I'm listening to the Blackhawks game and using the rest of my brain power reminding myself not to make awful noises or shout expletives because I'm surrounded by coworkers.

ARGH ARGH ARGH STOP IT WITH THE TURNOVERS WTF AT LEAST YOU'RE NOT GETTING TOO MANY MEN ON THE ICE PENALTIES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Oh, I will. I had a frank talk with my soon-retiring coworker and stbex cswtfever supervisor, and one, she's really happy about the offers we got. Like really, really. She felt we were being chronically underpaid, but did as much as was able. Got some very helpful info on jwst stuff that I can definitely use. And she gave me scuttlebutt on how we're trying to bring over the one guy they couldn't (remote, in a state the new contract doesn't work in) and some of my branch boss's weaknesses that she's always actively countering and wants me to be armed to take up that fight.

It was intense, and then we had 5 hrs of interviews with 2 top candidates for a new archive scientist (her replacemended, except she can't be replaced) which also was intense.

Last few weeks have been like that. Lots of info, lots of work, lots of stretching my skills and experiences.

That sounds amazing.

Um, sarameg, though the Blackhawks turnovers sound like a different kind of amazing.

I'm pleased to confirm that I still like the white wine I bought 3 bottles of on Sunday. Yay.

Wow sarameg, you're getting to see so much of the sausage making

That's a good way to put it!

Um, sarameg, though the Blackhawks turnovers sound like a different kind of amazing.

It's fine. They stopped giving away the puck and then some awesome shit happened.

I do think this whole drama has given me a fair bit of sausage making sources that will serve me well in the future, as far as getting inside details. As in, the trust me to measure and give feedback, and not blab. I've earned big confidence points. By being really fucking open and honest! Which I am normally (some would say unfiltered) wrt to work, but doing it on the work-life intersection was new. Other than my cats and house projects, my coworkers don't know much about my personal life. I just found out that a coworker of a decade plus assumed I was married until this week.

Well, good! Blackhawks and sausage making.

Oh, y'all, I have to tell this to people who will understand. My one coworker today wanted to tell me about this amazing and bizarre book he's read recently, he thinks it's being made into a TV series: American Gods. It was so cute.

He has no idea the depth of the rabbit hole he might stumble into talking Neil Gaiman with me. I was gentle.

Songs I sing when I can't find my phone (related to songs I sing to my cats as discussed a while back, I feel):

"Where is my phone, my noggy noggy [sometimes "goddamn fucking phone", as it fits the meter and is how a band I used to see sang All For Me Grog] phone? It's all gone to beer and tobacco." etc.

"Where did I put my phone, where did I put that phone. Isn't it a nobby one and just the proper tone? I wish that I could find one just the same as that"...trails off into muttering.