Frequent Citations

Dumping Snow

TFL estimates 8-10 inches fell yesterday and last night, meaning that in places the drifts are several feet deep.  The little private park out back is a winter wonderland playground, and Dogness could not be more excited.

We (and the rest of the world) knew the storm was coming so we headed out yesterday morning to run some errands, pick up cards, and grocery shop.  It was fun to walk around town for a bit and see some of the decorations, although the windows by my office are the most beautiful windows in the world.  It started snowing while we were out, great big flakes, then it stopped for a little while, and then we looked out our windows and it was all white.  Thick snow was blowing every which way, the wind turning each cluster into a stinging little missile.  We had to take Dogness out and she, clearly, does not feel the wind At All, but no matter how well bundled-up TFL and I were that wind was brutal.

It's not snowing any more, it's just bitter gray.  Good day to be working inside.

TFL got our tree yesterday too so maybe we'll decorate that today.  No promises.  For whatever reason, I'm finding it terribly hard to get into a Christmas spirit.  So, kids, be warned:  I'm thrilled to be seeing you soon, but all the decorating may be on you!  (And yes, I'm primarily looking at you, Girlchild, because you get here sooner.)  I suppose I should admit that you could wrap every surface in our apartment in tinsel and lights (why you would do that I don't know) in about 5 minutes. 

Maybe I'll put on some Christmas music while I work, and see if that helps me bust out a holiday mood.

Developments

I've been working on one major project almost since I started, and this week we had Major Developments.  I got to go to court, and the primary lesson I learned was not even to bother with the laptop, but bring every darn slip of paper it ever crosses my mind to bring, because the people asking you for the document?  They do NOT want to see it on a laptop.  So, there was that. 

My hopes for a lighter December/January may now be dust, due to the Major Developments, but we shall see.  Today I am Not Working, which is very exciting.  I may even be able to get my outrageously overdue library book returned, and pick up some food, and spend a few consecutive hours with TFL while we're both awake.  

Hints of moving offices swirled around again this week.  If I were to move to an interior office I'd have more room, which I badly need, but I'd have no view.  Also, I'd have to move, and we all know how I feel about that.  

Lastly, we relisted the flat -- I think that counts as a development.  So if you know anyone who needs a lovely place, right off the lake...

Dandy

I was walking down the hall at work today and one of the secretaries remarked, as she passed me, "You have a lovely wardrobe."

Well.  That certainly made my (incredibly hectic, 17-hour) day.  And to think I've just been grousing that almost none of my jackets fit me anymore.  (Which is still true, a lot of them now hang and look frumpy, but a few still fit -- or fit well again, as the case may be.)

This week I have:  client interview (look nice), day of argument prep (try to survive), day of deposition training (formal, but may be abruptly transformed into another day of argument prep), day of client interview plus going to fed court (formal!  full suit!), and day of two client interviews (one interview with official government types, so formal suit, but one interview that doesn't start until dinner and will go until late, so ... maybe the knit skirt?).  So to translate:  cute jacket and slacks, maybe sweater set instead of jacket, jacket over something comfy (pleated dress maybe), skirt suit, skirt suit.

But no new shoes.  Have I mentioned the kids are going abroad?  Owwwwww.  Travel does bad things to the shoe budget.

Delightful

The offspring came out for Thanksgiving and it was great to see them.  We spent a lot of time pondering upcoming ventures abroad (and how to pay for same), and a lot of time playing cards, and (some of us) a lot of time sleeping.

TFL cooked all day and made pheasant (!) and turkey and stuffing.  I made a salad.  Boy made rolls (and learned about yeast's temperature sensitivity) and a pie.  GirlChild and I hung artwork.  Yep, just a traditional down-home holiday...

I barely worked at all yet still somehow didn't have time to return my library book.  It's getting to the point where every time I hear sirens I think it's the police coming to arrest me for my overdue book -- you know, the library police.  I could have bought it five times for the fines I'm probably racking up.

Anyway, back to the topic:  it was great to have everyone together again.  It was horrifying to realize that we were so distracted/absentminded/unnaturally unfilial that we failed to call ANY of our near and dear relatives such as, you know, PARENTS.  We are very, very bad and filled with sorrow, and hope you know that as delightful as it was to see our kids, the week would have been more delightful still if we'd managed to pick up the phone.

(Of course we all realize that the solution is that we need to see our kids more often so that we're not so darn distracted when they are here -- that's obvious, right?)

Nevermind The Emotional Management Style, Or: I Get The Salary, You Get The Blame

I like to observe the management styles and lack thereof in my workplace.  There are certain people I will do everything in my power to avoid working with because I've seen their management styles second-hand and deemed them horrendous.  But . . . I'm now on a matter with someone whose leadership qualities are not quite what I would seek. 

