And so the drama continues (work)
Just a quick venting post:
It's been a quiet four months at the f/t job. Drama was out on maternity leave. My bff at work, Kimmo, took over Drama's workload and while it was a bunch to deal with, Kimmo handled it very well, only cracking just a little ... handling two graduation ceremonies for our students, going to graduate school, putting her house on the market AND buying a house after hers sold in 1.5 hours (not joking). Kimmo's done beautifully.
Drama got back from maternity leave yesterday, dictating her own schedule. She's part time this week, and 3/4 time for the next three months. Her position is a full-time salaried position, and I know for a fact that A, her vacation time is gone (hello 4th month of maternity leave), B, her sick time is gone, and C, no paperwork has been processed to take her salary down one quarter for only working 30/week. Next week, she gets off at 12 on Mondays and Thursdays, still works every other Friday, and comes in 30 minutes early.
I would freaking love to dictate my own schedule. I'd stroll my lazy ass in here at 10am every single freaking day.
Anyway, all of this is condoned by our director (who is retiring in three months) and his boss, our super-director.
Yesterday was Drama's first day back on the job, and literally within ten minutes of my director getting in (we were both ten minutes late yesterday), Drama was in his office shouting and crying (not shitting you) about how things weren't run through her and how unfair everything is.
The director said that for the last four months, he's had a calm staff without blow-ups, and things change. Basically, he said in his spineless way, that she should shove it where the sun don't shine.
Then, Drama goes back to Kimmo, says she's been "plotting" against her for the last four months to sabotage her. Right. When would she even have the time. Not to mention how UNFAIR it is to Kimmo that her counterpart gets to dictate WHEN she'll be here, WHAT work she'll do, and WHICH students she'll meet with.
Kimmo had a hard day. She had a nail in the tire of her Mustang that morning, she had to deal with Hurricane Drama, and I feel that she was stressed. Kimmo did not handle this well, imho.
She posted on facebook how ten minutes yesterday morning ruined her day and Drama was back with a capital D. Drama and Kimmo are not friends (anymore) on FB, but Drama saw it. Kimmo referred to her as "insane."
How does this affect me?
Drama came into my office today and asked if she could "shut the door." Rolling my eyes, of course I said yes. Then she proceeds to bitch about Kimmo and her facebook post, which I did not defend. I think that it was uncalled for (to post such a thing where colleagues of ours see that on a public forum). HOWEVER, I told Drama to cut Kimmo some slack and to build a bridge and get over it, because if she's going to continue to work here, she's going to have to get along with her counterpart. To do that, she's going to have to build a bridge. "Be the bigger person." Basically, I was blowing smoke up her ass so she'd leave me alone. Drama was responsible for the SHIT I went through in December when my boss asked me if I was quitting. I also believe she was partially responsible for me almost being fired last May and for my shitty review in September. I know it's a lot to blame on one person, but you should see this "Jack-in-the-Box" work. You never freaking know when she is going to turn on you. It's like a dog that's attacked you -- you can never turn your back on it again.
Then, Drama asked me I thought she was 'insane.' I said no. I told her I thought she was 'crazy,' which, unfortunately, she read as me joking her. Unfortunately, sadly, I was not joking. If she had asked me if I thought she was batshit crazy, I would have to honestly say, "yes, Drama, I think you are." I'm horrid at lying, and so ... insane, no. Batshit? Absolutely. And yes, there is a difference.
So, that conversation occurred for ten minutes behind closed doors while I was trying to eat my breakfast. Then, she dries her eyes (she's freaking unstable -- and we're not just talking separation from her baby here) and leaves (THANK GOD!).
The result of this?
I got the cold shoulder from Kimmo all day today. Even after Drama left at noon (isn't that nice?). Every time I tried to talk to her, it was either a non-commital shrug or a monosyllable. I didn't do anything. Drama tried to get me to promise that our conversation would stay between us. I told her I'm a person of my word. She tried to tell me that Kimmo talks shit about me behind my back. If she does, that hurts me on a friend level, I suppose, but I understand that we all vent about our coworkers. I have built a bridge to get over this eventuality. Maybe it's true, but I also know that Drama makes shit up to see what happens.
I did send Kimmo an email that said she'd found a real hornet's nest. I didn't get a response, but I'm assuming it's because A, Kimmo doesn't do drama, and B, she is up to her ears in Drama's workload.
I guess my hope is here that Kimmo does not hold the fact that Drama cornered me in my office against my will (I could have said no, but it's not in my interest politically here). I can't be so sure since she wouldn't even talk to me. She smiled at me today, but I think it was an accident. The thing is, Kimmo told me a long time ago that she doesn't really build emotional attachments to people, and has no problem cutting them off. So ... I don't know if Drama talking to me puts me out of her club. I would like to think that she just didn't want to get into it, but I don't feel like I can even approach her because of the body language that was wafting off of her every time I went down the hall today. So, I just have to wait and see. I could call her, but she actively screens her calls, and I don't know if she'd answer. I dunno. Kimmo was raised so differently than I was that I have a hard time seeing the world through her eyes. Maybe her support system is different, I have no idea.
The thing I'd like any of my friends to realize is that I am so fiercely loyal that I would rather eat literal dog poop or be hit by a truck before I talked about them behind their backs, or saw any harm come to them. I tried to remain diplomatic today (which is hard when Batshit Drama is breathing down your neck). I don't know. Maybe this is all in my head, but Kimmo is the only thing that makes working here remotely bearable. If she's tossed me to the curb, I might as well quit and find a new job (which I am sort of working on anyway), because everyone else here is a 2-D character that drags me down.
