MetaChat - Friday 3-point update

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24 September 2010

Friday 3-point update →[More:]
1. I got back from my trip to Austria a couple of hours ago. It was fab, great weather, lovely, kind, helpful people, excellent resort, amazing scenery...

2. While I was there I had one of the best meals I ever ate - filet of Zander (a freshwater fish with firm, white flesh) served with truffle butter, parsley potatoes and a salad. I did not eat so healthily every day and I'm hoping all the hiking and caving I did will balance out the Sachertorte (with whipped cream, natch), ice cream, giant pretzels, dumplings, spaetzel, etc. that also inexplicably managed to find their way into my diet.

3. Laundry is doing, and I have a veg-out evening planned catching up with the shows I recorded while I was away, with two fat cats curled up with me. They didn't miss me, and one of them was kind enough to barf so the neighbour feeding them had to clean it up.

post by: Senyar at: 12:06 | 39 comments

1. I don't want to do anything today - but alas, Minecraft has become boring.

2. Not into the Birthday thing this year.

3. I'm gonna go tend the garden.

posted by The Whelk 24 September | 12:18

1. I had a really horrible conversation with one of my bosses yesterday. (I have two -- the nice one and the bitchy one.) It left me feeling awful and WTF-y. Nice boss was very supportive and is on my side, which helps, but it's an awkward day.

2. The muscle in my butt that's been knotted up for the past two weeks is really aching today. Need to go on a walk.

3. Going to plant my fall garden this weekend. Lots of greens. I've been eating tons o' greens since my folks left (meat detox!) and have really been enjoying them, but I have a hard time paying $3 or $4 for a bag of spinach or $2.50 for a bunch of turnip greens, so I'm going to make my own. Yay!

The gist of the conversation with the boss was:

Me: I feel sometimes like you don't think I do very much, and you don't think I do very well. I only hear from you when things go wrong, but a lot of the times things go right, and it doesn't feel like you appreciate that.
Boss: If I didn't think you were doing a good job, you wouldn't be here and I wouldn't have renewed your contract.
Me: I appreciate that, but sometimes people need to know they're appreciated.
Boss: I'm not {nice boss}. I have a certain management style. I've had it for years. I know you get a lot of praise from {nice boss} and I'm just trying to balance things out. What do you want? Do you want to have a performance evaluation every year?

And at this point I become so frustrated as to be unable to speak at this point. All I fucking want is to be told, on occasion, "Thanks for all your work today." Grumble grumble grumble. And that's why I feel all WTF-y.

The irony is that after we got into it, she went to the office of the person I work most closely with -- who also had several run-ins with her this summer -- and told her what a great job she's been doing. So I guess she heard what I was saying, but I feel like everyone gets a pat on the back but me, for some reason, and I don't really get why.

But hey, if she hated me, she wouldn't have renewed my contract, so that's something.

posted by mudpuppie 24 September | 12:20

1. Got cold sore on lip. Bleah.

2. Fingernails usually chip in winter but are fine in summer--but not this summer! Weird. Might look into calcium or something to see if that'll make a difference.

3. This year's poor apple crop is balancing out last year's bumper crop--I remember the Cortlands being so huge they wouldn't fit in my apple corer. The ones I buy in the supermarket today aren't too bad though.

posted by Melismata 24 September | 12:34

1. Decided to do one more quarter of school, so I start Monday. Biology, Calculus II and Computer Systems (with C!) here I come! I'm looking forward to it and really dreading it all at once.

2. Had one too many beers last night staying up and talking with my aunt who was visiting from Wisconsin, and today is in slow motion. I need to get some freelance work out today and am having trouble focusing on it.