I think I'm taking away two lessons from the recent round of interactions with this someone.  First, avoid sending emails in all caps demanding an instant meeting.  Unless, maybe, there's an emergency motion to enter within the next hour or something.  Second, never call a meeting in which you plan to discuss What Went Wrong And How Annoyed You Are without having a takeaway for people.  Because if my takeaway from the meeting is that you're unhappy and unsure of what your next step will be, I'm not coming out of that meeting with any concrete idea of what my next step should be.  I find that somewhat pointless and rather a waste of time.

Anyway.  We all have good days and bad days, so I can see that someone might need to vent and I won't get unduly bent out of shape about it -- pending further developments.  I do deem management training in my field to be minimal to nonexistent with the result that perhaps people don't realize that there are more and less effective ways to call meetings, address problems, or guide peons.  What I now realize is that not everyone can glean these points by mere observation.

Alas.

Never Say Die

Here's a great theme for a party:  tuxes and party frocks.  TFL and I went to such a party this past weekend, and it was just as delightful as you might imagine.  Everyone looked charming and elegant (except for the Irish soldier whose dress uniform was a tux draped with gold braid and medals -- upgraded from charming to pure deliciousness).  Ok, this being the Emerald City, one or two outfits were just downright scandalous, but delightful still in their own way.

TFL wore his tux and looked quite James Bond-ish in his own blonde way.  I guess with the latest Bond, Bond is blonde anyway (harrumph).  I wore a skinny little black satin party frock and my 4" burgundy patent pumps.  We spent the evening/early morning drinking champagne, chatting with interesting people, dancing, and generally enjoying ourselves.  It seemed like something we should do more often, especially now that I have the aforementioned party frock. 

Nice To Be Missed, I Guess

I'm back at work, and back in the whirl.  We filed the reply in one matter, got a production out in another matter, I was handed clean-up duties for someone else's project, and on top of that I got a call from a Very Important Person who I've worked for in the past and wanted me to go back and do a little more of the same.  Yeow.

It seems a little crazier than usual, but I got a lucky break or two that turned this week from potentially horrendous into possibly not bad.  We'll see how it goes.

In other news:  vacation was a stolen suitcase, a ton of driving, a few family bashes, a horrible football game on a perfect football afternoon, a lightening round of successful shopping, wrestling with cranky technology, and evaluating a (terrible) manuscript.  We got to see both kids, which was awesome, and it was good to get out of town -- and good to be back.

Nervous

I'm on a real vacation for the first time, and I just realized that it's making me very nervous.  What's happening at work while I'm gone?  Are they realizing they don't need me?  Are they deciding other people can do a better job at what I do? 

I'm not saying my nervousness is rational.  It just is.

But I am on vacation, visiting family, reading novels, watching movies, getting bags stolen, and trying to pick a stove to replace the one in the condo.  I had no idea stoves were so expensive.  Ouch!  TFL went off in a different direction for a few days to see his family, and I'm glad he had a chance to see them but I've decided I'm not a fan of his leaving me on my own.  Clearly, I brood, and become nervous.  Happily, he's coming back to where I am tomorrow.

In other news:  we had a sort of family reunion at my father's birthday bash and you'll all be happy to know that we're as rowdy and eccentric as ever.  It was the first time my brothers and I have been together in quite a few years, actually.  The important thing, of course, is that everyone liked my shoes no one cried my father had a great time.  In fact, he did, and that was all the rest of us wanted.

Optimal Dinner

I had a long day.  A call with a cranky partner, more calls with people who weren't sure what was going on (including me), an endless, thankless, and complicated task ("ETCT"), and that was all before I had to slip out for a haircut, by which time I had a horrible headache and realized I was going to have to spend all evening on the ETCT.

TFl to the rescue.  He stopped by my favorite restaurant in town to pick up dinner (including dessert, of course!) and bring it to me at the office.  Tasty!  And wonderful. 

See why I love him so?

Plus on Sunday he took me on a ride as the late afternoon sun lit up the trees, and the hillsides were glowing with colored light.  It's starting to get cold, so I don't know how much longer we'll be able to keep riding before I put my gear away for the winter.  In the meantime, I enjoy every minute of riding I get.

On The Stand

Over the weekend I went to be a witness for the trial skills program our firm runs every year.  How I got roped into this I don't know -- insanity, weakness, idiocy are all possible explanations.  I agreed to do it, though, and in due time I showed up at the hotel with my story book in tow and a store of resigned patience. 

My character was a rock star.  How much more appropriate could that be? 

Anyway, it was actually pretty interesting to see everything from the witness's perspective.  First of all, it really helps if the lawyer listens to what the witness says.  Also, preparation is good but not if you're totally scattered in how you prepare your witness.  But the witness's view of the trial is really narrow, even for the key witness.  So it helps to have some sense of how it's all planned out, but it's also good to know what the key points are to work in (or avoid). 

And use the visuals, man.  Always.