It is internal, but it is a group I have never worked with at all. We are a huge, global company.

Leh. Today can bite me. This week can bite me. This year can bite me. I think I'm depressed.

So that's e-mail from the group, not company-wide HR?

Each business group within the company has its own HR recruiter. So the e-mails were from the HR gal.

eta - its own? their own? Blarg, grammar is hard.

ION, I took an on-line optimism assessment b/c DH had taken it as part of his counselling and wanted to talk abot his results. It said I was way pessimistic, which seems odd to me. I feel like I am, if anything, too likely to be look-for-the-silver-lining-girl.

JZ, insent.

Oh, I get it now. [Each has its own is correct, btw, gold star for you]. So, revising my assumptions - it's still good that they bothered to respond to your thank you e-mail. Putting "We'll keep your resume on file" might be a standard thing to put in the rejection letter, but your sending the thank you and their responding to it elevates the sincerity. I think.

Really want to see Olivia as Fuzzy Monkey pictures, also.

Ack! Cash! Good luck with your move. Just keep thinking about that beautiful new house.

{{{{laga}}}} I'm sorry, hon. Anything I can do?

The work saga continues: I had emailed my department head about the whole "come in to work" decree, and she came up to talk to me about it. She thinks the decree is ridiculous, too. How is she going to handle it? Not by confronting the division head, oh no. She's just not showing up tomorrow. She said her choice was between us (and my blinvisible friends), but she thought that since she works hard and gets her comments in on time, the division head isn't going to make a big deal about it. She also echoed the famous "easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" line. Okay...but we were just told via email that we had to be here. In my mind, this is not a situation that I can pretend I didn't know about. If I choose not to show up, I am doing so in direct violation of the division head.

So now I'm in a lovely position. I can't go over my department chair's head without seeming like I'm...well, going over her head, but she's not willing to advocate for me, either. Essentially she's left me three choices:

• don't say anything and don't show up and hope no one notices or says anything
• argue my case with the division head and (most likely) be told "no" (which then means I definitely would have to come in)
• do as I'm told and seethe with resentment at the fact that my direct boss is blithely sitting at home

----

WAIT! As I was typing this, I got another email! Division head has come to her senses! We can work from home! WHEE!!! Apparently someone braver than my department head talked with her.

That's a relief, Kristin. I was hoping there was a None of the Above option.