Sparky, that's wrong. You don't ask a subordinate out to lunch and then make her pay; either it's so cheap that the price doesn't matter to you, or it's too expensive to expect her to pick up.

Sparky, that's seriously wrong and just plain lame.

That's what I liked when Deena told us about Aidan's pediatrician's reaction to his assessment: Let's concentrate on his strengths.

Of course, I don't think his ped was expecting them to be World Domination, but still...

flies off, cape flapping in the breeze

NO CAPES!

t / The Incredibles

I would take it up with BigBoss.

I wrote Mid-Boss back an email that said I was under the impression that since the lunch was at the prompting of Big-Boss, it would be paid for by Big-Boss. Ball is in Mid-Boss' court. She can go either go to Big Boss and ask for the money, ask me again, or eat it.

Jilli, Plei, Susan, (and possibly Sparky or any other Seattleistas)...

I have a friend who has only been in Seattle a couple of years, and is in need of a good doctor, probably an orthopedic surgeon, or possibly an osteopath. Can you recommend anyone, or ask around to friends/family, and see if they can?

She's been having trouble with her elbow for about a month. Her whole arm just throbs in pain all the time. She thought at first she'd try an osteo, because most of her complaints are generally muscular/skeletal stuff. She went to one, but had a bad experience.

Sparky's in the Bay Area. She just visits us sometimes.

I have no clue. Growing up, I was with Group Health, and it's all a pool. Now, I still need to find a PCP. I don't think anyone I know has used one.

Okay, thanks anyhow, Plei. Is your mom in your area? I know she's a nurse. Maybe she might know.

Sorry for misplacing you, Sparky.

I did not speak at all, not a peep, until I was 2.

And everyone but my mom and dad thought i was retarded, and that they were being neglectful for not being worried about it.

I ended up not being retarded. I think. FWIW.

Susan, I was somewhat speech-delayed as a baby, and was in speech therapy from ages 4 to 11 and then again from about 14 to 16. As an adult, the only thing anyone notices is that I have a bit of a lisp. (I really have no idea how noticable it is -- my father insists that he doesn't hear it at all and can't figure out why I'm sometimes self-conscious about it, but there have been other times when I've had trouble making myself understood and have had to stop and rephrase what I'm saying with less troublesome sounds, so I really don't know.)

So I'll second all the people who said that if there is a problem, it's something you can deal with, but it's probably far more likely that she's fine.

She might know, but she hasn't worked in a hospital for almost two decades, and she's also in the Group Health system, so her knowledge of outside practitioners is going to be slim to none.