Thread Drift

[salsabike]

Knotted---Do you have a rep, or ombudsman, or someone like that, who could go to the meeting with you?

Nanci--can't believe you can now do traffic school online. Brilliant! Some of your posts during traffic school sounded like the voluminous notes we used to write each other in high school ---bored out of our minds, rambling away. How we ever passed, I'll never know, since we spent most of the class time writing to each other.

Lise--my, what a weird night for you. Propped up with one hand (nice to get the compliments even if you wouldn't ever want to take them up on the offers), and swacked upside the head with the other (great to be matched with that guy again, huh? Gives you faith in their matching system...).

Glad you got that nap, Snap!

Spent all day packing up the contents of the first floor so that we can live in the basement for the next six months while the house is being expanded. Then they'll send us directly to debtors' prison so we probably won't even be able to live in the new house. Riding tomorrow. One week to STP.

[Selkie]

I think I'm gonna get fired. The subordinate (aide) I've posted about in "Dear So and So" has gotten out of control. I did talk to one of the owners of the clinic. The two owners and the aide had already planned a meeting about ME for next week. Owner #1 warned me that owner #2 and aide are "tight" (though aide bad mouths him behind his back so much that I had no idea). Owner #1 didn't want me to take it personally that there is going to be a meeting about me. I'm now invited to the meeting.

I get it. Aide complains about me obsessively to the staff (and makes comments to my patients). Aide is disrupting the function of the clinic with her obsession to the point that a therapist begs me to do something about her. So there will be a meeting about ME.

My fan club (mom, DPITA, etc) is telling me to start looking for another job, that even if I don't get fired or something at this meeting, that it's just not worth staying in that kind of environment.

I love where I work and the patients I work with. I like the staff, and even like the aide when she's not being a freak.

I think I need another margarita.

I agree with Nanci---somehow, bring the fact that you have discussed this with a lawyer into the conversation. Sounds like this person is creating a hostile work environment for you. You have plenty of witnesses, too.

"Hell is other people." I've experienced similar things at work---people who are threatened by you for some reason or other and then have to trash you or do things to annoy you/try to bring you down to their level. I guess the best strategy is to do nothing to give her ammunition against you. Be polite and professional, but aloof. I found that pretending that the person doesn't exist is the best strategy. Other people notice what the person is doing and her trashing you makes her look bad. You can always take her aside and politely ask her why she seems to dislike you so much. Most of these folks are passive-aggressive cowards.

[salsabike]

I agree with Nanci---somehow, bring the fact that you have discussed this with a lawyer into the conversation. Sounds like this person is creating a hostile work environment for you. You have plenty of witnesses, too.

"Hell is other people." I've experienced similar things at work---people who are threatened by you for some reason or other and then have to trash you or do things to annoy you/try to bring you down to their level. I guess the best strategy is to do nothing to give her ammunition against you. Be polite and professional, but aloof. I found that pretending that the person doesn't exist is the best strategy. Other people notice what the person is doing and her trashing you makes her look bad. You can always take her aside and politely ask her why she seems to dislike you so much. Most of these folks are passive-aggressive cowards.

I will add one thing to what mickchick said: Be REALLY nice to the person. That just drives passive-aggressive people crazy because then they aren't "winning". It's good for them and good for you too. The nicer you get, the more it bugs them and the less they can do about it. Smile away.

[Lise]

Lise--my, what a weird night for you. Propped up with one hand (nice to get the compliments even if you wouldn't ever want to take them up on the offers), and swacked upside the head with the other (great to be matched with that guy again, huh? Gives you faith in their matching system...)....

Spent all day packing up the contents of the first floor so that we can live in the basement for the next six months while the house is being expanded. Then they'll send us directly to debtors' prison so we probably won't even be able to live in the new house. Riding tomorrow. One week to STP.

Salsa--the funny thing is, we did have great chemistry. *I* thought we had a lot of potential as a couple. He kissed me good morning one day as we left his place for work, exchanged some emails throught the day, and ... poof. Never heard from him again. After he didn't respond to two calm phone messages, I got the point. It hurt.

Odd note about those matching services--one of them matched me with myself. You may be interested to learn that I am only 67% compatible with myself!

