cereal: There is a whole round of small-p politics I never learned, not being at work. And I'm finding it slightly passive-aggressive that after one day she "brought someone in" on our conversation after not even a day...maybe in case I might be like a mom at a birthday party, all "What do we say when we want someone to do us a favor? Please don't be an idiot, thank you." I know we all got a shitty district with a registration gap(and honestly, not sure how much the scurrying around really helps, but maybe my attitude is bad.)

a courteous, team player way to say "...you order me around, and I'm beginning not to care for it."

Start with "No." "No" is a complete sentence.

Anything softer leaves room for getting mis-heard or mis-understood or just plain ignored.

Then you can talk. "Oh, you would like me to assist you? Then ask nicely."

Sometimes you have to step on their toes until they apologize.

Well, that's a thought. Maybe I've been too available.