3. I've been carless since August when an uninsured motorist slammed into me at 40 mph (we think she was texting) and I've really missed having my car. It sounds like it might be ready to pick up today! I can hardly wait and am glad I have insurance to cover the $5500 worth of damage that was done to it. If they had totaled my car, I wouldn't be able to afford a new one.

posted by Sil 24 September | 12:48

1. A ridiculously tiny thing that someone said to me in passing the other day is niggling at me, and I'm going to have to ask her to clarify what she meant. Because if she meant what I thought she did, she is assuming some stuff about me that is not right. It's almost embarrassing how much I've thought about it.

2. No plans for this weekend. Happiness!

3. My run on Wednesday was crap. It was supposed to be my short, fast - for me - run (3 miles, 25-26 min) but I could only run just over one mile and then my body just stopped. Going for another in a couple of hours and hoping that doesn't happen again.

posted by gaspode 24 September | 12:56

1. The Whelk, is it your birthday? If so, happy to you.
2. Work dude got in my head this morning and I have to shake it off.
3. So bad in my head I had a chik-fil-a sandwich for lunch. I never stress eat.

posted by rainbaby 24 September | 13:01

1. A friend made an off-hand transphobic joke, and I called him on it, calmly and quietly. He did the just-a-joke dance, but I didn't laugh it off; I told him how much I respect his humor and his heart, and that I think he's above that kind of small-mindedness.

And he heard me, and he thought it over, and he agreed. That felt like a BIG DEAL. I've been feeling a bit hopeless lately. That incident really improved my short-term worldview.

2. A friend is visiting from Vermont tomorrow! We're going to the park with another friend and her two little kids. Very excited!

3. Clean ALL THE THINGS!

posted by Elsa 24 September | 13:08

1. I had nothing planned for the rest of the day but watching my Community DVDs and playing my DS and RELAXING, but then I remembered I still have to do my whole lesson plan for Sunday School. I am really over this complete-lack-of-a-curriculum curriculum.

2. This has been a fairly stressful week--my parents had to put our dog to sleep, and I hit a deer with my month-old car.

3. But in good news, one of my favorite rock stars is in town to hang out for the weekend, and I'm meeting up with him and some friends for drinks after I get off work tomorrow!

posted by leesh 24 September | 13:17

1. This week sucked small gritty rocks and I pray the weekend coming is better than the week that was.
2. I better make myself get a run in today or tomorrow. Sigh.
3. As usual, clean all the things. Actually more like: PLEASE, I HOPE ALL THE THINGS GET CLEANED, OR I WILL CRY.

posted by flex 24 September | 13:19

1-ghastly day at work yesterday. The worst in nearly 4 years. My boss had every right to go ballistic today but handled the effed up situation with aplomb. Well done him.

2-the discussion about Hoder on MeFi is grim. I'm sad and feeling bleak about the world.

3- migraine. See #1 and 2.

4-bonus for the weekend: Clean All Things.

posted by toastedbeagle 24 September | 13:42

clean all the things?

posted by gaspode 24 September | 14:03

1. Newt, one of my rats, acted very oddly today. I gave him and Scout a treat of Cheerios which Newt basically ignored so he could, frantically almost, climb up my arm to my shoulder. He's almost two years old and he's never done that before. I kept him out a while and when I put him back he took a snooze. He's now, finally, eating some Cheerios.

2. Note to self: stay away from the fucking news today. By the gods, it's all so fucking depressing.

3. The migraine I finally got rid of has come back with a vengeance.

3b. This week officially sucks.

3c. I think the rest of my day will be offline.

posted by deborah 24 September | 14:12

1. So glad it is Friday. This week has been as demanding as expected, plus.

2. My husband decided today that we won't go to our local state fair tomorrow, as there is too much work to do at home. I'm a little torn about that . . . love spending a day with him, but it will be nice to sleep in, and he is right about the chores that need to be done. Maybe will drag him to a good movie -- The Town looks worth a trip to the theatre.

3. Probably taking said hubby to brunch on Sunday, if my money off coupons from the restaurant show up in the mail soon. That will be nice.

Deborah, I am so sorry. Migraines are miserable.

