Monday, Monday
After a somewhat dramatic weekend (for me), I'm trying to mentally prepare for work tomorrow. The receptionist is weird. We'll call her Apple. Apple used to work as a clerk in the courts and thinks she knows everything. She and I seem to be in a slight power struggle. Apple started working there not quite two weeks before I did. She might be somewhere around my age (it's hard to tell), and dresses in ankle-length flowy dresses and scarves with pom-poms on them.
Any time I ask Apple something, after telling me, she'll e-mail me the answer while cc-ing the office manager and her assistant. So I'll ask what time the mail goes out, Apple will tell me 4:45 p.m., and then e-mail me the same information. WEIRD. One of these days I might get tempted to respond snarkily.
Tomorrow Trixie starts her new job, after taking a month off. She's very nervous, and only added to her own nervousness by deciding to throw a cocktail party on Friday night. We wound up in a slight ... fight isn't the right word, but feelings were hurt and people were tiptoed around.
After a few notes taped to doors and a quick conversation tonight, Trixie and I are back to happily playing volleyball among vases in the living room.
Any time I ask Apple something, after telling me, she'll e-mail me the answer while cc-ing the office manager and her assistant. So I'll ask what time the mail goes out, Apple will tell me 4:45 p.m., and then e-mail me the same information. WEIRD. One of these days I might get tempted to respond snarkily.
Tomorrow Trixie starts her new job, after taking a month off. She's very nervous, and only added to her own nervousness by deciding to throw a cocktail party on Friday night. We wound up in a slight ... fight isn't the right word, but feelings were hurt and people were tiptoed around.
After a few notes taped to doors and a quick conversation tonight, Trixie and I are back to happily playing volleyball among vases in the living room.
posted by Green at 10/21/2007 10:01:00 PM
3 Comments:
I work with an "Apple" too. Let's refer to her as "Watermelon". (She is older, much bigger. She smokes like a chimney and thinks she knows everyone's business!) I have been at our office for 7 years longer than she has, yet there is a power struggle. (I don't understand it either!) When she cc's her emails and memos to the senior atty. in our firm, he simply laughs and deletes them without responding. = ) Good luck! Go ahead and be snarky!
I figure just start each note with "To the world's most perfect roomate" and that should put the problems in perspective.
Green:
I'ver worked with people like Apple. Just hit reply All to her email and say something like:
"Apple,
This is so strange. Every time I ask you a question in person, you answer it (and I'm happy to get the information) but then you feel the need to write an email telling me the exact same thing, not to mention cc'ing people whom I believe have more important things to do than have their email clogged up with inconsequential information that you've already given me.
Is there a reason you'd care to share with me and the people you cc?
Sincerely,
Green"
But that's just me.
Post a Comment
<< Home