So, a nice panic moment this afternoon when I restarted my computer after some updates and it wouldn't restart. It's had a weird rattle occasionally that started after one of my clumsy rugby guys stayed her for a weekend. Hmmmm.

Felicitations and commiserations, everyone!

Congrats, Laga, I'm so glad for you.

Maria, I know you have tons of support, but if I can lend an ear, please know it is available to you any time. Many wishes for patience, peace and best possible outcomes.

Caring gazes for all who would rather not be hugged and virtual embraces for everyone else.

Bartleby's results came in this morning (that was a _fast_ 5 days!) and they are frustratingly inconclusive...again.

Of the three needle aspirations, 2 were fat cells only and one says 'Inflammatory and malignant neoplastic cells are not observed.' There is a chance that the swelling is a lipoma...fatty deposit...but the vet is not willing to claim that as the final answer. She wants to do the aspirations again in a month.

In the meanwhile, much to my chagrin, there is nothing for me to DO. She suggested putting him on a raw diet of red meat (a particular problem for me, although I am not a full veg anymore) and some Chinese herbs. She did not indicate which herbs, so I have yet to make a decision about that.

Today, the little guy has a very bad belly including blood , but has good energy. I blame the rabies vaccine and/or Interceptor that he had not had in a few months.He blames me for not feeding him the evening meal. I'm trying to help his gut relax, but he does not like. Poor baby.

So. Not terrible news but the 5th, yes 5th vet who has for all intents and purposes, shrugged over this issue.

Argh.

So now I can never date girls, because I will feel guilty for not dating smonster and Laga. Luckily you're both partnered off, so I can't feel too bad.

So now I can never date girls, because I will feel guilty for not dating smonster and Laga. Luckily you're both partnered off, so I can't feel too bad.

Well, you could date me, and tell them that's why you can't date them? :) OK, maybe not...

Also, I need a reality check.

I've been thinking about finding a part time gig to tide me over the rough spots in a the slow months.

It seemed like a boon when a good friend of mine who has the most successful pet services business in my area asked me to do some HR and PR related stuff for her. This conversation happened yesterday.

Today, prior to our having a conversation about what I want to do vs, what I _can_ do, she announced to her company that I was coming on as a the Director for HR and Communications/PR.

Here are the duties she wants me to do for $20 per hour:

• Interview potential walkers by e-mail, phone and in the field
• Accompany new walkers on one or two training walks with outgoing walkers
• Walk with new walkers on their first day.
• Walk with new walkers twice during their first month
• Periodically review each walker’s performance in advance of his or her work anniversaries (6 months, 18 months, two years).
• Notify clients of upcoming walker transitions and troubleshoot transition related difficulties.
• Plan quarterly, optional, events for dog walkers—morale boosting—one of these would be company Christmas party.

PR:

• Review and edit all existing corp. communications: e-mail templates, e-mail footers (change periodically), etc…

Duties to be expanded as necessary and as agreed to by both parties.

I know that she made the company-wide announcement because her existing manager wrote me an email, giving me an assignment that is in addition to this list.

My initial response was WHAT the ever loving WHAT?

Am I right in assuming this is a lot more responsibility than is appropriate for $20 per hour?

I have been the PR director for a major non-profit and have done tons of training, etc. so I have no fear of the tasks. Some I don't really want to do, and I had assumed that we would ramp up rather than, 'you start tomorrow without an agreement and, by the way, here is more to do!'

I'm struggling to know how to respond.

I'm committed to initiating a new employee tomorrow, but I want to take a breath and present a cogent counter offer.

What do you think?

Well, bonny, I guess some of that depends on how big the organization is and how many hours you see devoting to it. I mean, if they have five employees and only get a new walker every six months to a year, that's not a lot of hours on the first half. If they have a new employee every week, and 50 more to do six month checkups on, that's a lot more!

The PR stuff I can't comment on.

Am I right in assuming this is a lot more responsibility than is appropriate for $20 per hour?

I thought so but (a) I don't know the market there; and (b) I don't know how much you need the money; and (c) I don't know how useful it will be for you to create a work relationship with this woman (Probably valuable, I'm guessing).

How many hours a week would you work?

It's not so much the hourly amount but whether she's prepared to pay for the amount of hours that's going to take.

So now I can never date girls, because I will feel guilty for not dating smonster and Laga.

No, that's not true. You're just such a badass I wanted you for, uh, the team I am not currently playing for. It was meant as a compliment to your hottitude and badassery.

bonny, I hate that you didn't get a conclusive result with a clearcut treatment route. Grr. Frustrating. As for the work situation, I think Hec and Ginger make excellent points. I would also be wary about entering into a work partnership, given that you two came away with very different understandings of what you had agreed to.

I'm at a coffeeshop with StW eating dinner and will be working on my application while he studies, so yay for all of that.

smonster/StW and Laga/D are my OTPs right now.

Seriously, the adorableness is smile-making.

bonny, I agree with David and Ginger and I would clearly define whether this is a contract/consultant role or FT/PT employee. If we're talking employee, where's the benefits? Hello, health insurance...