Mudpuppie, you are right to ask for positive feedback and your second boss is wrong. I suggest clicker training your second boss: give her lots of positive responses whenever she does say something good to you. Tell her that means a lot to you, that you value her positive comments to you very much, that she helps to motivate you . . . I bet you get her doing it despite her (idiotic pride in her) management style.

posted by bearwife 24 September | 14:19

1. I was feeling very down this week, but today I am feeling better. WEEKEND!! It's not going to be a particularly fun one (lots of obligations, bleech), but at least it is one.

2. Next week, I start a trial period of working out during my lunch hour here on work campus. Hoping this will work out well. Can't believed I wondered for months about workout options here and then POOF! they magically fell into my lap.

3. Tonight I am going to do NOTHING and enjoy it greatly.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 24 September | 14:23

I am going to do NOTHING and enjoy it greatly

Sounds perfect. I'd like to pull that off as well. Chances are slim.

posted by toastedbeagle 24 September | 14:31

Ok, move my 3 into 1, I have a new 3:

3. I found out today on Facebook that a dear friend is joining the Army. She leaves for basic training next week. I'm proud of her, and privately scared for her. Hoping I can get the address from her Mom so I can send letters once she starts basic.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 24 September | 14:39

I. I'd like to take my dear boy to Out on the Mountain (the Magic Mountain equivalent of Gay Days) tonight, but I haven't been on a rollercoaster since I started having panic attacks two years ago, and I'm a little spooked.

II. I leave for the Rub Al Khali desert next weekend to do a sound-art project for a major international arts organization. We'll be setting up camp near the border of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and tuning shortwave radios for ten days. Exciting!

III. My co-workers are eating cheesecake and pizza. I'm sticking to Lean Cuisine and grapes. I like being at my target weight more than I like comfort food (at least today).

Senyar, when I got back from Bulgaria, I seriously missed all the amazing rich and fresh food I ate over there. I didn't want to get used to eating American food again.

mudpuppie, yuck. What a tremendously unsympathetic response. At least take solace in the fact that you apparently do good work by everyone else's metric.

leesh, I got to have drinks one-on-one with Mark Eitzel a few months ago and it was one of the highlights of my year. Enjoy rock star bonding!

posted by mykescipark 24 September | 14:43

1. It has been an incredibly busy start of school. On top of the usual stuff, I am now dealing with 5 major indoor air complaints, at various sites. It is time consuming to do all of the monitoring, and draining to talk to all these people and hear "I was well all summer, and now I have a sinus infection which goes away on weekends and comes back Monday morning." But one of these complaints, I did find some mold and this could be a major thing in this school, which is interesting but also a huge time eater.

2. An old classmate friended me on FB, and I wrote on his wall: "I dunno Jim. . .that day in summer school when you and your friends hid from me on the bus so I wouldn't find you and sit by you. . .I'll have to take this "friends" stuff under consideration." Mean thing to type. Yes, he did pretty much blow me off in high school but then in college we became really good friends before drifting apart. It'll be interesting to hear how he responds.

3. Coming weekend is too busy for my taste. A party, a wedding, sand volleyball, a haircut, plus a few minor home repairs.

posted by danf 24 September | 14:54

Seems the bunnies all wanna be left alone this weekend.

posted by toastedbeagle 24 September | 15:04

1. I don't think I've ever been this tired in my life. I can barely breathe, that's how tired I am.

2. Busy weekend. I don't want to leave my apartment. This is a bad time for a bout of shyness.

3. Too tired for a third thing.

posted by punchtothehead 24 September | 15:05

1. It's been a hard week - asthma is acting up, stress at work, preggo aches/pains, sick toddler, asshole hubby...i need to destress. I'll try to fit in a pedicure sometime this weekend.

