Challenge. Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?

Hands down... biggest challenge.... dealing with Potluck Bitch! I have never worked with someone so hateful (and I am full of Hate :P) and out to cause trouble in a workplace....

Last summer before the finale I guess she was making a no holds barred-end run in a "Its Me or Them" all out fashion. And while I was pretty much able to ignore her from last Thanksgiving (2008) through May 2009 she started pic-picking at me. around June I guess. I told my boss she gets 3 attempts and then I fight back.... just as a fore-warning....

After the third hit eventaully came, I did fire back..... in my usual passive-agressive fashion. I called her out for not following the dress code.... :P

She was canned maybe 2 weeks later....

I am proud of myself for 1) not hitting her and 2) not dumping a beer on her

Dear Potluck Bitch...

Well it appears 2 months is the longest Potluck Bitch can go without stirring up trouble... and /or being unable to get over the fact that I do not want to be her friend.

Its been a banner week and its only Tuesday. On Friday (while I was out) she sent out an email saying that I would do something, that I never said I would do, and in fact I could never do because the trigger for me to do the task is PB notifying me that she has completed a document, which she never does, because she refuses to copy me on any work related emails! Today she indicated that I would be volunteering for a task that she could not possibly do, because she was tied up with 10/12 hour work days for the next two weeks (how this is possible I have no clue because she is never at her desk... and she is not at meetings because she is not allowed to go to anything other than staff meetings!).

But the best was this afternoon when she complained that I laugh too much. (Hey I am a giggler, always have been, and I know she doesn't like it (probably because she is not sure what I am laughing at) so when I listen to EITM in the mornings I kind of lay it on thick.....).

I was unofficially informed of this ... and asked..."Am I not allowed to laugh at work anymore?"
Obviously the answer is no, because you can't police crap like that, but WTH!?!??!?! So its game on!!!!

I now have a lovely image of The Dark Knight's "Why So Serious?" ad campaign as my desktop wallpaper, Quotes about laughter will be appearing in my email signatures, and whenever she is not at her desk, I will make a comment about billing for hours when you are never at your desk.....

I thought my happiest moment was when I got my mom to sign-up for a Yahoo! email account (she had avoided it for years... but finally succumbed maybe 4 years ago)....

I hate talking on the phone... to anyone (really its not Personal :P). I possibly hate it more than I hate Potluck Bitch. Email is my go to form of communication, but with my upgrade to the BlackBerry I have been becoming a fan of texting and IM (but I have been doing that for a while for work etc....). So if I can get some phone conversations eliminated due email (or txting) I am a happy camper! Now when my parents go away on vacation instead of the "We Made it!" call, I'll get a "We made it!" email.

(Don't believe me?.... I have the least amount of talk minutes available in a plan = 450. I have never broken 200 minutes in a month and am usually closer to 150 - and I do no have a landline in my house.)

Jump to last week... the ringtone on my BlackBerry plays that lets me know I've got an incoming IM. I checked the name. It was my mom! Yahoo! started embedding their chat program in their email page (like Google) and my mom saw me online and just sent me a quick note hoping that I was having a good day. :D

Today she IM'd me again... and we actually had a real back and forth chat!!! woohoo! :-)

Last Thursday Potluck Bitch and I had a "meeting" to discuss our issues. Our Manager was also in the meeting. He facilitated. Potluck's position was basically she is a talker. She wants to talk. Apparently in her 30+ year career she has never met someone that was a private person.
My position is I am not a talker. I do not want to talk, I want to work. I am here to do a job, not to make friends.

The real test of if the meeting was a success will be if Potluck Bitch can stop running to a 3rd party (not our manager) to discuss me and my "not talking".

I don't think she will be able to stop herself in the long run..... so stay tuned!!

Title: Virgo Horoscope for March 27, 2009

Today you will step into a leadership position, and you will be responsible for getting everyone on the same page at the same time. Luckily, this will be easy and enjoyable for you. You've got the confident charm, a high-spirited attitude, and all the patience you need to keep things moving in the right direction today. Whether you are coordinating everyone for a work project or potluck supper, you will have a ball talking with people and checking things off the list.

Sent from my BlackBerry

I had a post all planned out disputing this all mapped out... but 1.5 hours into today's workday it came out that 2 people on a major high profile forgot to do something... and since I was the only one in... it fell on me to do... this is how none of my work gets done anymore!!

But I can still dispute!!!

1)This morning has not been enjoyable

2) I have no patience (especially with stupid people!)

3)and seriously?? do we even need to go into the Potluck discussion???

4) I hate talking to people.

5)I do love checking things off a list.

As I walked into my office, a co-worker walked in behind me... with the above item!

Not again! It's barely been 2 weeks since the last one! and the fallout...

for Potluck Bitch? Here you go (she's known around the office as Edith Bunker - solely due to the voice).*



*further proof that if there is a hell... I am going there :P

That is what I was greeted with at 7:30 am this morning! The day before Thanksgiving! By Glorified Admin Asst - hereafter known as Potluck Bitch!

I somehow remained calm and was clearly able to think (thank you Starbucks Triple Venti Skim Latte).

**This post was originally going to about some minor HOA drama related to Bulk Trash items (exciting I know!!) but has been superseded by workplace drama :D

I have been in the office setting workplace for over 12 years now (whoa time flies when you are having fun!). Usually around this time of year someone gets the bright idea to have a potluck holiday luncheon. Except I hate potlucks (on a large scale). I can't maneuver MARC and Metro with a covered dish.... I like my food HOT (the stuff that is supposed to be hot) not lukewarm. In the past I have sometimes made a cheesecake, ie when I used to drive to work.

Fast forward to this year. I work on a small team, mostly males (its IT afterall!) An email went out a few weeks ago mapping out the plan and asking people to sign-up for food. After briefly considering making cheesecake I decided against it... Mainly due to this guy.... After previously seeing him sneeze snot all over his lunch and then proceed to eat it I knew I wanted no parts of this potluck.

Fast forward to today -- Glorified Admin Assist (another blog post forthcoming) sent out an email to each person asking them if they were going to being in the office and what food they would like to bring. I responed yes, I would be in the office, but No I would not be participating.

3 hours later, Glorified Admin Assist send out a chart of all team members and what they are bringing..... Next to my Name - "Opted Out". (some others had TBD next to their name).

This is the same woman that made a co-worker "share" his calendar and then snooped on it and found a Happy Hour that she invited herself to!

So after her above juvenile move, I have decided the next Happy Hour I plan... I am going to let her know that I opted out of inviting her :P