However I do no abide by my time being wasted and I have also learned to act quickly and decisively when it comes to potential employee problems. An overactive parent or even spouse would fall into that camp for me.

exactly. And rest assured, the first time you cave, they expect you to do it forever.

I would have been mortified if my mother called anyone about my "excessive work load" during undergrad, let alone grad school!

When I was doing my Masters, I got up around 6, interned all day at a middle school, tutored an insanely hyper ADHD 6th grader after school (this was my only income during that year), grabbed a sandwich on the drive up to grad school, and took classes all evening from about 6-10. Then I drove home, did whatever homework I needed for the next day, and tried to squeeze in 4-5 hours of sleep. I had another class from 9-3 on Saturdays, so I spent Saturday evening and all day Sunday catching up on remaining reading/papers for grad classes.

It sucked, but it was hardly unique. Just the reality of grad work while also working in a hands-on field (much like theatre, actually). I am trying to imagine either of my parents having the audacity to call to complain to someone about that schedule, but I really just can't. It's beyond any realm of possibility in any alternate universe. And thank the gods, because I really can't think of anything more humiliating.

SlimFast:

Could someone please pick me up in a helicopter, fly me home over the LA rush hour, make me a yummy meal, and tuck me into bed? I'm so drained right now.

I had a crappy day at work, which I won't go into another song and dance of "I can't get a long with the Big Boss" but I will say my protective slightly Mama Bear instincts came out today. I found out that our intern was severely late for class yesterday because Big Boss kept talking to her about stuff that need to get done and even though the intern said "I have to go to class" Big Boss kept saying "one more thing".

And she was late leaving today, probably late for class as well. I told the intern that she needs to be polite but firm and say "I have to leave in 10 mins (and then in 10 mins) I have to leave now or I'll be late for work." but I don't think she can, she's young and this is her first real job .

That's just not cool to me at all. It's like she's in her own world and some how my former supervisor was able to handle her but I don't know how and I'm having a hard time keeping in my frustration because while I do think she can get her job done, I don't respect her as a person at all and I think she treats everyone very rudely and disrespectfully in how late she was. She's been as much as 45 minutes late for meetings! And I have a feeling that once we get interviews started she's going to be late to those as well. My supervisor covered for her but I'm not inclined to cover at all, but I do, because I don't want to get booted (at least not yet).

Really this is the last time I vent.

In good news G'ma's house sold! Well, there are still inspections and everything, but the house has been on the market for about a week, they had a offer before the open house! So this is going to be a good situation for Aunt J and G'ma and Mom.

Had this person asked his mother to call you? Some parents can be interfering busybodies without the children wanting them to. Still not something you should have to deal with, I'm just wondering.

I've been very lucky and have had pretty much no adverse contact with parents at all, but I did see one last year pitch a major fit about her daughter's Fs. I'd've been more sympathetic if she'd seemed to care in, say, December, rather than June.

Can you stockpile some now, sj? I say that as a person who wandered from grocery store to grocery store buying the last of the fragrance-free Dawn.

My supplier only has so much left, so they're sending me what they can and what my insurance will cover, which may last me a couple months, then that's it.

Had this person asked his mother to call you? Some parents can be interfering busybodies without the children wanting them to.

Yeah, like the time my mom tried to terminate my lease for me.

It's so weird to read about the apparent rise in kids calling home, when I've tried to do it as little as possible ever since I went to college.

I have no idea if the person asked his mother to call me, and to be honest I don't care. If he didn't, well, then he can deal with his mother causing him to lose a job. At the end of the day, that end of it is very far from being my problem. At minimum she somehow got my phone number.

My summer job through college was at the bindery in the printing plant where my dad had worked for over 25 years. If I missed a day, he was all over my ass. I once got an attendance warning for calling in too much and he told me that he didn't care how hung over I was, I would get up and go to work--I could barf on my breaks.

Needless to say, I never got another warning. Hefting JC Penny catalogs in a 100 degree warehouse for 12 hours while hung over SUCKS BALLS.

I finally got back to the gym tonight after vacation and I hate to admit that it felt GREAT. I didn't do a lot--just a bit of swimming. But the whirlpool and steam room, I missed. A lot.

I would have been mortified if my mother called anyone about my "excessive work load" during undergrad, let alone grad school!

If my parents had done that, it would have been because I was physically unable to do so. Like, had a car accident and on the operating table physically unable.

It's so weird to read about the apparent rise in kids calling home, when I've tried to do it as little as possible ever since I went to college.

I kept in touch fairly regularly in college. Quite a bit by letter because each Tulane dorm room had its own telephone. The drawback -- You couldn't call long distance from the room. I tended to write letters, and the parents called me periodically.

Here's the thing, it WAS a hard schedule.

Complaining about a hard schedule? Only for a damn good reason. Examples:

"I'm getting married that day."

"The doctor won't let me come back to work for another two weeks."

You get the idea. And as for a parent doing the calling, only because of physical incapacity. See above.