No gifts here, but that's fine by me. We get a nice Christmas party though. This year it's at the Museum of Science!

Don't go, Sophia! Unless your work party is made of awesome fun times the likes of which you'll never see again until next year, it's not worth the expense and time away from your other obligations.

Sophia a christmas party 50 miles away is ridiculous. who comes up with these things? i would not feel guilty in the least for not going. maybe if they have a poor turnout they'll actually think about how far they're making everyone travel.

Try, "oh, I only budgeted twenty.

I am extremely tempted to AT LEAST broach the topic of why it doubled in one year. it's made even more ridiculous because last year we had to figure out what to do with the extra money after buying the "big presents" for each boss. we ended up getting them beach towels with our logo and crap on them.

This is obviously going to be an "Oh, HELL NO" kind of day

seems like.

Do you think your boss is aware that the office manager makes it de facto mandatory?

my boss isn't aware of anything that causes conflict because he doesn't want to be.

Working for myself means the boss never gets a gift. But my trusty minion, Bartleby, gives me joy everyday, so I suppose it balances out.

I have a mini rant and a question for lawyerly, and/or renter's rights folk. The landlord that I have been bitching about for ever (burning lead paint in the building and lying about it, dumping gas on the first floor and leaving me to deal with it on a freezing night-and lying about it-never fixing things without threats and or months/years to 'think about it', etc.) has just raised my rent by $300 per month.

This, combined with another $300 increase a few years ago, constitutes a 100% increase in the 9 years I've lived here. I'm given to understand that in multi-unit biuldings, 45% would be generous.

I'm also given to understand that, since it is a one unit situation (over a liquor store), I am sol in terms of rights.

Is that the case? Is there anything I can do besides stick pins in a doll?

My first year at the press release place, our party was at the Computer Museum. Unfortunately, our clients were invited too, which made the editors irritated, since we didn't like schmoozing ANYWAY, much less at our party! That aside, it was a great place for a party. Sniff. RIP, Computer Museum.

I am extremely tempted to AT LEAST broach the topic of why it doubled in one year.

How many people are expected to contribute? How many of these are the instigators?

I find it REALLY hard to believe that you are the only person who is shocked by this at your office.

We get a nice Christmas party though. This year it's at the Museum of Science!

OK, that's pretty cool.

Ugh, I have to start Xmas shopping AND I have to get my car worked on (oil change and 60000 maintenance, the latter 8000 miles late) & inspected. So much for my savings.

First world problems, I know, but I'm so unmotivated.

The new other attorney I work for is a partner and notorious for cheap-ass gifts (when she remembers them at all). Like a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card.

I think that cheap-ass is different in upstate, because I usually receive $10 gift cards. $25 come from friends!

$25 is a perfectly lovely gift. But the norm around here from a partner or a couple of associates is for something a little shinier. Theater tickets, iPods, day spas... these are a little more the usual scale.

But, like I said, she's notorious. She forgets secretary's day, etc.

Beej, it varies a lot by state, but, probably, yes. The carve-outs for small-number-of-units are pretty weird and extensive. (I think on the logic that usually, few units means actually attached to the owner's residence.)

In my state, 4 units or fewer, attached to the owner's residence, and they can discriminate on almost any basis they want (including federally-protected groups) when deciding whom to rent to, and don't need to give a reason when asking the tenant to move out. Some of the stuff I heard prospective landlords say this summer was -- urk. (Mostly about single men, but some vague racial stuff too.)

There might be a set percentage that a landlord may raise rent per year (and that wouldn't vary based on number of units), but it's unlikely to cover multiple years. (So, it may be perfectly legal to double the rent in 10 years, by upping it 10% per year.) And, as long as he's not trying to do it in the middle of a signed lease, it's probably not illegal.

Last year, I gave my boss an extra Chicago picture book that I had and liked, but didn't really need to keep. It was a bargain book from when I worked at Waldenbooks, so it only cost me a few bucks to begin with, but she didn't know that!

This year, I'll be getting her some more bargain books, this time from my current bookstore employer, B&N. I don't usually spend more than $10-15 tops on her, and she usually gives me a $25 B&N or PetSmart gift card and something from Swedish Bakery in Andersonville (we're both part-Swedish, so it's a nice gesture to our shared ancestry).