This time, I wasn't so nice

Tell me off once, I cry.

Tell me off twice, I fight back.

I made the mistake of asking Sandy today whether everything was okay. I should just learn to keep my big mouth shut, huh? Especially if I think I might have done something wrong.

Turns out I messed up a date on a second legal the same day I messed up the first one. Two in one day. Must have been having a bad day. But, like Paul says, my success rate is well above 98% or 99%, which he'd love to have in the lab. Too bad I don't get bonus points for the ones I do correctly.

This time, I wasn't so nice. Okay, so I wasn't rude, and I probably should have stuck up for myself a little bit more. Instead, I said that I always do the best I can, and when I mess up, it's usually because I feel rushed.

About this point, Teresa says that she wrote the run dates wrong on the front of the original. Sandy suggests maybe we should check the run dates Teresa's written down with the run dates the company wants. I start to say, "Could you do that? Because I'm really..." And then she cuts me off.

"Well, Kathleen ... " referring to an editor who's no longer with us.

I cut her off. "Kathleen didn't check off the legals."

She shoots back, "No, I'm thinking of the first Kathleen. She was very thorough." Then she proceeds to tell me how she checked the book against the original against the copy.

Well, yippee for the first Kathleen who was so thorough. Did she read every word in the paper every single day? And run queries and compile data for the editorial department? And write the radio read three days a week? And research a half-dozen real estate sales daily? And do real estate recap interviews with poopyheaded people that don't want to call you back? And, now, look up stuff on Chandler every day? All while battling three mental disorders, dealing with meds and side effects, and trying desperately to have a life outside the office? Well, DID SHE?

It's been a long time since I've quoted any lyrics in here, but today, I feel like the character in the Tori Amos song "Take to the Sky," who says, "And my priest said, 'You ain't saving no souls.' And my father says, 'You ain't making any money.' And my doctor says, 'You just took it to the limit.' ... And here I stand, with this sword in my hand."
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On a totally unrelated note, I had an awesome celebratory lunch with Paul at Texas de Brazil. We had a great time, and really enjoyed getting out of the office for the bit. Too bad it was overshadowed by massive negativity before I even made it back to my desk. Sigh.