I was rewarded for what stuff I DO keep by finding a piece of fabric (dark purple sheer) that I now drape over my super-bright clockface. I can still see the numbers, but the glow is eliminated.

That's what I need!

Lisah, if you need a hook up, I can prolly find you a patch.

Connie, how in the flying fuck is that not a HIPAA violation? Rant 'em good, I say.

Hi, I need to vent. So I have been trying to keep my head down and work my ass off. Today I was 15 minutes late (on top of our two hour delay) partially because I forgot about that whole ice scraping thing. Fine, my bad. I skipped both my 15 minute breaks today and took a 40 minute lunch (instead of 30) so I figure it evens out.

I've been checking in with E (who's in charge on site) and doing my damnedest. Today, M shows up to help and she and E asked me where I was on a thing. I told them and M says, "Fine, as long as X is done by the end of the day." This was 25 minutes before cleanup. No one told me earlier that X was the goal for the day. It's so fucking cold our GLUE isn't working right and I had to reglue three things today. So I hurried and I screwed it up and it didn't get done. I was conservative so I need to re-cut it anyway which should take care of my boo-boos, but it was an intensely unpleasant way to finish the day.

Add to that I'm pretty sure she tossed my pencil sharpener in the trash. Not on purpose, but when I asked about it I feel like she should have noticed a bright orange conical piece of plastic - my other coworker found it in the trash bag later. What is this, fucking middle school?

Now, I know all I can control is my reaction to her but I don't do well when I am treated like an idiot child and feel a target on my back. I just reached out to E via email again asking for specific feedback in the conversational medium of her choice (I'm going to touch base with all three and my boss, but I figured I'll build my way up to M).

Sorry, this is a bunch of petty bullshit but I've been only intermittantly sucessful in letting things go throughout the day. It doesn't help that I'm feeling flaky anyway and worried that I'm getting early onset Alzheimer's or some shit (Alzheimer's runs in family + 12 yrs soccer + 5 yrs rugby + ingesting more lead and particulates than is probably healthy.

::sigh:: Thanks for reading. Or skimming. Going to try and sleep now. I think I've come up with a mantra for dealing with M.

smonster, that is all totally vent-worthy. You're doing fine; you're doing the best you can and you're human. That doesn't make you flaky.

Keep at it with the communication. It's fine to say, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize X was the goal for today.

You're right that all you can handle is your side of things, so keep at that.

I wouldn't worry too much about the pencil sharpener; I doubt it was on purpose. And even if it was, what can it achieve, just making you cranky? Don't give her the satisfaction.

You're doing well to keep your head down and keep working, but keep communicating. It's hard, but that's the right slog, so keep at it.

Connie, it might also be your insurance company, keep in mind. Not that that makes it any better, but.

Smonster, that's awful. I hope extra communicating helps. :(

smonster, I'm glad you have us as a safe place to vent. Hugs to you.

Connie, it might also be your insurance company

That's what further research is leaning towards. Hubby did the doctor rounds today, finding someone to rant at about the records requirements etc. He showed the cancer center the ads we got, and everyone there was horrified. And he was being assertive and eloquent enough that the director came out of some sort of executive lunch to talk to him. His disability is being managed by AARP through some deal with Medicare--don't mess with old folks' lobbyists--and I wouldn't be surprised if something in their computers triggers notifications to ad people.

By the end of his day, he had records people being obsequious and has an encrypted CD of all his records to hand over to the cancer center tomorrow. The guy we've known as long as we've been together, who we've been alternate parents too all this time, is driving him to Salt Lake instead of him taking the train, so they can spend time together and visit game stores. Then he's going to try to go to his usual Thursday night game. So far so good.

Still angry, can't get to sleep.

Thanks for validation. I think I'm going to start my own documentation and communicate with my boss proactively. I'm going to ask E first thing what she wants to have achieved by the end of the day and if we have a timeline for finishing the job. Trying to model how I'd like things to be, communication-wise.

Connie, I'm so glad they took his concerns seriously.

Connie, that might be the sort of thing the state's AG might want to know about. That could lead to a delightfully public thrashing of the greedy bastards who sell that kind of information.

smonster, that sounds like an excellent approach. If E is in charge of things, that is the sort of information she should be providing without prompting. Not doing so is shitty management on her part.

A delightful public thrashing of greedy bastards is invigorating!

Oh Connie, that's so terrible.

I actually just read an article about this in the New Yorker. There's something called life stage marketing where they use data mining to identify when people are going through major life changes and market directly to them. It came to light because a man received a flyer in the mail from Office Max addressed to his name/daughter died in car accident/or occupant. It's horrible. [link]