Melt DOWN

It's been a very weird couple of days. I applied and interviewed for a new job, and at the same time I seriously jeopardized my old one. Not too bright.

First the good news: today's interview went very well. My hair managed to stay put even with the drizzle and humidity. I don't think I made any huge gaffes and I think I sounded reasonably intelligent. I didn't discover an unbuttoned button or a toothpaste blob on my suit afterwards. I avoided the Chex mix on my kitchen counter ahead of time because I remembered it has garlic salt in it. I also remembered the interviewers' names (rare for me) and used them when I left. I made eye contact, made them laugh, and managed an answer for each question. Even if I don't get offered the job, I think the interview was a good one.

Now the bad news: yesterday I got into it with my boss in a way I never have before. I was actually yelling at him and he was yelling back at me. I didn't really concede, but I backed off because after all he is an attorney and I am an accountant and we all know where the talent for argument lies. But it was ridiculous.

I won't go into the argument except to say that it involved fairness and treating people with respect. For the record, I was on the pro side. But I was absolutely flinging stuff at him (figuratively) during the boil over. I didn't offer arguments so much as I recounted a jambalaya of bad behaviors that have pissed me off. Only not as cohesive.

Since this happened first thing in the morning, he was in an unbelievably foul mood the rest of the day. I had the unfortunate task of finishing up work on our server so I spent the afternoon with our tech who is also a friend. She said she had never seen him so angry. I said thank you. I couldn't hole up in my office but had to be in the server room, which is basically a hallway from the office area to the file room. Lots of traffic. Lots of stomping and rushing past, muttering all the way. He even yelled at his secretary which never happens.

Late in the day he cooled off. He made up with his secretary. He never apologized to the person he was treating badly, the one I was defending (I believe my exact words to him were, "That was not nice!" which, if it isn't already painfully clear, was not my best parry and thrust). He left by 5:15 or 5:30 and I was stuck there until 7:30, working on the server. Of course there was no apology to me or acknowledgment of what had occurred.

So I didn't sleep well. I tried taking a Tylenol PM before bed because I knew it would be rough, but I tossed like a feverish kid. Apparently I forgot that the PM part of Tylenol actually makes me sleep badly. I really need to mark that bottle. I was up at 3:15 and never got back to sleep. I had to put Visine in my eyes this morning so the interviewers didn't wonder if I was using. I was still upset but listened to my favorite CD on the way to the interview, shook it off while I was heading inside, and pulled it together in the end.

And just to wrap up and find my center so I start the weekend in a good place, I had a Bailey's in hot chocolate and popcorn for supper. I think Karma is healing as I type.