So things have worked out oddly. I'm no longer my boss' secretary. I'm the VP's secretary. She had less on her plate than I have, so can deal with his demands better.

Then in the new year, we'll hire him a full time assistant, because his world is heading that way and he needs full time support.

With his needs off my plate, I can concentrate more fully on the projects I have. He feels awful about the constant clashing, loves me, and said I'm valuable to the company and doesn't want to see me go.

It was quiet and everyone was exhausted today from dealing with the situation. I feel guilty for causing all this drama, and think I shouldn't become complacent about my future.

I don't see why you should feel guilty, Allyson. Your boss was being unreasonable and demanding and not providing you the support you needed to do the job.

I'm a bit confused, though: you switched positions with the VP's secretary? And he'll get a full-time assistant as well?

Well, I'm glad if it helps the immediate stress, but I suspect it might be wise to continue looking.

Sweetie, I don't think you caused this. Unrealistic expectations by some other people did. Please keep that in mind. It really sounds like you were expected to wear more hats than a single person can sustain, plus extra inter-personal baggage.

And I hope this is better and more productive for you.

Since he needs two people -not your fault

I won a pair of steel toed mary janes on eBay! They're red, so they're not my one true pair, but steel toes! I'm very excited.

Did ten minutes of job hunting--strategising with my recruiter. Bless her. She really is more about getting me a job than getting her a commission. Most of the convo was about how to get me to stay inside the same org I'm already in, which gets her a big fat $0.

Allyson, your ex-boss is weird and I'd be wary, but this is quite a relief.

My internet connection is being freaky. I think my DNS is down. I can connect here just fine, using this open window, but any new site can't be found. I wanna pay for my shoes!

Allyson I hope it all works out. keep looking for a new job, yes?

I lost all patience with mac tonight which was just all wrong from the grown up and then proceed to make things worse and worse so he was not in bed until after 10 and now I've been on the phone with the parents for 2 hours. Tomorrow is the day I need to be to work early, I am my own worst enemy. and I really should write up the evening for the therapist, but I think I am going to bed instead and try to salvage a bit.

Sleep hard. Some days just suck. Not an indictment on parenthood, some days just suck.

If you are being replaced by two people, expectations were unfair.

Oh and on class mobility: [link] Pew Charitable Trusts, about as mainstream a source as you can get. Starts pg 38. U.S. above U.K, but below France, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Finland in overall social mobility, but even below UK in chance for someone who starts out poor not to end up poor. Even UK is above U.S. in odds someone poor ending up as a prosperous worker or middle class. I'm going to be where UK differs is in odds of someone middle class to end up rich. J.K. Rowling an exception: started out middle class, spent some time very poor, then ended up not just rich but in the super-rich. U.S. is nothing special in social mobility. Lots of nations do better on that than us.

At least the short term situation is more livable, right, Allyson?

Fascinating class discussion that I've pretty much missed. (Is "harried" a class?) Count me as another one who grew up working class and then floundered post-college into clerical work. Though my brothers never did--I think that trap is easier to fall into for a woman. Sometimes I still wish I could have a do-over on my 20's so I could build a proper career for myself, because I am ambitious. But, really, all I'm ambitious for anymore is to become published, so maybe it doesn't matter. A day job is a day job, as long as it pays the bills.

I have to say, I rolled my eyes forever at one of the speakers at last weekend's writers conference. He'd been a high-powered attorney who had an epiphany that he was doing the wrong thing with his life, so he quit to write books. For two years he lived on his savings and his wife's income, and at the end he thought he was going to have to give up and go back to work, and then he'd Never Live His Dream.

All I could think was that maybe my dream is stronger than his, because I don't let the pesky fact I have to work full-time stop me from writing.

Whoa, a whole new Natter!