Life is like a box of cigarettes

Sooner or later, it's gonna kill you.
 
Sometimes life simply isn't easy.  And my life, right now, just really isn't easy.  I have a family member in the hospital, and I have to work for Rod.  Between those two things, I am close to losing it.  If you follow me on Facebook, then you know it's been crazy at work lately.  (Add EyeTee Grrl on FB if you want to follow me, or www.twitter.com/eyeteegirl)

Now, the weird thing is, Rod has been weirdly nice lately.  These ups and downs of his are really starting to make me wonder who is truly the confusing gender.

So, apologies to those of you who rely on my blog daily for good cheer; my SO's father is in the hospital right now, and in our attempt to get to the hospital before rush hour yesterday, I didn't have time to post.  So I'll jump right back in the seat.

Just the other day, Rod noticed my engagement ring.  I wear it every day, and have worn it every day since it was presented to me.  I said "Yes, isn't it pretty?"  Rod actually engaged in conversation to discuss its merits.  I was kinda weirded out by the idea that he was admiring something on my body, so I didn't really want to continue the conversation, but there you have it.  After nearly two months of working here, Rod finally noticed the engagement ring.  Hmm.  Go figure.

Rod gets upset whenever cars aren't where they are supposed to be in the parking lot.  Let's say you forgot something, and you dashed in to get it - leaving the car idling half way out of your spot.  Rod will hunt you down and ask you to remedy the situation.  Sometimes, he will even yell in the middle of the parking lot if someone has a delivery truck sitting there (while a delivery is being made).  Mind you, this is all regardless of the fact that he can still get a parking place, and people can still get in and out of the lot just fine.  No, it's a principle thing for him.  Take yesterday for instance.  A gentleman parked in between two spots (taking up both spots) and dashed in for what was (to me) obviously a quick hello type conversation.  Now, I guess we'd all agree it's not really fair to take your half out of the middle, and we all bitch about the people who take up two spots when spots are tight, but there was a stall open 2.5 car stalls down from this particular incident, and several on the other side of the lot.  No big deal.  For most of us.  Rod, on the other hand... Had to go hunt this fellow down and inform him of his discontent.  I'm not sure what was said, but after about 45 seconds, Rod reappeared and walked away (we're not sure where he went). Approximately 30 seconds after that, the gentleman reappeared.  He moved his car, and trotted back in to finish his conversation with the neighbors.  When Rod returned from his jaunt, he waltzed in and started working again.  He did not, at any time, take one of the two spots now vacant.  For two more hours he worked that day, and did not take one of the now empty stalls.  Sigh.  I think Rod has an overwhelming need to be right.  And here I thought that was my job description in life!

Not long after that, Rod asked me if I texted.  I said yes.  There was no further communication on the subject.  (I wasn't about to ask why he wanted to know.)

Before he left yesterday, Rod cheerily said he'd had a "Wonderful day of ... [silence] ... SHARing."  I couldn't help myself.  "Sharing, Rod?"  "YES! SHARING of um... [silence] ... um ... CHRIStmas spirit."  Okaaaaay.

Apparently, a call came in for Dave this morning.  Rod answered, all I could hear was his side of the conversation:  "May I say who's calling?.... Can I ask what this is regarding?.... mmmmferf WELL he no longer works here."  Click.  Polite professionalism at its best.

Rod has been coughing all day.  A very dry cough.  And it's starting to put my nerves (and suspicions of sickness) on edge.  He coughed again.  "Hey, so, um, do you need some water or something for that cough?"  "Oh, no, I'm alright.  I have started taking MEDIcal mariJUANA again, and it afFECTS me the next day."  Oh, brother.  Is that what he is calling it?  Whatever.  The rest of us call it partying.
 
So, as usual, a 5 minute meeting turned into 45+ today.  One of the points of that meeting?  I even told him I was writing it down.  (Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty.  And my job.)  "We are sensitive only to Rod's needs.  NOBODY ELSE'S."  This is in response to my request for him to email me the details of a report he wanted me to run.  "I'll never remember all this, can you email me all the details you want, so I can--" His reply was loud and gruff.  "NO!  I will NOT email it to you!"  "But, Rod, I would really like to have it in writing so I can go back to what you want--" Again, "NO! I don't care what you want."  Hrrmmm.  "So, the needs of others don't matter?  Just your needs?"  His reply still lifts my eyebrows:  "That's right."  Alrighty.  Whatever you want, boss.  Un.. be.. liev... able.  Now, instead of poor, poor Rod, I'm thinking... Poor, poor Rod's girlfriend.
 
At another point, he said something to the effect that anyone here could do my job, and do it better, and do it faster.  And he said it with a sneer while he wagged his head in a way that was incredibly arrogant.  I said "Wow, can you be any ruder right now?"  (I really did say that).  His reply was honest, at least.  "No!"  I said, "Actually, I bet you could be ruder, but let's not test it."  He thought that was funny.  I didn't.
 
He ended the conversation by hemming and hawing.  I said "Just say it, whatever it is."  He told me he didn't think I'd like it.  I just rolled my eyes with my head down so he couldn't see.  I don't like anything he says, I thought.  But he finally got it out:  "I want you to cc me on all emails to all developers and to all customers."  I laughed and said "Okay, Rod, no problem.  And you don't consider this micro-managing, right?"  (He'd once complained to me others have said he's a micro manager).  He said, "NO! It's not micromanaging.  That's just YOUR OPINION."  That's right, boss, it is.  My perception, my reality.  Now, go away.  And he did.
 
Our land lord came in today to check on things.  We have a light out and a heater on the fritz.  So we told him, and the dude was cool about it all.  Then Rod some something most peculiar (no surprise there, I suppose.)  He said "So, when you get your shorts on, you can come fix this light."  The land lord and I looked at each other quizzically.  I repeated, "When you have your shorts on?"  He just shrugged and said, "Well, I can always come back in July, or August?"  We laughed.  Rod didn't.  He was too busy showing the land lord where the bulbs were. 

Wait a minute.  We have the bulbs here?  He wants the land lord to do the dirty work?  (Again, the 4 year old trying to weasel out of chores).  What a lameass. He can't change his own bulbs?! I work for an immoral (or is that amoral?), lazy lameass.  Can't wait to tell the folks all about my great job when we get together over Christmas... 

That is, if I even get the day off.

Eye Tee Girl