work ethic

I have always been a bit of a work-a-holic.  I mean until Ladybug came into my life it was all I really had.  And I had a job I was passionate about.  But when I decided to become a mom, I decided to get a less passionate job.

I like my job.  I understand I have a good job.  My boss is flexible.  And generous.  And easy going.  I have a good salary (not great, but good).  I have plenty of vacation (5 weeks a year).  I get insurance (crappy but still have insurance).  If I need to take off early or disappear in the middle of the day, I can. 

Please understand I am talking about Big Boss.  Mini is a whole different story (and these days it is a long scary, almost comical story).

But lately Big has been unavailable.  He is busy.  Lots of court.  Lots of meetings.  Lots of clients.  But we are having a hard time getting time with him (both me and the other paralegal).  He goes to lunch -- and to walk his dogs -- and doesn't come back until his next appointment.  It makes it hard to run a law office.  I need to discuss the ridiculous clients we have.  I need to get answers -- because legally I am not allowed to give advise to a client.  I need him to tell me what to do -- not that I don't tell him what he should tell me what to do. 

His schedule is so busy that I finally made an appointment with him.  Yep, put it right on the calendar.  Scheduled time for me to review a case.  For last Friday 10am-noon.  I blocked out 2 hours of time -- which turned out to be a good thing because by the time Friday rolled around I needed to talk about more than 1 case, more than 2 cases,... a bunch.

So at 10am last Friday I waited for him to come to the office.  I waited...waited...waited.  Finally at 11:15am I called him at home and asked if he was coming to work.  I was concerned.  I mean, I NEEDED to talk to him.  And I had a 2pm doctor appointment so I could not just wait around all day.  He said he would be to work in 15 minutes.  So I waited some more.

He showed up at noon and I followed him to his office.  But.... yes, there has to be a "but" because the story can't possibly end here...he told me he needed to do something first, before he could give me time.  Of course.  No priority here.  Why would I have something important to discuss with him?  I mean, I made an appointment.  I called him at home.  Nothing important.  But I waited...again.

Finally a 1pm (the time that I was scheduled to leave for the day) he came into my office.  I had already canceled my doctor appointment.  Which sucked because that meant I had to cancel a second doctor appointment -- the first has to happen before the second.  I decided that work was important enough to do cancel my personal business.  But he did come into my office.  He dropped some paperwork on my desk, asked me to take care of it, and turned to leave.  At which point I said....

SIT!

I don't care that he is my boss.  I NEEDED to talk to him. 

And, surprisingly, he sat.  I kept him there for 1.5 hours.  He kept looking at his watch.  He kept telling me he needed to leave.  I kept discussing cases.  I let him go when I was ready to let him go.  When I had enough information to move a few cases forward. 

And his rush to get out of the office?????  He was going to the beach for the weekend.  UUUGGGHHHHH!

I stayed another hour -- doing real work.  And then took the weekend to remind me that he is my boss and I should watch my step.

Mean Mama