I hate getting "yelled at," which includes any kind of mild reproof.

Yeah, this. I have a huge defensive streak. Being aware of it forever and fighting it doesn't help. Mostly it has served me well though.

So, it is late enough and I am tipsy enough to share my most personally memorable getting yelled at story. Back 40! years ago when I was 19 I was working for a drug store chain in Philadelphia as an accounts payable clerk. My boss was a yelling type and there were a number of illegal/improper/odd issues on a regular basis. Ah, Philly.

So once a week the head accountant lady came to the office to do whatever and she wore this super strong perfume that caused an allergic reaction with tears flowing and sneezing and so forth. After she left one week the boss called me into his office to ask (loudly) what the hell my problem was with AL. Um, I have no issue with her, but her perfume makes my allergies act up. So he looks at me and insists that "allergies are always psychosomatic and what the hell is your problem".

My defensive reaction kicks in and I tell him he is insane and walk to my desk, pick up my purse and walk out. I get to the subway station and call DH from a phone booth (70s yo) and sob about quitting my job and how we are surely going to starve and be homeless. He is all supportive and stuff. So the subway station and phone booth are right in front on the Philadelphia Inquirer building. My 19 yo self looks at the big tall building and thinks, gee I bet they hire a lot of people. Walk in the front revolving doors and see the HR office. I start work the next day.

I have forever been grateful to insane boss because he taught me at a very young age that there is always another option.

So tipsy, and rambling, and in love with spell check, gotta say.

That's a wonderful story.

Debet, that's something I've been working on for years with limited success. It's a real issue at work for me, especially as a dept chair. So I hear you. It's hard. I just keep reminding myself that I'm a work in progress.

I *love* that story, Laura!

Laura,

how wonderful for you in that the situation worked out. what an asshole boss though. damn.

Fantastic story, Laura. I am going to try to keep it in mind.

An aside, I loathe the claim that allergies are psychosomatic.

OK, watched the first four eps of Orange is the New Black with the roomie tonight. Good times. I have decided the issue is, I don't like watching things longer than a minute or two on my computer. But I can watch Netflix through my TiVo, so at home I'm OK. You'd think Netflix on the road would be useful, but I never use it. I think I must be An Old, to have this problem

Oddly, I can watch things easier on my tablet than my laptop. I've decided, based on almost nothing, that it is because the laptop has a keyboard *right there* but the tablet turns into a viewing screen.

Thanks, Laura, smonster, and pix. It's hard right now because this is one of my clinical internships, so there isn't actually another option (and let me be clear, I'm not actually getting in trouble. It just feels like that.), but I am glad to know that I am not the only one with that...personality quirk.

I can happily watch tv on my laptop while doing other things, but I do like having HBOGo on my tablet (on a coffee table while I'm sitting on the floor, so it's at eye level), and my "stuff I'm doing" on my laptop. As far as an actual tv, unless it's pretty big, the functional size, given the distance, is not much bigger than my hulu window, and is more likely to have distracting, extraneous stimuli between me and it, so I often prefer NOT to watch things on an actual tv.

OMG, you guys. I have to tell you. And then you tell me if I am way the fuck off base.

So my birthday dinner and party was last night. We had a res at Palm Palace (my favorite restaurant - Moroccan) for 7:30. We have these "friends". One of who you may remember is the passive-aggressive insulter - she of the "Your Christmas card photographer was go great the way he had you sit so it hides all your extra weight in your thighs and belly." fame? Anyway, they RSVPd late, but Joe squeezed them in on the reservation. I got a text from saying they would be late b/c their babysitter was running late. Okay. Shit happens with babysitters. I get that.

They showed up AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES LATE. AN HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES. We were all knee deep into our entrees, WAAAAAAAY past appetizers and salads.

So our waiter busts his ass (he was AMAZING) to add a new table for them and they sit down, She orders a lemonade and He orders a water and then they proceed to GRAZE off the table. They didn't order ANYTHING. Included in their graze? MINE AND JOE'S DINNER PLATE (we order a big sample platter). PICKED FROM IT WITH THEIR FINGERS. They were asking for part of other people's meals. It was ridiculous. It was one of those moments where I was too stunned to say anything.

So the bill comes. Joe and I covered the apps and the waiter put their lemonade on our bill. Okay - no big. They look at the bill (which was $94 - $15 of which was added gratuity for the size of our party), hand Joe a $20 AND THEN ASK FOR $10 BACK.

They didn't bring booze to the after party at our house. They didn't even BRING A FRICKIN' CARD.

WHAT THE EFFING EFF SHIT IS THAT MESS?? As our friend Ali said, "Never surprised, ALWAYS amazed."

What the fuck, y'all?