Heh, that's a nice e-mail, Aims.

Bear in mind that I have 160 of these to read in the next two weeks, and see if you can come up with a number of pages that suits you.

Give him a paragraph! He'll love you!

Nora - for sure what GC said. If he does call you in for a scolding or whatever, tell him that you were cold and wet and rightfully annoyed at being so and your feelings about the weather have nothing to do with your feelings about the errand. Had it been a nice, sunny spring day, I'm guessing you would have taken pleasure in the walk and break from the office.

Why is it that so many bosses expect you to just do every single part of your job with a smile? Do they? Do they do every single thing that is expected of them happily and merrily? No. They get cranky at stuff, but god forbid their direct reports get cranky at stuff. @@.

Give him a paragraph! He'll love you!

Mine is 2 pages, double spaced so far.

Why is it that so many bosses expect you to just do every single part of your job with a smile? Do they? Do they do every single thing that is expected of them happily and merrily? No. They get cranky at stuff, but god forbid their direct reports get cranky at stuff. @@.

Whereas my boss and I spent a lot of our one-on-one meeting yesterday complaining about someone we had to work with. The conversation included phrases like "irritates the shit out of me," "unholy terror," and "fucking stupid."

I did write this to him:

[Boss], I was soaked to the skin and wasn’t up for talking. I changed my pants, shoes, and socks and was fine. It was a really hellish (sideways rain, icy wind, cold cold cold) and long walk (15 minutes each way, umbrella useless) and I really am not up for a talking-to about my bad attitude because of this. It’s not fair. I had actually been hoping to slip in your office unnoticed because I was so close to tears and miserable. Maybe I should have changed and gotten warm before giving you the check but my priority was getting it to you ASAP. Please, can we let this bad moment pass without a meeting about it?

I work really hard at being positive and collegial and I think I succeed most of the time, and I’m sorry that my mood was poor for a few minutes today.

Why is it that so many bosses expect you to just do every single part of your job with a smile? Do they? Do they do every single thing that is expected of them happily and merrily? No. They get cranky at stuff, but god forbid their direct reports get cranky at stuff.

THIS. I don't get it, I really am positive and jovial and whatever almost all the time, and I'm so furious that I am going to be slapped down for having a human moment. It's like, do you think I'm a robot?

That's a good e-mail, Nora. I hope he takes it the right way.

Heh, a friend of mine just made me smile when I bitched to him about the above circumstance:

I love that you have to schedule your own scoldings, though!

Anybody want to bring me lunch? I have a can of lentil soup but no desire to eat it or volition to wash dishes so I can eat it. And no car to go get something.

When the guys from the city public works/water department get here and get done checking around for reasons why our water pressure has been so pathetic lately, I shall be making something involving black beans, tomato products and angel hair pasta. I shall be sure to pour some through the internet for you, smonster. Until then, I have given myself some fuel in the form of a peanut butter and honey sandwich, which was fuel, but not satisfying. My dad used to love peanut butter and honey, don't know why I don't.

Why is it that so many bosses expect you to just do every single part of your job with a smile? Do they? Do they do every single thing that is expected of them happily and merrily? No. They get cranky at stuff, but god forbid their direct reports get cranky at stuff. @@.

Because they CAN.