I'll add some more well-wishes in the hopes that the accumulating mass of ~ma breaks some kind of barrier between wishes and reality to do our bidding, Maria. For you and for everyone that is having such craptastical misfortune.

Maybe you could even find a used 2000 BMW whatever it is. The search could easily be offloaded to some underemployed Buffista (such as me, come Monday and the children are in school.)

Ugh. I was afraid it was the same person. Who has many, many issues, but also many good points, and who is basically one of my employers. I'm well aware of the issues and I do a fair amount of work to manage the personal and professional relationships without getting slammed by the issues, but still... it's a boss, and a person with whom I have built a careful but solid F2F relationship.

I'm not advocating for the person or wanting anyone else to change their minds; just... would it be possible to just keep it back-channel? I feel really uncomfortable and trapped; I'm abundantly aware of the person's big issues, but also abundantly aware that this is someone I have to work with almost daily, and someone who's giving me professional opportunities in a field I care about passionately, and someone with whom I've negotiated a decent set of intimacies and boundaries that work as a friendship. And so I feel like an asshole for working with this person who pisses other Buffistas off, and an asshole for not saying anything, and an asshole for saying anything. And I love Natter and the Natterers, even if I'm stuck lurking most of the time because the day job is eating my brain, and I hate feeling like not just a lurker but an asshole lurker.

If all of this is totally inappropriate for me to say and I need to suck it up and own my assholeitude, just say so. I just... I feel all idgy and weirdly dirty.

No, JZ, I'm glad you said something. I'm the one who started the comments, and I really shouldn't have.

I'm sorry that I said things that create an uncomfortable atmosphere for you. I really didn't think before I posted.

t edit And there's nothing assholish about you. Not even a little bit.

I am a total asshole, frequently. How many people do I owe packages and betas and letters and thank you notes to? People who have been 1000% amazing to me? MANY.

JZ, I'm glad you said something too. I'm hardly the biggest fan of the person in question, but I do feel uncomfortable that we're basically trash-talking her where she could easily read it (though I understand she doesn't read the board anymore), and where people who know her and like her can read it too. She may not participate on the board anymore, but in my mind she's still one of our own, and I don't like seeing any Buffista dissed on the board.

Well, I just did a stab at looking at Carmax for a used 3 series BMW, and I found something that I could probably handle if I tightened the purse strings. No V6 Jettas, though. I would rather have a 200 V6 Jetta. Pfft.

I agree, jz. I kinda started it and I am sorry. It was mean-spirited of me and I am actually really glad you called me on it.

eta: Oh, cross-post--teppy and I kinda started it together.

Sorry about the car, ita. I hope you find a good replacement.

Happy Birthday Sail.

So I got my haircut after work. I like my hairdresser a lot. She's smart, funny and creative and we have similar tastes. I trust her judgment, so I'm always open to her suggestions, and she listens to mine. But now I have bangs, and I don't know if I really like them.

JZ, could you remind me of the press you and she are working with? The publishing concern Deena started is failing due to her own ill health, and I'm looking for possible outlets for writing.