I think this will be hell for everyone but I'm going to spread the misery around.

I may have found my new motto.

I think this will be hell for everyone but I'm going to spread the misery around.

I may have found my new motto.

Word. Smoking and oxygen tanks are not mixy things. Askye, I think you have a right to a home that’s not in danger of blowing up.

I think this will be hell for everyone but I'm going to spread the misery around.

I may have found my new motto.

Thirded.

Mike Lawler has been very vocal about the need to solve the "antisemitism crisis on college campuses" issue too, and among all the horrors this administration has unleashed, hiding behind a shield of "protect the students from antisemitism" so they can pull evil Nazi shit like disappearing Palestinian activists is pretty fucking beyond.

Yes.

I am obviously waiting for my U to be stripped of funding, and then we'll see. Like, I'm not particularly worried about my exact job, but this was not the best time for a full leadership transition all the way up my chain of command!! ::am drinking::

Askye, I think you have a right to a home that’s not in danger of blowing up.

Or being filled with smoke regardless!!

That seems really hard for M. And consequently for you.

I like the one cigarette a day idea. I believe they also make vapes that are easier for the elderly, although I don't know how that interacts with Oxygen. I was looking into for my mother until I realized that she will literally never listen to me. She needs to be tricked into thinking something is her own idea and that she can do it with no help. We are so much alike, except she is not at all bossy. She is judgy,but not bossy and wants the same respect.

I am going to a Post Cereal- maybe Wheaties, because I don't want my good news to be mixed with my sympathy.

As some of you might have guessed, I have been super-depressed and just broken since about September 2022. I took a good turn in September 2024 because I went back to my doctor and got back on my antidepressants, but I still have been feeling totally terrible and bad at work. I have had some good days, but mostly, I am somewhat of a pile of burnt-out DO NOT CARE, which I come out of when I CAN'T STOP CARING.

I also have been feeling very disconnected from my Boss because she is super busy and is also very gentle- and I wasn't feeling where the goal posts were. I felt like she correctly read that I don't like being micromanaged but incorrectly read that I didn't need to understand WHAT the goals were.

I had my performance review today, and it was so good! I actually cried some happy tears because she recognized things that are really important to me (solving the root cause of problems, meeting the faculty "where they are" in terms of tech, and making sure the right stakeholders get to the table for tech changes) and specific instances! So I feel seen! We set really good goals with a plan to check in on them. I was able to share that I was looking for a new "big project" where I can dive in and learn a system and then help teach it- my big projects have gotten to a more "maintenance phase," and I am bored with it. She shared that there is a new project upcoming that she wants me to be involved in deploying and creating training materials; it just hasn't been approved. She even upped the one score I lowered on my self-eval (we only have 4 competencies, it is weird) because my "communication" difficulties basically have to do with one person who we both think is an asshat who cuts me off and explains the same thing I did, WRONG, and in more words. She said that since I was aware of it and was trying things she would still rate me higher. Unfortunately, I can't pull off what she does without sounding like I am being passive-aggressive. She does the "Can you help me understand...", or "Oh, I wasn't aware that was the case, my understanding was that..." My technique is now basically to keep my mouth shut and let him hoist himself on his own petard. Eventually, he says something ridiculous in front of his boss, and he looks like an idiot.

Annoying review caveat- at the beginning of the process, we were all told to choose DEI goal. That option is now unavailable. That made my boss angry, so we put mine (investigating "blind" grading without student names) under Strategic Planning.

Sophia I'm glad you got a good eval!! That is awesome.

Apparently there is already fallout over the no smoking thing. Because someone , I think M's aunt, texted and asked if smoking would be allowed outside. He said no. The Cousin who kind of disappeared the other day I guess is back up at his parents and they don't really want him there and I guess his mom was asking if he smoked outside would that be ok. The Cousin is in his late 30s so his mom getting involved is weird. But she also wanted to know about when people came over to visit M's mom. And they want to sit outside , away from the oxygen tank, and I guess have his mom sit out there without it and then smoke and her not smoke. Or something. I don't know.

I am not 100% sure she is getting oxygen but since the don't know what is causing this I would assume they would want her to be on it. She still is getting oxygen at the hospital.

In all of that work wasn't too bad. it took me a lot longer to do things than normal. And I didn't get dizzy as badly but my stomach was still bothering me. Four more days of work and then the ultrasound and I'll have 3 days off. I took an extra day to go up and see Mom. I still want to and will try but it depends on what is going on here.

Fantastic review, Sophia! Oh what a difference a great boss makes.

Not just the validation, but the well communicated goals and expectations with room for you to grow towards your strengths.

! Oh what a difference a great boss makes.

Not just the validation, but the well communicated goals and expectations with room for you to grow towards your strengths.

It was really amazing. Also, I think she sort of realized that letting me alone because I am a good and independent worker and don't need her attention as much as other things was causing me to spiral out in anxiety now that we are five years past 2020 and all hands on deck! I was thinking that I was doing all these things behind the scenes to keep things running that no one saw, and she saw them! I think she understands that I can do need a clear roadmap now.