Bitches, I need you to talk me down. I went to one of my project leads and told him I was going, and how much I respected his team. His response was all about how he understood that I had had a limited amount of time available and he knew I'd done the best I could to get something out of the door in a timely fashion.

Now I know, I know, that I should have, could have, done more on the book, but I feel like I left a bad impression behind me. But it wasn't my department's top priority, as indicated by the fact they handed it off to India as soon as possible.

I feel like I left a bad impression behind me.

Does not gibe with

he knew I'd done the best I could

Sounds like you did good work, and you're getting some survivors guilt for escaping, maybe.

Well, "you did the best you could under the circumstances" isn't exactly a glowing endorsement.

Well, "you did the best you could under the circumstances" isn't exactly a glowing endorsement.

Is this like when your daughter got upset for getting an A minus?

Betsy, I'm guessing he probably wasn't even thinking specifically of you and your work when composing his comments, just the project and how it's been going in general for the whole team. And it sounds like he appreciated having your contribution. So I'm not seeing much of a downside for you.

But the circumstances weren't of your making, right? You said it wasn't the dept's top priority, so you did the best you could to squeeze him in without getting burned by your own people, right? So it's not the best you could have done if you didn't goof off, or paint your nails, or gossip at the watercooler so much - it's the best you could do for him while fulfilling your responsibilities to however many other people you had throwing assignments at you.

While not precisely glowing, sounds like you did the best you could in circumstances that were not of your creation.

Betsy, what everyone else said.

Thanks, guys. ::tries to dial down the guilt-o-meter to simmer::

asking all the men, "Are you gonna get beautiful?" and when they were done, he'd say, "Oh, you're all beautiful, now.

awww! so cute!!

So, I still had next-to-no voice today. People at work were like "Have a good weekend, huh?" One suggested "Gosh, you should spend the next couple weeks resting at home with some tea--I'll take those tickets you've got...."

Sprint charged me $50 to transfer my number

Whaaaat? That seems excessive and crazy.

the only aptitude check he didn't pass was "Does he respond to his name?

They're supposed to do that at 2 months old?!?

Yay Betsy for the new job!!

I'd be careful to use qualifiers every time you reference the lack of a contract. (You believe you have no obligation to pay me; you claim we have no binding contract, etc

This is what I would say too, Fay--don't say "you aren't required to pay me", say "You THINK you aren't required to pay me". Don't give away anything!!

Nor do you have any legal obligation to pay the money for the initial two months of my work for The Evil School, which was held back on the understanding that it would be paid at the end of the contract. Nor do you have any legal obligation to pay for the return ticket.

THese two lines are what I'm talking about!! Dont' tell him he's not required to, or he'll believe he's right!

(Or, what everyone else said already)

(Ooh, I like Brenda's version of the letter)

"you did the best you could under the circumstances" isn't exactly a glowing endorsement.

Meh. Sounds like they like and respect you, and know you don't choose the priorities.

Also, after all the hotties this weekend, I'm feeling all obsessed with a few of them. They're SO HOT. I mean...come ON. Sadly, one lives in Toronto, and one in Minnesota. And some in Austin, and one in Portland, and and and...:)

I think it was sort of a tacky thing to say, Betsy. When someone is leaving, all polite people say is, "We'll miss you" or "I hope this is a good decision for you." I don't think you need to add it to the list of things that keep you up at night.