I've been on contract work and short term projects for so long now that I forget that there's a whole culture around how these things are done in regular office jobs.

How was the movie, ChiKat?

It was good. Went to see The Kingdom. Fairly intense, but Chris Cooper is just wonderful in everything he's in.

they threw me a going away party

See this I think is pretty standard. At least a cake. I got nothin'.

I had a going away party when I left the library automation company I'd been with for years and years, but since then I've worked at places with such high turn over (tech call centers) that your supervisor's supervisor doesn't bother to learn people's names.

but Chris Cooper is just wonderful in everything he's in.

I particularly enjoyed Dr. Chris Cooper in KiTH's Brain Candy.

Flop

Homework is done.

Why do I procrastinate???

Why is it so hard for Universities to share transcripts? I mean, waiting on the post office to deliver a transcript seems so last century.

And I made her cry.

Well, clearly she made you feel bad about that, but that's because she's a dim and manipulative little cow and you're a nice person. Screw her. Seriously. I am glad you made her cry. I think you should have been meaner, in fact.

On a related, 'Gee, Fay is actually rather a witch', note, I have to say how very much I have enjoyed scooping up Daniel and his friend Naddy (who are, what, 4 years old?) twice now, after they hit people/were otherwise mean, and giving them forcible Time Out.

First time, it went down thus:

Me: Hi! (grabbing them both by the hand and holding on for grim death) Congratulations, you have Time Out. Do you know why you have Time Out?

Daniel: (wriggling to no avail)....?

Me: Why do you have Time Out, Daniel and Friend-of-Daniel? What's your name, incidentally?

Naddy: Naddy.

Me: Hi! Something tells me I'm going to be seeing more of you too, eh? So, why do you have Time Out today?

Daniel:.......we hit someone?

Me: (brutally cheerful) That's right! And we don't do things like that. It's not nice. So now you have to sit here with me, instead of playing.

Naddy: ....I want some water.

Me: Yes. Well, that's a pity, isn't it? Because I don't care.

Naddy: !!!!!!!.....but....I'm thirsty.

Me: Yes. See this? This is my not caring face.

Naddy: ....but...but I want to drink!

Me: Yes, I understand. But I don't care even a little bit. You were mean, and now you have Time Out, and I'm not going to let you drink. Don't worry, you'll survive.

Naddy....But...I'm thirsty!

Me: Yes. (Cheerful like Mary Poppins on a sugar high) Isn't is a pity you were punching other kids? 'Cause if you'd been playing nicely, you could just go and get yourself a drink any time you wanted! But now you're stuck here with me, watching other kids have fun and feeling all thirsty. There's a lesson there somewhere, boys.

Naddy: !!!!!!!!!!

Second time was much the same. And I thoroughly enjoyed it, I have to say - particularly the look of incredulity when the trump card of 'I'm Thirsty' failed all over again.

And similarly, I really enjoy the fact that WhinyUngratefulBitch was reduced to tears when the nice people who helped her deal with pesky grown up trying-to-get-a-job stuff out of the goodness of their frackin' hearts snapped at her when she came in ranting at them. Poor wee babykins! Welcome to the world, kiddo.

Meara, wrt the lunch thing - it varies. I've had people take me out for lunch, I've had people point me in the direction of the canteen (or fail to do that). I wouldn't take it as a slight, though.

Susan, I agree with the other people wrt this being a positive thing - sounds like New Boss isn't an asshat, if she wants to understand your role and recognises that she hasn't currently got the gist of it. I think this could be a v. good opportunity.

I think I need to cut myself off from reading political stuff for a day or two. I'm getting myself too aggravated with it.

And I thoroughly enjoyed it, I have to say - particularly the look of incredulity when the trump card of 'I'm Thirsty' failed all over again.

Hee. I had a similar incident with some 13-year-olds last summer. They were sitting out on break time, because, after several warnings, they were still hitting each other when the game didn't go their way. They were totally stunned when I actually followed through on "Sit on the bench and watch the other kids play." Even when they begged "But I could win this game if I could go in and play now!"

My legs are vaguely blue. I wore new blue sweatpants for trapeze on Friday, and the dye bled onto my skin, and even though I've taken several showers since then, my legs are still a bit bluish. I find this worrisome.

I think there was something I wanted to do tomorrow night. I read something in the paper about someone giving a talk somewhere that sounded interesting. Unfortunately, I can't remember who or where it was.

Oh, Fay, that's priceless.

Susan, I think that sounds really promising. Much ~ma for the meeting today.

Poor Hil! Doesn't your body know you're having fun?

I have two apple crisps in the oven, made from apples I picked myself! My fellow students are going to LOVE me today!

In mememe news, I have a migraine. Unfortunately, I have tutoring students and classes and tests and stuff. So, off to school I go anyways.

See this? This is my not caring face.

I love this, beyond reason.

No. No, I don't love it beyond reason, but only because no amount of love for it could possibly be unreasonable.

Ugh, vw, sorry about the migraine. And, just in case 2008 is lurking around taking notes for how it's going to run things when it's the boss of time a couple of months from now, I'd like to suggest fewer migraines all around. Fewer migraines and less insomnia would get you crowned Best Year Ever. So, get right on that, please? Because it seems like 2007 has given up and is just going through the motions.

Hil, I'm so full of envy and admiration for you and trapeze class, blueish legs or no.

Never been taken out to lunch my first week. Only had four permanent jobs my entire adult life, but no first-week lunches for any of them.

ION, my body is giving me signals that it may be considering having a period sometime in the next few weeks. I'm ridiculously excited by this, since I haven't had one since December 2005.