Caterwauling

I don’t know if it’s AOL or my computer, but I keep getting booted every time I hit “post & publish.” I am getting really PISSED OFF about this! I have just lost my THIRD epic entry!!! FUCK FUCK FUCK!!!

Ahem.

Condensed version: Brat and I had an enjoyable smoke break today at lunchtime, and we had another good break with CTL after-hours. Fuck them all.

We are not responding to F/OM’s diatribe, which is a blatant effort to wash his hands clean of this. (Holy Alanis Morissette song lyric permeating my blog entry!) In fact, Brat deleted it right in front of me. My feeling is that Heinous Bitch was probably BCC’d on this, so she can be proud of F/OM.

My point that I made to the boys was that this agency brags that it’s all about change management … that it examines and questions the status quo (per F/OM, below), and it claims to be open to new ideas and methodologies. But then we come and challenge a stupid policy, and we’re ostracized. Hypocrites. Personally, I don’t think F/OM even gives a shit that we smoke … he’s just the messenger, sent from the fiery gates of The Doc’s office.

Brat told me that he has a big interview tomorrow morning with a headhunter (who found him, what a plus!). This will lead to another interview with a good company (Brat’s all excited; he didn’t tell me which company, but that’s okay … I will find out in due time). He was in wonderful spirits today, and I found myself feeling very happy for him. I told him that I will be glad to see him in a company that values him, because he deserves that and nothing less.

I asked him to join us in DC for July 4 (CTL already committed), but he said that if he’s in a new job sitch, he may not want to make the trek. That bummed me out, although I guess I can understand it. At any rate, I would love to have the boys join us together … and I’ll let ’em smoke all they want!!! I’m gonna miss them.

I think it would be funny as HELL if we announced our resignations together. Although, granted, my heart goes out to F/OM, who’s overloaded already. If Brat’s and my interviews work to our advantages, we could really leave the operations department in a bit of a pickle, ‘cuz F/OM would be losing two of his top four people simultaneously.

It would be wonderful if things work out well for all of us. I hope Lab Rat gets a great job, I hope that the magazine job works to my advantage (‘cuz I’ve made up my mind that I want it; I just hope to get more money!!!), I hope that Brat will get and love his new job,I hope CTL realizes that he’s too talented for what he’s doing and jumps ship, I hope Charolette thrives in her promoted position so that she can catapult into a real job at a real company in the near future, and I hope that F/OM chills out and walks away from the Heinous Bitch … he’s too cool to have her suppressing him.

::: toasting to brighter futures and better days … someday, somewhere. … ::::

F/OM’s response to our pissed-off attitudes about the smoking rules:

“Hi Guys,

I got some reaction from some of you regarding what we had discussed yesterday and I feel that I need to let you know where I stand.

I think you guys are missing the point on the smoking issue. While it is a policy of the agency that all should be adhering to anyway, I don’t know if you guys realize the positions that you hold in the agency, and with that, the higher standard that you’re held to – and this will not change. The old adage that it’s “lonley at the top” is true. True leaders are not always popular, but always react with the best intentions of the agency at heart. It means we must always be the best examples we can be to all staff. I do not dispute the dedication that each of you exhibit. But the “bottom line” is that it does not send a positive image to other staff when they see members of the management team and leadership team 2, 3 or 4 times a day outside taking a break, when the policy of the organization is no breaks. I would expect all of you to recognize how your behavior affects the organization and willingly be open to corrections that must be made. I shouldn’t feel that I need to justify the position of the agency. True team members would embrace the change that is needed and seek to continually improve.

This must also carry over to each of your respective departments. As I indicated to you yesterday, the status quo that is going on must change. You are the leaders in each of your departments – you must be the initiators and believers to better each of the department’s efficiencies. I no longer can be the person who tells and reminds you what needs to be done. That is your role. The sense of urgency is now.

I would be happy to discuss any of this with you guys individually. But the expectations from this supervisor will not change. It is time for each of us to find the passion within and be the leaders that I know you can be if you put your focus to it. I will help you every way that I can.”