-t, I can't tell you how much help Atropa's summary was when I was doing my self-appraisal earlier this year. I still had to do the individual sections, but then I put her words (slightly tailored to my specific situation) in the comments and I felt much better - like I had said what I was thinking, but in a way that wouldn't get me fired.

Eeep, msbelle. Communication really helps! I'm sorry Big Boss isn't hearing.

Monday. Work stuff is actually pretty slow so I am doing clearing of paperwork stuff.

Also, I received the replacement coffee pot for my nice coffee/espresso machine, and only now realized the espresso pot was also cracked. Sigh. Back to the search engine.

It's being a very Monday-ish Monday. To lighten the day, here's an ad.

I got as far as opening up my appraisal template to think about maybe starting that and it just filled me with despair.

This is me every year. It usually takes about a week of staring at it before I can work up the spoons to start typing.

No -t, the confusing communicator is the big boss. My boss basically never talked with me. We never met and she never did a 6 month review.

It seems totally wakkadoodle to me to not prioritize hiring a deputy because you "have no time to train" and "no-one would have her job knowledge from years with the county". Regardless of those facts, was she doing work that still needs doing? And is that work going to be burdons on others to pick up?

Does not make sense. In the meantine, I am getting a project from another division that they need help with and I am documenting the shit out of everything do, plus things I see that need doing, plus anything I could be doing but that co-worker has not shown me how.

It usually takes about a week of staring at it before I can work up the spoons to start typing.

Yeah, that sounds right. Unfortunately I have to have it done by Wednesday (or work on it on my scheduled days off and no I really do not want to do that)

Got it, msbelle. Go you with the documentation! Probably your best strategy in what sounds like a very sucky situation

I'm sorry, msbelle. Wishing you clarity of expression and communicating what you need boss to hear.

It's odd, but like breadmaking, ironing is a zen kind of thing for me. Not like I do a family's worth of shirts, dresses, and trousers every week. But ironing napkins, handkerchiefs (my dad's--he always carried one), pillowcases, all simple flat things, was rote and simple. I did have to be careful around the embroidery on the pillowcases, but getting the lace edging my grandmother tatted all flat and pretty again was nice. And when I had a few chosen pieces of work clothing--a re-tailored Egyptian cotton tuxedo shirt with miles of pintucks and French cuffs, a chambray mid-calf skirt, a blue chambray shirt, etc.--it was nice to take the time to ease out the wrinkles, to edge the point of the iron into difficult spots and see them relax into their proper shape. It was the luxury of having those moments of time to take that care that made me happy to iron.

My mom offered me her breadmaking machine, and I declined. Aside from the fact that we've reduced our bread intake drastically, it's the mechanics of breadmaking that I love. I will knead for hours on a bad day, putting all my aggressive instincts toward producing something good and positive.

I am documenting the shit out of everything do, plus things I see that need doing, plus anything I could be doing but that co-worker has not shown me how.

Yeah, that was going to be my only idea. Good luck! Fucking yikes is right.

It usually takes about a week of staring at it before I can work up the spoons to start typing.

Hard same. Which means I better start staring!

it's the mechanics of breadmaking that I love. I will knead for hours on a bad day, putting all my aggressive instincts toward producing something good and positive.

I have realized this weekend that I don't care about the mechanics of baking at all! Like, I already thought it, and then I was kneading bread this morning like, "ugh, am I done yet?" What I like is having baked.

Obviously, we need a Jesse-Beverly collaboration.

Oh shit, this place has a separate guest cottage AND a Treehouse. And in a great part of Berkeley: [link]