Good luck on the renovations. Hope you're out of prison long enough to at least walk around the completed place. Seriously, though, I believe that nowadays they prefer you work to pay them back, so you may just be on a home-prison-ankle bracelet-debtor thing, and will get to enjoy it!

KN, have you talked to a lawyer? I seem to have missed that detail. Is the Human Resouces person at the clinic helpful? They are supposed to be somewhat neutral, and should have information about your rights as an employee. Best wishes with it. L.

[Nanci]

I _was_ a major note-writer in HS!! I'm at work now- OT!! More bike stuff! A nice hotel room for the August brevet!!

(Do you think I overuse these:!!!!)?

[KnottedYet]

No lawyer, no HR. It's just a small privately owned clinic with 10 employees.

I drank too many margaritas last night. Now I have a hang over and I really need to go for a bike ride.

Left my sexy poly-whosit new water bottle in my friend's car yesterday. Darn. I'll have to use my old one today. If I decide I can ride with this hangover.

grrrrrrr stupid stupid hangover stupid sabotaged my own stupid ride!!!!!

[Trek420]

Knotted, hope that you get a good ride in.

what mickchick and salsabike sed, "the best strategy is to do nothing to give her ammunition against you. Be polite and professional, but aloof. I found that pretending that the person doesn't exist is the best strategy."

I agree, sometimes the best strategy (while looking for an exit strategy-new job) is be ultra super-duper polite.

Gives them nothing to use against you and makes their actions look all the more ludicrous. Plus it makes you feel good and is super funny.

I work with the great unwashed public (call center) and if I like you (callers) which is most calls I'm real nice but kinda casual about it.

If you're a jerk the worse you get the calmer and more polite I get. Drives abusive caller right up the wall but "No one's ever been fired for being too nice here...yet."

Sometimes we really blew it and deserve what you call us, I'm going to apologise up one side and down the other while I fix it for ya.

But most of the jerks, I feel that's just how they go through life. Such a waste, life's so short.

It could be she's in pain, emotionaly and or physicly. Sometimes we know that and while I feel sorry for the person it doesn't make her passing that pain on to you right or really, it doesn't make her feel any better.

Mostly I think it's a cope mechanism, old stuff that she's learned that makes her feel she has to act like that.

One co-worker said my strategy reminds her of the quote, I think is was Samuel Pepyes (sp?) who said "Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to he** in such a way that they look forward to the trip."

[DrBee]

Hey Y'all!

Nanci - I am a chronic overuser of the !!!, too, so I totally understand.

Lise - no more weird fevers, thanks for asking. I've had a sore throat all week and FishFry is cranky (molar coming in ...slowly...). , but other than that we're good to go. FishJr is begging me to take her out in the pool again. We're heading there when I'm done with this.

Knotted - I agree with what everyone has said - be professional, limit your interactions, mention a lawyer, and maybe start up a quiet job search. Good luck! I'll be thinking of you!

I'm counting the days until my tubes get here!

And Lise - wahoo! Sounds like you had quite a good time at the fundraiser. That shirt and skirt combo sound like a winner!

[DrBee]

Back in from the pool. FishJr made it ALL the way across (15ft)! It was hilarious to watch her work her confidence up to do it. She starts saying all kinds of things..."come on girl, you can do it.....to infinity and beyond......Jesus help me.....aaaaacccccckkkkkk". I haven't laughed that hard in a longggg time!

[Lise]

Back in from the pool. FishJr made it ALL the way across (15ft)! It was hilarious to watch her work her confidence up to do it. She starts saying all kinds of things..."come on girl, you can do it.....to infinity and beyond......Jesus help me.....aaaaacccccckkkkkk". I haven't laughed that hard in a longggg time!

Oh, my goodness, that is great! Between self, Buzz Lightyear, and the Lord, you've got it covered, fj! What a sweet girl.

I've got my little niece, Maya, (almost 3) napping in my bedroom right now.

[DrBee]

Awwwww. Enjoy her

[Nanci]

Maya used to think I was Peter Reid, until Lise had to point out to her that I didn't have a TURKEY NECK!!! ;-0

fishdr- I used to be on a mailing list with a guy who consistantly typed like this...So every time I do it I am overly conscious of it...I try to limit myself to only one...per message/e-mail...we used to make fun of him behind his back by imitating his style...don't worry, though, he was and is a super jerk...