2. I need to start getting stuff ready for babby #2. I haven't done jack! I just get overwhelmed with how much i need to do and then i blow it off. I need to fix up the room, sort out baby clothes, assemble baby gear, go shopping, arrrgh. All i want to do is hibernate instead.

3. God, i miss beer! All those having beer this weekend...i hate you! Please drink a pint on my behalf!
3b. And sushi...!!! (sniff)

posted by ramix 24 September | 16:20

ramix- you poor dear. How far along are you? Can you shout out to your friends to come HELP!

posted by toastedbeagle 24 September | 16:29

1. Glad the week's over
2. Kids go to dad this weekend
3. INTERNET FOREVER

posted by lysdexic 24 September | 16:59

1. I'm on day 4 or 5 (can't remember now) of my grain-free, sugar-free, dairy-free month. Which means no more spaetzel, which I learned how to make this summer. It's stupid easy and requires squeezing dough through a ziploc baggie with poked holes. Fun! (But tonight I made another kick-ass healthy meal, using food from the asian grocery store I discovered today.)

2. I must face the fact that I am feeling rather intimidated about going out by myself in this new town in this new country. I want to go to the Shout Out Louds concert tomorrow, but it is in Leeds, which makes it expensive and logistically complicated. Gah!

3. I feel alienated and mystified by the way many women dress in North Yorkshire. It's a bit, um, more risque than I'm used to seeing in cold weather (and I've spent some time in SF's tenderloin). I really don't know where *I* fit into all this skinshow. But I bought some winter clothes today at the Designer Outlet...I even figured out the bus all on my own without any problems (unlike yesterday). Anyways, yes, this winter I will be like an igloo...bland and unremarkable on the outside, warm and indecent on the inside.

posted by iamkimiam 24 September | 17:07

A potato ricer also doubles as an awesome spaetzel-maker.

posted by Wolfdog 24 September | 17:37

1) After being sick for a couple of days, I'm feeling better enough to
2) Eat enormous quantities of the kick-ass kim chi I found at a new asian market and
3) Planning on going to Pride tomorrow.

posted by Stewriffic 24 September | 17:43

1) GRAR!

2) meh

3) meep

posted by lonefrontranger 24 September | 17:51

A potato ricer also doubles as an awesome spaetzel-maker.

Holy cats, thank you for that.

posted by Elsa 24 September | 17:56

1. Finally made an appointment with a dermatologist to fix things up. They need the fixing.

2. Need to find something thoughtful and supportive to say to a friend who just submitted a big project for job consideration, which i am not wowed by. I expect too much and that's not to say it's not good but i am stumped on what to say that won't sound completely worthless.

3. Another friend is getting married and his fiance has decided she hates me and is jealous crazy insecure. Really don't know how to fix that problem either.

posted by ethylene 24 September | 18:20

1. Back from VT and Nonno's funeral. It was sad, but very nicely done.
2. I just tried some of this stuff. It's really tasty.
3. I'm hungry.

posted by jonmc 24 September | 18:32

Oof. Sounds like a lot of people had a crappy week.

1. Yes, clean all the things this weekend. Houseguest coming in 2 weeks.

2. I thought I had scheduled one last haircut before my stylist went on maternity leave...but she went into labor today, right before my appointment! Congrats and best wishes to her, but...now I've got to find someone else to cut my (weird and difficult) curly/wavy hair.

3. I am making a special trip out to the only Red Mango in our area for pumpkin yogurt this weekend. This, I vow.

posted by JoanArkham 24 September | 18:42

Where are you, JoanArkham? I have weird super curly dry hair, and a genius reasonably priced hairdresser here in Seattle.

