JZ, yes, I'm still on Bay Area Buffistas. I'll have to go check out your postings. Could be fun getting to use words like bradycardia at work again.

I will now amuse myself: If Hec could really read Lunch!Boss's mind, would that mean they would then have some interesting conversations about what it would take to avoid all kinds of nefarious, tasty blackmail?

{{{Hec}}} Meeting~ma.

If Hec could really read Lunch!Boss's mind, would that mean they would then have some interesting conversations about what it would take to avoid all kinds of nefarious, tasty blackmail?

I don't know. But I did find out from my departed boss that at her previous job (that is, previous to working with me at this firm) she casually mentioned some Damning Fact to her superiors when she left and they quickly rustled up a Don't Talk About That Again document and paid her a LOT of money to sign it.

Oh, and did I mention it positively bounces? It bounces! It's so much fun!

Damn, I'm jealous. My haircut most definitely does not bounce. In fact, it's obstinately planning where the next cowlick will be, while managing to be both flat and unruly. I am not pleased with it, and I don't like looking like Alfalfa.

KB, if you know words like bradycardia, you're a jump ahead of the competition already.

Of course, the pathetic thing is that the HR bureaucrazy at UCSF is such that I've never even been able to successfully recommend any of my friends for so much as a 2-day temp assignment. However, my division has a new supervisor who seems more eager and alert than the last three put together, so I'm almost mildly hopeful (hell, last week she put through my first written evaluation and recommendation for a pay increase in four years).

LongLunch!Boss really does stick in my craw. If Hec ever turns out to have any long-term health consequences from this job, he'll have to physically restrain me from clubbing her to death with a Swingline.

Also I can spell arrhythmia without resorting to spellcheck. Wordnerd feels proud.

My mind-reading scenario is much nastier than signing confidentiality agreements (although the getting paid part sounds great). I like to imagine, say, what would it be worth for me not to tell Person A about Person B, spill the beans about the skeletons in the closet, the weekend in Vegas... there's probably so much to work with. After that, Annoying!Boss! would not be thinking that a mind-reading employee would be a benefit, no.

So the talk started like this...

Me: I just wanted to have a talk with you because I feel like our work relationship has gotten strained lately. I feel like you've been frustrated with me and I know I've been stressed.
She: I know! I'm sorry. I've been really stressed out too and under a lot of pressure and I'm sorry if my recent emails to you were curt.

And then it wasn't bad at all. I went in prepared to specifically address the stuff she's been dinging me about, but it didn't go there. We talked about the problem areas mostly in terms of "this is what didn't seem to be working, but now I think the adjustment we've made has taken care of this issue," and "I think it's a good idea to do that binder to track the expenses" and like that.

She actually gave me positive feedback in a couple places which was nice to hear and I feel very relieved. And very tired since I've been up since 3am stressing about this.

I think the key was I just rehearsed the discussion in my head so many times that I finally found a way to broach it in a way that was neither defensive or accusatory, but focused on mutually resolving stuff and positive changes. And she was more receptive to that than I expected.

So. Much better than a stroke or having your ears glued.

Hooray, Hec!

I'm glad to hear that, Hec. Now go have some gelato and a martini, not necessarily in that order.

I'm now ready for pictures of Teppy's and vw's new haircuts.