10:38 p.m. | 2004-09-29 No Rest For The Weary. I went to work today as usual. And as usual, I was the first person there. I was on time too. You�re probably thinking that�s no big deal. However, I�ve been the only person at work on time for several weeks. No offense intended towards NewBoss (NB) or anyone else. That�s just a fact. I�ve made it a point since NB has stressed the importance of it all. (Just to note: yeah, not that important at this particular time. Just saying.) Yet everyone else shows up late� the latest person is usually NB. Who consequently hasn�t noticed this little discrepancy. Except he has. Which I knew he would� eventually. Because he�s got a little � or a lot � of OCD. Allegedly. Don�t tell him I told you. Shhh. So he was pissed when he arrived this morning � almost on time � and discovered that I was the only person there. That situation, mixed with a late-night request from MyOtherWorkPlace and my inability to be coherent as soon as he saw me before I ate or even sat down, didn�t end up in happy results. Let�s just say there weren't any unicorns prancing in any gardens. In fact, I didn�t even understand what he was talking about. Here�s that. (NB :) Cruel-Irony, I need you. NOW. (CI:) Sure. What? (NB:) Answer this question. (The question involved a lot of acronyms and text messaging type of abbreviations.) (CI:) Um� don�t know. Yes, that�s my file but I don�t understand what you�re asking. What do these words� um, letters or whatnot stand for? I� um�. (NB:) Didn�t you analyze this? (CI:) Yes. No idea what you�re talking about. There was none of that stuff in my file. Um� See, here�s where I need food. Well, and sleep. Don�t come at me with unfamiliar text messaging abbreviations and acronyms first thing in the morning. Or ever. Not my strong suit. NB called in reinforcements. My partner in crime, so to speak. The only other analyst that analyzes the same stuff I do. She took Colleague�s place actually and I haven�t a moniker for her yet. Let me think� um, NewColleague (NC). I�m quite original if nothing else. Obviously and clearly. Anyway, this happened. (NB:) Hey NC can you help us here? (NC:) (Notice how NB flows nicely and alphabetically into NC, and unbeknownst to you all, NC is NB�s assistant and therefore my supervisor. NB once removed, if you will, which would be NC alphabetically and well, hierarchically next in line. See, there�s a method to my madness after all. At least, I like to think so.) Um, sure. (NB:) Here�s the question. (NC:) I don�t know what this (acronym) means or that (text messaging abbreviation) means, so I don�t um know. (CI:) Exactly. (NC:) And, I have to go get coffee. Right now. (NB:) No. No coffee now. Did I sign off on this? (CI:) No, NC did. (NC:) I did? Oh yeah. Remember NB? We talked about this. (NB:) But you signed it. It�s your problem. You and CI figure it out. NC ran off to get coffee while I called 5 billion people. Okay, 5. I exaggerate sometimes. But, before I made those calls, NB called me back into his office. Here�s that. (NB:) Look, why are you being all cranky this morning? You�re chewing me out here. Why? (CI:) Sorry. Truly, I�m sorry. I�m really, really tired. (NB:) (Giving me the neutralizing stink eye. Trust me, he has different eyes for different things.) Well. So. Am. I. (CI:) And, I haven�t eaten yet. Sorry. Truly. Then he gave me the �forgiving� eyes. He knows that I have to eat. Not so much with the tired or sick or in pain pleas. I don�t know what it is with him but I could be bleeding out my eyes and I�d get the �unsympathetic stink eye� if I threw down a pain card. But, it�d get the �forgiving� eyes if I just said I hadn�t eaten yet. Even if I had to bleed on my food. Maybe it�s because he eats ice cream for breakfast. your thoughts? seed flower