Failing that option, I recommend a well reviewed local salon and a stylist who has your kind of hair.

posted by bearwife 24 September | 18:53

Thanks, Bearwife but I'm in DC. Just made an appointment with Mr. Arkham's stylist (who is awesome) so I'm hoping she can figure out my hair as well.

posted by JoanArkham 24 September | 19:01

1. This morning, as I was walking in at my usual half-hour-after-I-probably-should-be-there, my boss (who was walking out) patted me on the shoulder and smiled and said, "We'll need to talk a bit later." AND THEN SHE NEVER DID. I'm assuming it was about something like being late, because it didn't threaten to involve my direct supervisor or the big boss, so I am just left to wonder. (Also fly into a tizzy about being an irredeemable fuckup, but that may just be the drugs talking.)

2. Obama's coming on Tuesday. I get to woman the "Ask me about our fantastic campus!" table in the national media room. Which may actually be less than what I used to do in the giant campaign events I did 10 years ago.

3. My birthday's tomorrow, and we have a bunch of fun activities lined up (petting alpacas! going to another birthday party for a 1-year-old!), but tonight... who knows. We thought we might go see Wicked, which is in town, but JESUS CHRIST THE OBSTRUCTED SEATS ARE $61 AND THE REST ARE $96-$144. I'll defy THEIR gravity!

posted by Madamina 24 September | 19:03

1. I officially graduated into the CWCC volunteer program and have been given permission to handle original records today!

2. #1 means absolutely dickall to work, so I need to finish writing up my bullshit goals so I can get my less than COLA payraise next year.

3. Even though Hopkins may offer me a sweet deal when I graduate, I'm not certain I want to take it considering all this new performance appraisal bullshit. :-/ Which means I need to get my ass moving on schoolwork so I can be all 'booyah I am awesome bitches'.

posted by sperose 24 September | 19:36

Newt, one of my rats, acted very oddly today. I gave him and Scout a treat of Cheerios which Newt basically ignored so he could, frantically almost, climb up my arm to my shoulder.

My cat does the frantic thing when he's sick. He will frantically climb up on me. It's strange. I hope Newt isn't ill.

1. Similar to mudpuppie, I went to my boss today looking for a pat on the back for all the hours I billed this month. She told me I should be billing even more.

2. I bought a stationary bike on Wednesday, and while I couldn't do 5 miles straight the first night, I seem to have improved over the last few nights and have done a little more each time. I really hope I can stick with this. I feel so freaking fat.

3. This whole bed bug epidemic is getting to me. It's only a matter of time before it spreads from NY to NJ.

posted by amro 24 September | 21:02

JoanArkham, I have Medusa ringlets and go to Devachan in NY; they might be able to recommend someone in DC.

Ramix, are you willing to compromise with cooked/vegetable sushi?

Mups, I'm inferring that your boss is in the "actions speak louder than words" category. Are you getting positive feedback from other co-workers?

1. Preparing for college reunion next weekend. I like most of the people who said they'd be there, but I haven't seen them face to face in 20 years.

2. Told night doorman who has been there since I moved in that I'd much rather have my own key to let myself in the building late at night than have to depend on him. I think he got it.

3. Station to Station reissue out Tuesday!

posted by brujita 24 September | 23:07

1. I am tired tired tired tired. It's been a stupidly stressful week for me, too. Not horrible or anything, just stressful.

2. Got the flu vaccine yesterday. I'm feeling all proud of myself for being civic-minded (I get it pretty much because I don't want to get any of my clients sick).

3. I am so so happy that ikkyu2 has some awesome electrical skills and was able to fix our garage door -- the damned thing kept closing almost all the way, then popping open again, then closing a few inches, then popping open, repeat repeat repeat until you're late for work. He figured out how to fix the wiring so that the door actually closes! The first time you hit the button to make it close! It's so exciting! And I don't have to imagine all our neighbors snickering at us every morning any more! Yay!

posted by occhiblu 25 September | 00:05

1. I rode my bike to work because of the Car Free Friday Fort Worth facebook page.

2. I rode in my first Critical Mass because of the FW Critical Mass facebook page.

3. For a guy who doesn't like facebook, it sure seems to have an inordinate influence on my life.

posted by Doohickie 25 September | 14:42

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