Shir, I'm not sure whether you were here two years ago when we adopted Rigatoni. (By the way, according to the vet's morning update, his potassium is better, but big fluid problems remain. His regular vet called later and gave me a pep talk with the theme, "He isn't dead yet.") There's background.

We adopted Teddy when he as a kitten in early 1994. Hubs's mother was living with us at the time, and she'd just had surgery for breast cancer. Her doctor recommended a pet to keep her company because she couldn't go out on her own anymore. She picked out and named Teddy by combining Hubs's name and mine.

By 2007, Hubs's mother was gone (the breast cancer finally got her in 2000), but Teddy was still around. Then his kidneys failed. We went to Philadelphia to get him a kidney transplant. Rigatoni, a "purpose-bred cat" (in other words, bred to participate in lab experiments) who was then almost 9 months old, was the first donor. That kidney failed literally as we were on the way to Philadelphia to bring Teddy and Rigatoni home.

So we tried again. That donor was a 3-1/2 year old Big Orange Bundle o' Love named Seamus. Rigatoni was Seamus's best friend in the donor colony, so it worked out well. But now, we're all lost.

The last gift for TCG just arrived as I was wrapping the rest of them. I love when things work out that way.

Shir, I'm not sure whether you were here two years ago when we adopted Rigatoni

Nope. I think I'm here for about a year and a half tops, including the months of lurking before it (just checked it - my first post was in March 2008).

Thank you for the story, Fred. And continued~ma to all of you.

*snerk* I knew I wasn't totally deluded, thinking the room for my part-time class was inaccessible. An entire class has now been moved, just so I can get in there.

I wonder if I should apologise to anyone....

Vortex - eek. Does not sound like fun.

Actually firing an incompetent employee CAN be fun. Aside from too much perfume, I have had to twice speak to her about her unprofessional attitude and arguing with me. The last time, I told her that she was rolling her eyes at me. I told her that I didn't think that it was conscious, but making faces was inappropriate. She said "I know myself. I didn't roll my eyes at you. Unless you have a camera on me, you've never seen me roll my eyes." I took a very deep breath and said "I'm trying to remember that this is a learning environment, and students make mistakes. Your behavior is completely inappropriate and will not be tolerated. Why don't you go home and think about this conversation and we'll start fresh tomorrow"

On top of the attitude, she didn't listen. she was often doing tasks incorrectly or not at all because she didn't hear me.

Everything was fine for a few days until this morning. I waited for her at my office, to help me carry some items over to the event. I finally leave 20 minutes after she's supposed to get there, get to the venue, and she's sitting there, placidly reading her classwork. I said "what are you doing here? You were supposed to meet me at my office" She said "you told me to meet you here". I said "no, you were to meet me at the office" I was livid. I took care of a few things, then called her aside. I told her how unhappy I was, that even if she thought I'd told her to meet at here, why didn't she call when I didn't arrive, etc. She said "you told me to meet you here" I replied "no, I did not and the arguing with me stops NOW." She said "I'm not arguing with you" I said "when I say something that you believe is incorrect and you continue to contradict me? That's arguing with me." She then said "I disagree. You told me to meet you here. Next time I'll write it down so I can show you."

Well, that was fucking IT. I had 15 reps arriving in the next half hour, but I did not give a fuck. I said "That's it, our association is over. I don't know who you are going to work for, but it will not be me. You may get your things and leave."

So, I need to find a new GA

WTF?

Anyway, sounds like you're a lot better off without her....

Oh yeah. definitely one that was more work that she saved when I had to redo her shit. Which happened more than once.

when I say something that you believe is incorrect and you continue to contradict me? That's arguing with me." She then said "I disagree.

Oh, Vortex. I've never had a professional employee confused about hierarchy, but the students & interns drive me bonkers with thinking that their opinion matters as much as mine (or the collective department).

Fred, I'll be thinking good thoughts for Rigatoni.

Vortex, what a nub.

Vortex - Erk. That sounds like someone who would have been a nightmare to work with.