Dear So and So

[Selkie]

Dear Retired-in-Place Coworker -- You're over 50 and a senior officer, so I'm unsure why you react like a 7th grader and interpret everything as a criticism/putdown. You are uncouth and lack basic manners/courtesy, always attributing your own ungracious motives to others. To make it worse, you seem to avoid any work that is commensurate with your pay rate, leaving our poor boss to dump it on me (who is not your "peer" in terms of pay or experience). I do the complex, high-pressure work while you sit around, eat crunchy food, make disgusting noises, monitor everything I do (including staring at my legs---creepy, especially since you're a woman), and crank out volumes of "easy" work a junior officer could handle. I'm not walking on eggshells on you any more.

[bmccasland]

Dear Powers-That-Be,
Would you please give my Little Sister a break? She has bad lungs, ever since she had the unfortune to inhale little microbes back in 2nd grade. But this chronic asthma/bronchitis/mono crap has got to stop. Especially since she can't even afford to see a doctor.

It tears me apart that she's been barely covered by health insurance, and is now applying for disability and medicaid. And reading between the lines from other things she said... that the social service that she and BIL saw friday also sent them to the food bank for a box of groceries, tells me that other things aren't so good either.

Some of her choices in life I've questioned, like sending her kids to private school when they can barely keep food on the table. But I've always kept my mouth shut. So I hope the gift card to Food Lion will help a bit.

And I sincerely hope that somehow they'll find a way out of this chronic short of money problem they seem to be in. They're finally not spending foolishly (to my knowledge) - but they just can't get caught up either.

Can't BIL find a decent job, with benefits to take care of them? I'm doing what I can, but it's hard to fathom that I'm paying 1/4 their annual household income too.

[limewave]

Mother dearest,

It is not a personal offense to you when I decide to "ground" dd. I am not trying to take away Gramma and Grampa--that is not even part of the equation. DD sees you every week, sometimes more than that. I think that missing one day with Gramma and Grampa would not be the end of the world. It's unfortunate that you had plans with her right then, but if we had special plans ourselves, I would have cancelled those too.

And as for your remark about the "punishment fitting the crime," well, I do think its appropriate. Furthermore, my decision to ground her had less to do with punishment than it did for her own benefit.

When DD acts out as severely as she did over the weekend I . . .
1) Cannot imagine taking a child out in public that is behaving that way
2) Think that we've had a busy schedule and maybe DD needs a quiet day at home with her mom and dad.

You have made it very clear to me in the past that how we discipline our children is my business and that you want absolutely no part in it. Why are you sticking your nose in now?

I understand that you want the kids to remember you fondly someday. That's why you spoil them. But you have an opportunity to leave them with a real legacy: character, integrity, compassion. You can help give that to them by providing some structure and boundaries for them.

It makes me feel like I'm dealing with another preschooler when you cry every time I have to put DD in time-out. Seriously, if I had acted like that when I was a kid, dad would have gotten the belt out and you would have screamed at me for hours while stomping around the house slamming doors.

Sincerely,
Me

[Owlie]

Dear BF--
I know you were teasing me in a loving way. But did you think that particular phone call was the time to do it? I'd fallen twice and wasn't feeling great. So I tell you about that one accomplishment on that ride, and you feel the need to belittle it, even in jest.
I still love you, even if I don't like you right now.
Me.

[bmccasland]

Dear Contract Project Planner,
You're a *Planner* right? So when the meeting date gets changed, don't put the date change on the outline of the up-coming meeting, call attention to it. I sat out front waiting and wondering where was everyone for the trip to BR for the meeting. Figured y'all forgot me since I haven't made the weekly meetings as you've been changing them to wednesdays, which I can't attend. It's an environmental restoration project, you'd think you would check with your Environmental Manager - that being ME - if I can make these changes, or see what other days I can attend?

[Selkie]

Dear Contract Project Planner,
You're a *Planner* right? So when the meeting date gets changed, don't put the date change on the outline of the up-coming meeting, call attention to it. I sat out front waiting and wondering where was everyone for the trip to BR for the meeting. Figured y'all forgot me since I haven't made the weekly meetings as you've been changing them to wednesdays, which I can't attend. It's an environmental restoration project, you'd think you would check with your Environmental Manager - that being ME - if I can make these changes, or see what other days I can attend?

Is this person a contractor? If so, might be time to talk to the company PM and perhaps, have the company replace this person. Not including you, particularly since you're the Subject Matter Expert, is unacceptable.

[Grits]

Dear E-Vite recipient,

Do you not realize that I can see that you viewed the e-vite and could not trouble yourself to click on yes or no and send?

I sent an e-vite specifically to make it easier for people to respond since it is apparently too much trouble to pick up the phone or send an e-mail these days, and let's don't even get into the formal invitations. No, this was just a casual thing, so an e-vite seemed perfect.

I guess you are just so popular that you are waiting until the last minute to see if you get a better offer. Honestly, weren't you taught any manners?