. He took credit for my work. I was so pissed off. That was incredibly frustrating. Key vocabulary and phrases that are discussed in the podcast: Frustrating – you try hard at something and you feel that all your time and energy are wasted. Ex. working for 4 hours writing something on the computer and you forget to save it. Another example is Inviting your friends to a great restaurant and when you get there it is closed.
Accomplishing – getting something useful done. Mom used to always ask “what have you accomplished today?”
next to nothing – almost nothing or very little. I accomplished next to nothing today.
totally worthless – means to have no value. Jeff is somehow able to convince his boss that he isn’t totally worthless. This is funny here because if you are working for someone, you should try and show your boss that you have a lot of value and skills, not just better than being totally worthless.
Apparently – obvious, evident or easy to have seen. Here Jeff had apparently taken the proposal off my desk and shown it to the boss. We didn’t seen him take the proposal but we think it is obvious that he did.
Took credit – say or show that you did something(even if you didn’t do it). Here Jeff took credit for my work. He said he did the proposal even though he didn’t.