Time to go home! Way to use company resources! Go me!
It's been a quiet four months at the f/t job. Drama was out on maternity leave. My bff at work, Kimmo, took over Drama's workload and while it was a bunch to deal with, Kimmo handled it very well, only cracking just a little ... handling two graduation ceremonies for our students, going to graduate school, putting her house on the market AND buying a house after hers sold in 1.5 hours (not joking). Kimmo's done beautifully.
Drama got back from maternity leave yesterday, dictating her own schedule. She's part time this week, and 3/4 time for the next three months. Her position is a full-time salaried position, and I know for a fact that A, her vacation time is gone (hello 4th month of maternity leave), B, her sick time is gone, and C, no paperwork has been processed to take her salary down one quarter for only working 30/week. Next week, she gets off at 12 on Mondays and Thursdays, still works every other Friday, and comes in 30 minutes early.
I would freaking love to dictate my own schedule. I'd stroll my lazy ass in here at 10am every single freaking day.
Anyway, all of this is condoned by our director (who is retiring in three months) and his boss, our super-director.
Yesterday was Drama's first day back on the job, and literally within ten minutes of my director getting in (we were both ten minutes late yesterday), Drama was in his office shouting and crying (not shitting you) about how things weren't run through her and how unfair everything is.
The director said that for the last four months, he's had a calm staff without blow-ups, and things change. Basically, he said in his spineless way, that she should shove it where the sun don't shine.
Then, Drama goes back to Kimmo, says she's been "plotting" against her for the last four months to sabotage her. Right. When would she even have the time. Not to mention how UNFAIR it is to Kimmo that her counterpart gets to dictate WHEN she'll be here, WHAT work she'll do, and WHICH students she'll meet with.
Kimmo had a hard day. She had a nail in the tire of her Mustang that morning, she had to deal with Hurricane Drama, and I feel that she was stressed. Kimmo did not handle this well, imho.
She posted on facebook how ten minutes yesterday morning ruined her day and Drama was back with a capital D. Drama and Kimmo are not friends (anymore) on FB, but Drama saw it. Kimmo referred to her as "insane."
How does this affect me?
Drama came into my office today and asked if she could "shut the door." Rolling my eyes, of course I said yes. Then she proceeds to bitch about Kimmo and her facebook post, which I did not defend. I think that it was uncalled for (to post such a thing where colleagues of ours see that on a public forum). HOWEVER, I told Drama to cut Kimmo some slack and to build a bridge and get over it, because if she's going to continue to work here, she's going to have to get along with her counterpart. To do that, she's going to have to build a bridge. "Be the bigger person." Basically, I was blowing smoke up her ass so she'd leave me alone. Drama was responsible for the SHIT I went through in December when my boss asked me if I was quitting. I also believe she was partially responsible for me almost being fired last May and for my shitty review in September. I know it's a lot to blame on one person, but you should see this "Jack-in-the-Box" work. You never freaking know when she is going to turn on you. It's like a dog that's attacked you -- you can never turn your back on it again.
Then, Drama asked me I thought she was 'insane.' I said no. I told her I thought she was 'crazy,' which, unfortunately, she read as me joking her. Unfortunately, sadly, I was not joking. If she had asked me if I thought she was batshit crazy, I would have to honestly say, "yes, Drama, I think you are." I'm horrid at lying, and so ... insane, no. Batshit? Absolutely. And yes, there is a difference.
So, that conversation occurred for ten minutes behind closed doors while I was trying to eat my breakfast. Then, she dries her eyes (she's freaking unstable -- and we're not just talking separation from her baby here) and leaves (THANK GOD!).
The result of this?
I got the cold shoulder from Kimmo all day today. Even after Drama left at noon (isn't that nice?). Every time I tried to talk to her, it was either a non-commital shrug or a monosyllable. I didn't do anything. Drama tried to get me to promise that our conversation would stay between us. I told her I'm a person of my word. She tried to tell me that Kimmo talks shit about me behind my back. If she does, that hurts me on a friend level, I suppose, but I understand that we all vent about our coworkers. I have built a bridge to get over this eventuality. Maybe it's true, but I also know that Drama makes shit up to see what happens.
I did send Kimmo an email that said she'd found a real hornet's nest. I didn't get a response, but I'm assuming it's because A, Kimmo doesn't do drama, and B, she is up to her ears in Drama's workload.
I guess my hope is here that Kimmo does not hold the fact that Drama cornered me in my office against my will (I could have said no, but it's not in my interest politically here). I can't be so sure since she wouldn't even talk to me. She smiled at me today, but I think it was an accident. The thing is, Kimmo told me a long time ago that she doesn't really build emotional attachments to people, and has no problem cutting them off. So ... I don't know if Drama talking to me puts me out of her club. I would like to think that she just didn't want to get into it, but I don't feel like I can even approach her because of the body language that was wafting off of her every time I went down the hall today. So, I just have to wait and see. I could call her, but she actively screens her calls, and I don't know if she'd answer. I dunno. Kimmo was raised so differently than I was that I have a hard time seeing the world through her eyes. Maybe her support system is different, I have no idea.
The thing I'd like any of my friends to realize is that I am so fiercely loyal that I would rather eat literal dog poop or be hit by a truck before I talked about them behind their backs, or saw any harm come to them. I tried to remain diplomatic today (which is hard when Batshit Drama is breathing down your neck). I don't know. Maybe this is all in my head, but Kimmo is the only thing that makes working here remotely bearable. If she's tossed me to the curb, I might as well quit and find a new job (which I am sort of working on anyway), because everyone else here is a 2-D character that drags me down.
Time to go home! Way to use company resources! Go me!