To warn you, this is a long one

So many things have happened - it's not a week that I wish to repeat any time soon. I'm not even sure where to begin.

Let's start with something good. My friend Penny. She's back from rehab - and she's a new person. She has been sick the last few years and on lots of meds to get rid of the pain. Thanks to the Mayo clinic she's come out the other side. It's so awesome to hear her with more energy, exercising and generally having such an optimistic view. Long may it last.

Here's another good thing...today was a great day. I took a sanity work day at home. Got loads and loads done, although not everything. I managed to have a pedicure and a massage. I even got laundry done while working. I like working at home.

Here's for the crap stuff of the week

Jamaica. it's all booked, however not before I had a fight with a cheapo website for Mum and Dad's flights. I booked them, then they didn't ticket them, then the price went up, then i had to wait 45 mins to talk to someone. In the end they agreed I could cancel the flight. I booked on Travelocity in the end but for more money. Still a good deal though. We're booked, they're booked, Tim's booked. Just working on Peter, Carrieanne and Rachel. Trying to convince Carrieanne is the hardest, but understand if she can't make it.

My IPOD. This one takes the biscuit. If you remember I left my IPOD at home when I went back to England and Trev kindly stuck it in a Fedex box and sent it to me. Well that was lovely (if ridiculously expensive) and that was the start of the trouble. This made me realize why I don't live in England. It's also the last time I will use Fedex. Tim emailed me a FedEx invoice for 34 pounds (about $70). It had so many spelling errors that I thought it was one of the spoof things, so i called them in the UK to check. Turns out that I needed to pay import duty on my IPOD. Now, if the item was new and I was bringing it into the country I can agree with that, but why should I pay duty on something I own. What made it worse was the idiot on the phone who kept saying "madam, I'm just explaining the process". I refused to pay naturally, and asked to escalate it to raise a claim. Apparently that cost 30 pounds. hahahahahahahadiha. Can you believe that? Anyhow, i got really mad at them and said i wouldn't pay. They said that they'd take the details and call me back the following day. Well, it took 4 days but I won! As a "goodwill gesture" they would pay for it. Yeah, whatever. Note to self, don't leave crap behind when you go to England.

Next. My boss. I love working for my boss. Except when she's traveling. I think she has a lot of thinking time so you get bombarded with short emails asking for stuff. I'm Ok with that bit, but her assistant goes insane. Completely insane and starts taking all my time bitching about it. it takes way way too long.

Next. The manager who works for me. She does a great job, is very thorough. however there's too much work for everyone and she likes to bitch to me about how difficult it is. Oh yeah, an dhow crap the bonus plan is. Drives me blinking nuts. I really don't have time for it.

A meeting. I run a steering committee because no-one else will. It's a favour, it's certainly not my job. I keep it together and report on progress monthly. Usually it's OK. however, i watch two grown men argue. Now, I don't mean a difference of opinion and we move on. I mean actual yelling and screaming where they were goading each other. There was a very senior guy there and rather than being supportive and suggestive on how to resolve the issues he was actively irritating the other guy. It was PATHETIC. Now I'm Ok with, as is Mary Ann the project manager. Jen, the manager who works for me was freaked out. I have to say it was so unprofessional. There are also other things here I can't talk about because of work sensitivities, but that also annoyed me. A question of ethics. I've escalated that so hopefully it'll sort itself out.

Next. My team. They are sooooooooooo freaking whiny and needy. I know they like to get face time, but really - with half the stuff they could handle it themselves. It's not that I mind really, but I have so many meetings and stuff i really can't handle it. I can't find a way to give them what they need. I have started getting way more involved in specific projects and it means I end up taking way too many actions and trying to be a good role model by writing it down. Oh well, I guess it'll get better.

My friend Mary Ann got me out of the down I was feeling. We had a cocktail and chinese last night. That really helped.

Today was awesome - I got caught up (almost), my massage was fabulous (did I tell you Wesley is amazingly brilliant) and I enjoyed being home.

Tomorrow is another day....