Interesting times, part the 26th....

[catherineldf]

So yesterday I called in sick seeing as I felt like crap after weeks of dysfunctional fun: having my work slammed by someone with no idea how to do my job who was also spending her time lying about me and attempting to have me pushed out. Apparently me actually working with the support and respect of other teams made her look bad. As an added bonus there was being yelled at on Tuesday by a boss doing an Incredible Hulk imitation (veins bulging, purple-faced, etc.). It seems that while my colleagues can call in sick (2 were out on Monday), I cannot and my contract was 'terminated,' a whopping 4 days early.
Honestly, apart from the economic aspect of it, it feels like a huge weight has been lifted. I got a bunch of emails and calls from my erstwhile project team and colleagues commiserating with me. The Development team is taking me out to lunch on Friday because they think I got a raw deal and are pretty P.O.'ed about it. And I had a really good interview in the meantime for a contract job I will probably get, barring funding/timing snafus. Plus an interview for another gig next week as insurance. Best of all, the horrible knot in my neck and shoulders is starting to loosen up and I actually qualify for unemployment if I need it, seeing as I didn't hurl anything at anyone on my way out of toxic day job. Fingers crossed. :-)

In writing news, an Italian publisher, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, is doing their own version of Best Lesbian Erotica, presumably in Italian, and want to get reprint rights on my story "Spoonbridge and Cherry" (originally written for Crave. Quite excited about this as it will be a first for me; they pick a few stories from BLE every year from what I can tell but this will the first of mine that they've gone for. New stories in progress, Night's Kiss, the new improved version, will get turned in within the next day or so, and I've got time to prep for the Donald Maas novel writing workshop on Saturday. Feeling generally optimistic. :-)

Comments

[ruralwriter.livejournal.com]

a boss doing an Incredible Hulk imitation (veins bulging, purple-faced, etc.).

There's never a reason for that. I'm not sure what industry you're in software-wise, but very few of us do anything mission-critical or life-threatening, so I never see a point in that sort of behavior. Gah. So toxic.

Maybe you can get even more writing done in the new few days, too, now that you don't have to deal with the SIPs (Self Important People).

Congratulations on your reprint! May more good news come your way!

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

hurray for being laid off! hurray!

[queenofillusion.livejournal.com]

See you at the workshop... :)

I need to prep tonight, as well, so that I can have something to bring along. Since I've been so fixated on my nonfic, I won't have nearly as much of the fic novel I'm working on to bring along. I hope it will be enough.

Good luck with the new job. The old one sounds positively awful. Don't you just hate it when people act like that...lying and trying to get rid of you. Usually, it means they are insecure as hell.

Congrats on the Italian reprint!!!

Veronica

[deakat]

Congratulations on your great escape, and the Italian reprint. Hooray!

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

I do software Quality Assurance and I completely agree. He's one of those guys who thinks screaming gets him what he wants. His 'manager' (the one I'm overjoyed to be quit of) thinks escalating a bug is writing it up in capital letters with exclamation marks. They were a treat.
Thanks for the encouragement on the writing! :-)

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Mostly, yes. :-)
And how's the knee? You back home yet?

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And me too. Haven't gotten much done with this nonsense going on.
Re: the workshop - have we ever met in person? I don't think we have but sometimes the memory is full of holes. :-(
Assuming not, I'm shortish, mid-forties with long graying brown hair and rimless blue glasses. I will be carrying a silver computer bag and will aim for being there around 8:30. Guessing name tags will be issued but with around 100 participants, it may be easier said than done to go by that.
Looking forward to (re)meeting you!

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-)
And how are you doing?

[sacchig.livejournal.com]

Hooray for the good parts!

Mondadori is fun in its own time-challenged way, and what could be cooler than seeing your smut in Italian?

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

i am still at my parents' house through sunday night. however, next week i will be at my house, and would love a daytime visitor or two, this next week or week after, if you weren't up to your ears in interviews.

today i have the dogs here, though. that is a goodness. pirate is snugtastic, which is nice-- she's not usually much of a snuggler, but she must have missed me.

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're well quit of that place. May your next position arrive exactly when you need and want it and may it be a fabulous experience.

Congratulations on having your story selected for reprinting. How exciting! :)

[queenofillusion.livejournal.com]

Nope, we haven't met in person (yet).

I'm medium height with long reddish-brown hair (curly) and glasses. I'm aiming for showing up at 8 am and will look for you!

Cheers,

Veronica

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!!
How are you doing?

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

My entire life would be cooler, if less comprehensible, in Italian. :-)

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! :-)
Glad to see the presentation/panel you went to sparked some creative contemplation too.

[catherineldf.livejournal.com]

I have a proposal, which I will send via actual email. :-)

[pdlloyd.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

[deakat]

Life is interesting, but I'm optimistic, and still plugging away toward my goals of being a professional dog trainer before I'm 50, and self-employed before I'm 55.

I've signed up our sociable dog for a level one basic manners class (using clicker-training), and I'm very excited about it!

The countdown to WisCon has started, too: less than 8 months away! :)