Feeling lucky today?

I will be lucky (if one could call it that) not to get fired today. It all started all our staff meeting yesterday. No, wait, back up a week and a half because that's how long it's been since I've been able to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. That sciatica in my leg is a huge pain. Anyway, I was hurting and tired and in no mood to put up with BZ bullying.

Favorite Co-worker ran the meeting as now we all have to take turns doing that. (I can hardly wait until it's my turn, what with the "in" people not speaking to me, it will be an awkward meeting for sure.) We went through all the normal stuff and at the end BZ announced that Former Temp will be leaving at the end of August. Many people already knew, but those who did not were surprised and puzzled. Me too, but Former Temp had told me the day after so at least at had a heads-up on it. BZ had not said a word to me, even though that will drastically effect my job--make it two FT jobs again, in fact. But then BZ announced something else that I didn't know ahead of time: that they are totally changing the way the accounting and travel is done. Those are the two main parts of my current job! BZ explained very carefully how to do them now, that they don't go to me anymore, etc. I was only on my first cup of coffee and dearly needed more than that just to function with no sleep, so left the meeting in semi-shock.

Shortly after that BZ started emailing me for things, curtly, demandingly, worse than her normal manner. I ignored every one of her emails, didn't even open them until later (but could preview) so she wouldn't get a "read" notice on any of them. Normally I, and everyone else there jumps at her calls and emails. I was just sort of wondering what was going to happen, would she let it go, or come and find me? Former Temp told me that BZ was very upset late one day that my office was locked after I had left for the day! I told FT and will tell BZ too that SHE is the one who told me to lock the office. I have W9s, which have SS numbers on them and other confidential data in my office. I told FT that BZ had been digging around in her reception area at least twice lately, while FT was out.

Late in the day, after I found all the info that BZ had demanded, I begun emailing them back to her, email by email. We have a certain polite email form that everyone uses in the office. We start it off with "Hi ___ (name)" and end with signing "Thanks! _____(name)" I didn't use the proper form, just blank, curt info, only exactly what she had asked me to research.

One email in particular from BZ was rude. Yes, she is my boss but I'm tired of her attitude. She emailed me curtly, "The storage room and the cabinets are a horrible mess. I must know the status of the clean up project." A few weeks ago BZ had instigated a cleaning up campaign and a meeting. Maybe you remember reading about it? Anyway, several other people were also at that meeting and had been given assignments, to clean up the materials in their particular areas before the general organization part was done. I had done several of the smaller tasks but the storage room cleanup was hinged on two other people doing their sorting and organization first.

In a reply email I reminded her that I was not the only one responsible for clean-up detail and bullet-pointed the assignments (which hadn't been done, of course, since one was Favorite Co-worker who makes terrible messes but feels she's well above having to clean or organize) pointed out that Step Four could only be done if Steps 1 and 2 were completed. Then, and this is what will really get me into trouble, I email BZ's note and my reply to EVERYONE who had been at that meeting.

So what will happen? BZ will tell me to do Favorite Co-worker's job and also do all of the rest. Former Temp will probably have to help me, but maybe not as she's doing a big website job for Favorite Co-worker right now. FCW is trying to get all of that stuff completed before Former Temp is gone and she has to deal with me again or do it herself.

I'm SO looking forward to my daily check in with BZ today! I was half thinking of calling in sick today, because I really had felt sick from lack of sleep and all. But miraculously I woke up at 3:45 this morning having actually fallen asleep for a bit. And the very best part was my leg was not hurting as badly as normal! I just lay in bed for an hour; it was heavenly having almost no pain. It's been a while since I've been able to lie down without excruiating pain. The relief was awesome and it's still good now, just a few mild twinges. So I'm going into work, they would have thought me cowardly to skip anyway. I wanted to visit and read your blogs today but writing this long piece has totally black-holed up the time!