Awkwardness at work: so ED granted me a four day/32 hour work week for a slight raise. I agreed without much thought, because, hey, three-day weekend and extra coffee money.

But it hit me on the fourth that I'll be out this coming Tuesday, when I'd promised that I'd help the Ed department with their planting project. If I don't show, boss lady will either have to step up and lose some hours on wrapping up work in the house, or she'll leave them to fend for themselves. And possibly be pissed off at me for conspiring behind her back (worst case scenario).

And there are other Tuesday appointments that had been made well in advance that she will be permanently gone for, and we'll either have to cancel them, or I'll have to come in anyway.

And it turns out that this is not just for July, but a semi-permanent change of schedule until I get a new boss. And it means that there is no one at work watering the greenhouse or the new plantings three days of the week.

ED says he made this offer to me because he wanted me to not lose momentum with the Saturday volunteers, and he felt bad about that and wanted to reduce my stress. Except what he really wants is weekend coverage, and is ignoring the fact that volunteer numbers are down during July and August and we didn't lose momentum when we were closed for five months and only doing it once a month.

I feel like I've been put in a position to punish myself, or to deny myself without reward.

He insists that even just getting one extra pair of hands on a Saturday is worthwhile. If they were a trained, knowledgable staff member, yes. If they're a 12 year old their parent drops off, not so much.

I feel like we keep having the same conversation over and over. I worry about watering coverage so our plants don't fucking die, and he wants to send out emails to our "reliable" volunteers that I haven't seen since the spring. And lord knows how fucking long until we get a response, if any at all, and then I'd have to take time to train them. And volunteers are finicky and unreliable and have lives and vacations, and I just want to hire my current unpaid intern who already knows half the watering duties and pay her $9 bucks an hour to come in for two or three hours on a Sunday so I don't have to work seven days a week.

Yeah, I think I'll take this one three day weekend as a freebie, but I don't know if I have a leg to stand on to say "hey, since I choose to work a proper 40 hour week, how about upping that raise a little bit more?".

The alcohol sugars TASTE right to me, which is the only 'artificial' sweetener that does (some taste sweet, but not Right, some have terrible sub- or after- tastes) but more than a dab brings on the intestinal miseries.

I am okay with xylitol in toothpaste, but I don't swallow. In general, it's sugar or agave or nothing for me. I don't need anything sweet enough to handle the weird taste of most of the rest, even if most of them weren't migraine triggers.

I just got the best manicure I've had in years, and of course immediately fucked up practically one whole hand getting my keys out. She did say I could come in within three days to get anything fixed, and I did overtip (due to not having the right change for 20%), so maybe I will go back. Oy vey.

Now I'm trying to book a room on Priceline, and it keeps adding nights. One night! Not two! And now that I've backed up to the beginning, not three nights either!

Is there a way to search for sketchy motels? All my searches keep landing me in hotels. (shoot, there was a hostel that was ridiculously expensive).

Basically, I'm looking for a dive that I only plan to sleep in. I'll bring the febreeze. I know it's been forever since I rented a room, but I'd like to find something in or close to Boston that is ninety bucks or cheaper. I'll even take Quincy.

For the weekend? I would say you can definitely find a nice hotel in the financial district for less than $90 on Priceline, but maybe not 4th of July weekend.

This The Comment Section for Every Article Ever Written About Intimate Grooming Don't know how on-target it is, but it is very funny and sounds like what you would expect.

Jesse, I was thinking Sunday night going into Monday. Does that still count as a holiday weekend?

Typo,

le nubian "Natter 71: Someone is wrong on the Internet" Jul 2, 2013 1:57:47 pm PDT

For tomorrow night, Hotwire shows a bunch of places under $125, which I think means you should be able to get $90 on Priceline.

You could also try the Courtyard Marriott in Cambridge or the Holiday Inn in Somerville -- those are cheaper chains. Oh, there's also a crappy hotel in Harvard Sq -- the Harvard Square Hotel. If you end up there, let me know, because I live around the corner!