I have needed a new pair of sunglasses for on the bike for several months. I have Smith Toasters, which I like, but they were my first pair of bike glasses ever. Finally, one of the little blak nose rubber things fell off. i found it, though, and put it in my Trashy Cat coin purse in my bento box for later reattachment. But then, a few days later, I was oging to put some more Sport Beans in, and ofund this little black thing, and threw it away, because I'd forgotten what it really was...

So anyway, I've been resisting these for a long time. I have never had Oakleys before. I know everyone thinks you're paying for just the name, but you know what, Oakley was the ONLY one of Lance's sponsors that didn't desert him when he was diagnosed with cancer.

http://tinyurl.com/k8vq4

If they suck, I'll send them back. But they are my favorite colors, pink and purple! And not too unreasonable a price.

The Smiths I had have the interchangeable lenses, which is a great idea, if you actually do it. I rode them on MTB with the yellow lenses for years, then put in the dark lenses for road biking. But I don't like glasses when I first start out- it's too humid or something, and I don't like them when it's dark, either.

My driving glasses have yellow polarized lenses, which are the BEST, but very hard to find. I think STP has a pair, but they are super dorky. I don't like blak frames.

Every time I spell "black," it comes out "blak." I've just been correcting it. Do you think that is a link to my Coke Blak addiction???

I am having wine leftover night. HRM 40 Pound Rooster Pinot Grigio, and Bogle Petite Syrah. I read in a book that pinot gris is the grape that pinot grigio is made out ofm and in Italy it is a light wine that may as well be lemon water. In Washington and Oregon and some parts of California, they make pinot gris wine, which is much richer and more complex.

I don't think I am going to buy any more Pinot Grigio. White wines are so confusing. Reds are kind of all the same, only in degrees. Whites are so complex and varied. I like both. I used to be really into super sweet whites like Riesling and Gewurtztraminer, and still like them, but am appreciating things like Viognier and Gruner Veltliner and even Sauvignon Blanc more (although SV is widely variable). And then there is Chardonnay, which I have only recently learned to like, but already it's sort of all tasting like butter to me...I have a chart in the back of my wine tasting log which lists all my Chardonnays and what their characteristics are and how I rated them. And Chenin Blanc is something I tasted a lot a while ago- there's one from Oregon? Washington? that I love- Snoqualmie. Chenin Blanc is very distinct.

[maillotpois]

You all produced 8 pages of drift while I was out at the Death Ride!

All the folks I worked with to train them for the DR finished all five passes (yay!) including DH about whom I really didn't have any doubts.

It was WEIRD to be a spectator. Almost more stressful, because for most of the ride, the road is closed and you have NO idea what is going on out there and can only hope for the best.

It was fun to cheer people on. Man there were some fast riders doing it.

I also spent a couple of hours in the bar with my friend Zach. He and I did the ride last year, and his dad supported (and cheered) us. Now his dad was doing it and it was so great to be able to cheer for him. And we watch the Tour in the bar. Cool.

More later!

[Lise]

Maya used to think I was Peter Reid, until Lise had to point out to her that I didn't have a TURKEY NECK!!! ;-0

Hmmm, am I so peeved with Nanci about the entirely spurious "turkey neck" allegation in re: Peter Reid, my dream guy, that I'm NOT going to tell her about Maya sitting on my lap and touching each picture of Dillbird and Milly as we looked at them again and again on their home page? hmmmmm....no, that would be so mean, for Nanci would enjoy hearing that! We had a great time. We even looked at the mountain biking pages. We played in the sprinkler. We read books. We took a nap. It's a good life.

I just had the delightful realization that I'm only working a 12 hr night shift tonight, not the 24 hr shift I thought I had (that's next week). Whoo-hoo! This is prompting me to go haul the big-a$$ air conditioner up from the basement so I can sleep in cool quietness tomorrow. My across-the-street neighbors are a melange of folks from other countries who carry on their business on strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street. At high volume. argh. (Where's the icon for moderately irritated?)

Hope you're all enjoying your Sundays! L.

[Nanci]

Gobble gobble...