It's a PITA, but oh, well.

You're moving to New Orleans this week!! I'm so...uh, jazzed. Ahem.

Go smonster, go!

So, just so everyone knows that I have brought the whole Tino situation to a close, I have to share the email I sent him (and the rest of the senior admin) with you. I think I did well.

Dear [Tino],

Thank you for meeting with me on Friday. I'm so glad we have resolved this situation to everyone's satisfaction; I will send a check for $300 later this month. I do want to clear one thing up that I think may have been unclear during our conversation. The question I had had about the legality of the wage deduction was not an indication that I was unwilling to contribute to the cost of the laptop or take responsibility for my part in the accident. As I mentioned when we spoke, [ND] and I own a small business ourselves, so I had a vested interest in the legal answer from both sides. If it had turned out to be illegal to charge me directly, I had intended to offer to donate the equivalent amount to the general fund as an act of good faith. Alternatively, [ND] and I had talked about the sound equipment [School Name] usually rents from our company for the US and MS theatre productions. We have always given the school a reduced rate, but we were looking at the possibility of donating it outright for the first couple of shows, which would have more than covered the price of a new laptop. This is moot now, obviously, but I wanted to be clear that my intent was simply to verify the law, not to evade responsibility.

I've been trying to take [Head of School's] graduation speech to heart about not letting societal beliefs about assertive women stop me from speaking up.

Many thanks,

[Pix]

We have always given the school a reduced rate, but we were looking at the possibility of donating it outright for the first couple of shows, which would have more than covered the price of a new laptop.

Oh snaaaaap.

Well I hope it doesn't come across that way. I meant it more as that was one of the ways we could have evened things out. But yeah. Hard to walk the fine line.

Pix, I think you conducted yourself with absolute dignity and integrity in this situation.

I've been trying to take [Head of School's] graduation speech to heart about not letting societal beliefs about assertive women stop me from speaking up.

HAH!

Well done.

The past two months I've been a complete zombie, with added sneezing.

I think I'm moving to Antarctica. I'll make sure we have a guest hut.

We have always given the school a reduced rate, but we were looking at the possibility of donating it outright for the first couple of shows, which would have more than covered the price of a new laptop.

Don't think that the temptation to march into his office whenever I find the smallest blemish on any piece of gear school has rented and declare gross negligence and that the school is responsible for the full replacement cost of the item isn't there. I won't do it, but the temptation is certainly there. The other option is to present him with a bill for the repair of any equipment the school rents, then tear it up in front of him and say, "This is because I understand that accidents do happen."

Excellent work, Pix.

The other option is to present him with a bill for the repair of any equipment the school rents, then tear it up in front of him and say, "This is because I understand that accidents do happen."

Ha!

Man, that would be sooooooo tempting.

Dear Malt-O-Meal,

While I'm grateful you are trying to keep the cost of dry cereals down, one raisin in eight spoonfuls does not Raisin Bran make. Without the raisins, it's just bran.

No love,

Me.