Speaking of whitefonting icky TMI stuff.... Here is an article I found on Yahoo news: [link]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - First, researchers grew enough fungus to give dandruff to 10 million people. Next, they sequenced its genes. Then they found out that not only does an icky fungus live on your head and cause dandruff-- but it could be having sex. On your head. Right now.

Are we sure none of us is named Maggie Fox? Cuz it's making me want to COMM it.

I'm taking a break from learning how to get sued for harassment.

I'm taking a break from learning how to get sued for harassment.

Yes, but are you naked?

Argh!

t thwump

uh-oh, Susan, that doesn't sound good.

My boss just keeps asking me for things I don't know and often don't even have access to, and it's becoming clearer and clearer she thinks I'm terrible at my job! And I'm NOT, I swear! It's just what SHE thinks my job is isn't what everyone else has been having me do since I got here. (I've been here since 6/1;she's been here since 10/1.)

I just hate this! Until she got here I thought I'd finally found the job that offered me the right balance of self-respect and pay without asking so much of a commitment that I can't write. And now it's turning into yet another House of Soulsuck. And I know at least part of the problem has to lie with me, or I wouldn't have so much trouble in so many jobs. But I don't know what to do about it.

ugh, Susan. That is just a no-win situation. Is there any way to sit down with her now that she's been here for a little bit, and go over exactly what you've been doing, and what stuff she's expecting? Maybe coached in that way, she'll see that you're willing to take new stuff on, and you can take the opportunity to emphasize NEW STUFF.

Nora is wise, Susan. It sounds like she doesn't know your job or the place very well, yet (if she's asking you for things to which you don't have access), and I'd be willing to bet she's having moments with her online buddies where she thinks she'll never get the hang of her job because she thinks everyone in your office thinks she's an idiot for not knowing what you have access to and what you don't.

Could you maybe go out to lunch with here and have a low-pressure conversation instead of a formal meeting?

She's actually asked all the staff to answer a sort of questionnaire about how we see our roles and responsibilities and so on. And she wants it by tomorrow, which I don't know how I'm going to get to, because I'm compiling some October statistics for her which she ALSO wants for tomorrow, and I can tell she was just amazed and appalled that I wasn't already compiling such monthly statistics, because to her that's just an obvious part of an operations manager's role.

I think she sees the "operations" in my title and thinks I'm number-cruncher-in-chief, while I see it more as keeping the ship afloat in general. Also, for the first few months here I was just trying to keep on top of daily demands and figure out what was going on while the entire dept. was in transition, and there's a lot I know I need to do that I haven't had time to sit down and concentrate on. But ever since she's gotten here it's been Susan-do-this and Why-don't-we-have-that. I feel like I've gone from treading water to trying to swim the English Channel with bricks tied around my waist.

And she wants it by tomorrow, which I don't know how I'm going to get to, because I'm compiling some October statistics for her which she ALSO wants for tomorrow, and I can tell she was just amazed and appalled that I wasn't already compiling such monthly statistics, because to her that's just an obvious part of an operations manager's role.

I'd say that you need to stay late or do this at home. This is critical to your job satisfaction, so you gotta make time for it.