Whew, it is over..
Well sort of..
And if anyone is downtown, and sees half my a*s could you please pick it up and bring it back to me. To say that the meeting was brutal would be an understatement. We were downtown from 9am to 4:30 ; no lunch, min breaks, and NO damn WATER.
Why would a federal building not have a water fountain or a water container? Perhaps by design, because they don't want anyone to stay.
My mother showed up at my house, around 8am (right on time), in her attorney attire. Ha! That makes me laugh, she was dressed nicely, and my niece apparently told her she looked very attorney(ish). Lance took the day off work to go with me as well, luckily he did not dress in his daily overalls - he put on his date clothes in stead. ha! He asked if he should wear his suite, and I responded ' your funeral suite?' he said 'Yes, the only suite I own.'
I quickly replied - 'no, that is bad luck.'
Off we went. Me with my husband and mother in tow. We were on time, which is so NOT like us, we were nervous and semi-ready. The other party would not let me have anyone else in the room while the discussion took place, so my mother and Lance were placed in a separate room off to the side. I was left alone in a law library while the other party was escorted back.....I stood up the whole time. In my mind I didn't want to be sitting down upon their arrival.
Perhaps too much TV or too many books, for some reason I had convinced myself that IF I was sitting down upon their arrival I was suddenly at a disadvantage. Who knows? Either way, I stood - looking out the window, saying a few small prayers. I had on my pant suit, and my hands in my pockets - just waiting.
The other party walks in and HUGS me, I mean for real people, they both hugged me. Then asked me if I was okay. um...can we say awkward. But whatever!.
8 hour later and several situations where I removed myself from the room and confided in my mother and Lance. You know I am scrapping the bottom of the barrel when I am relaying on Lance as the voice of reason. Well, that day, I was.....and as much as it pains me to say so - I am SO GLAD they were both there.
I did settle, I had too.
My case was not as open and shut as I would have hoped. Plus, apparently it is SUPER hard to prove discrimination. Then a twist came and I had to prove two levels of discrimination - because I report to a board as well.
*see me being totally deflated. I cannot prove discrimination across the board.
Damn man. So, I walked out and had to re-group.
I had every reason to be leery. I cried all the way home. I was emotionally exhausted, felt let down, and I went there with a very clear goal, and I left there with a whole new goal. All very eye opening, and exhausting.
I am not above learning a lesson or two - but that day was brutal.
At the same time, it was great. I know, I must be bi-polar - how can it be both?
Well, because within 24 hours, I had a whole new approach. I needed that lesson, as painful as it was. But today I am smarter, and know what to look for.
As I settled, I eluded to the fact that my boss WILL act out again - it is just part of his cycle. And next time, I will be more informed - and I won't make the mistakes I made this time.
Mark my word, there will be a next time - and I will WIN.
My mother tried to console me with the whole 'you may have lost the battle, but can still win the war' line of crap. I get her drift, but I so wanted to get them - perhaps I was too blinded by my own goal to see where i had failed.
We still left that law library in tact - I still have my job; which I am still doing well.
I still have to work with all parties involved. Work we will, and we will do so - a little smarter.
Because, now they know that I am not one to back down. I am not one that will give up, nor am I one that will be subject to their old ways. I will call them on it each and every time.
The future should be interesting.
I am glad it is over - I lost 4 lbs just that day, and thought I was going to gnaw Lance's arm off.
You wanna hear the topping of the day.
All parties meet in a common area to shake-hands at 4:30; this is when my mother in her attorney attire gets to meet everyone. She has a hurt thumb. Hurt to the point that you would think you were sticking a million needles in her eyeballs whenever anyone touches it.
So she goes to shake hands with a guy from the other side. She holds out her hand and screeches like a banshee. His eyes get big, he thinks he has hurt her.
I shoot her a look like WHAT THE HELL. She does not miss a beat, she ignores my glares from across the room. She states, 'oh my thumb is out of joint. You did not hurt it. I let the cow suck it out of joint.'
Yes, read again ' she said I LET THE COW SUCK IT OUT OF JOINT.
His eyes get real big, like the crack head standing in front of him really said something about a cow - maybe? She continues ' I had a baby calf that we hand feed, and I would let him suck my thumb.'
By now I am trying to shut her down. FOR REAL. 8 hours of work down the drain within 5 minutes of meeting my mother. The guy departs, just shaking his head - clearly thinking Michelle never stood a chance. Lance calls the Mayor a cocksucker, and her mother lets the cow suck her thumb. ha! ha!
So you tell me - how did it go?
Be honest!
Once home, I was still crying and Pyper brought me an entire toilet paper roll and she wiped my eyes. God luv her. So I could not be more grateful for my family and how they rallied around me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
To be continued - for that I am sure.
And if anyone is downtown, and sees half my a*s could you please pick it up and bring it back to me. To say that the meeting was brutal would be an understatement. We were downtown from 9am to 4:30 ; no lunch, min breaks, and NO damn WATER.
Why would a federal building not have a water fountain or a water container? Perhaps by design, because they don't want anyone to stay.
My mother showed up at my house, around 8am (right on time), in her attorney attire. Ha! That makes me laugh, she was dressed nicely, and my niece apparently told her she looked very attorney(ish). Lance took the day off work to go with me as well, luckily he did not dress in his daily overalls - he put on his date clothes in stead. ha! He asked if he should wear his suite, and I responded ' your funeral suite?' he said 'Yes, the only suite I own.'
I quickly replied - 'no, that is bad luck.'
Off we went. Me with my husband and mother in tow. We were on time, which is so NOT like us, we were nervous and semi-ready. The other party would not let me have anyone else in the room while the discussion took place, so my mother and Lance were placed in a separate room off to the side. I was left alone in a law library while the other party was escorted back.....I stood up the whole time. In my mind I didn't want to be sitting down upon their arrival.
Perhaps too much TV or too many books, for some reason I had convinced myself that IF I was sitting down upon their arrival I was suddenly at a disadvantage. Who knows? Either way, I stood - looking out the window, saying a few small prayers. I had on my pant suit, and my hands in my pockets - just waiting.
The other party walks in and HUGS me, I mean for real people, they both hugged me. Then asked me if I was okay. um...can we say awkward. But whatever!.
8 hour later and several situations where I removed myself from the room and confided in my mother and Lance. You know I am scrapping the bottom of the barrel when I am relaying on Lance as the voice of reason. Well, that day, I was.....and as much as it pains me to say so - I am SO GLAD they were both there.
I did settle, I had too.
My case was not as open and shut as I would have hoped. Plus, apparently it is SUPER hard to prove discrimination. Then a twist came and I had to prove two levels of discrimination - because I report to a board as well.
*see me being totally deflated. I cannot prove discrimination across the board.
Damn man. So, I walked out and had to re-group.
I had every reason to be leery. I cried all the way home. I was emotionally exhausted, felt let down, and I went there with a very clear goal, and I left there with a whole new goal. All very eye opening, and exhausting.
I am not above learning a lesson or two - but that day was brutal.
At the same time, it was great. I know, I must be bi-polar - how can it be both?
Well, because within 24 hours, I had a whole new approach. I needed that lesson, as painful as it was. But today I am smarter, and know what to look for.
As I settled, I eluded to the fact that my boss WILL act out again - it is just part of his cycle. And next time, I will be more informed - and I won't make the mistakes I made this time.
Mark my word, there will be a next time - and I will WIN.
My mother tried to console me with the whole 'you may have lost the battle, but can still win the war' line of crap. I get her drift, but I so wanted to get them - perhaps I was too blinded by my own goal to see where i had failed.
We still left that law library in tact - I still have my job; which I am still doing well.
I still have to work with all parties involved. Work we will, and we will do so - a little smarter.
Because, now they know that I am not one to back down. I am not one that will give up, nor am I one that will be subject to their old ways. I will call them on it each and every time.
The future should be interesting.
I am glad it is over - I lost 4 lbs just that day, and thought I was going to gnaw Lance's arm off.
You wanna hear the topping of the day.
All parties meet in a common area to shake-hands at 4:30; this is when my mother in her attorney attire gets to meet everyone. She has a hurt thumb. Hurt to the point that you would think you were sticking a million needles in her eyeballs whenever anyone touches it.
So she goes to shake hands with a guy from the other side. She holds out her hand and screeches like a banshee. His eyes get big, he thinks he has hurt her.
I shoot her a look like WHAT THE HELL. She does not miss a beat, she ignores my glares from across the room. She states, 'oh my thumb is out of joint. You did not hurt it. I let the cow suck it out of joint.'
Yes, read again ' she said I LET THE COW SUCK IT OUT OF JOINT.
His eyes get real big, like the crack head standing in front of him really said something about a cow - maybe? She continues ' I had a baby calf that we hand feed, and I would let him suck my thumb.'
By now I am trying to shut her down. FOR REAL. 8 hours of work down the drain within 5 minutes of meeting my mother. The guy departs, just shaking his head - clearly thinking Michelle never stood a chance. Lance calls the Mayor a cocksucker, and her mother lets the cow suck her thumb. ha! ha!
So you tell me - how did it go?
Be honest!
Once home, I was still crying and Pyper brought me an entire toilet paper roll and she wiped my eyes. God luv her. So I could not be more grateful for my family and how they rallied around me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
To be continued - for that I am sure.
Comments
I'm so glad your mom and Lance were there for you.
THE HUGEST HUGS EVER POSSIBLE THROUGH THE INTERNET. That's what I'm sending.