Pardon my venting

I'm apologizing in advance for what I am about to vent. If you don't care for venting or incessant whining, you might want to cut out now. I warned you. And by the way, when I use quotes around a title or a person, it's because that person isn't truly what the title or position indicates. I'm not talking down to you, just trying to be clear here.

I had the major meeting today with the technical school. I met with the dean, my "counterpart", my boss's boss, and my fellow accountant at the university. We were meeting to address the issue of what will happen to the deposits once I stop schlepping over to their campus twice a week to do my "counterpart's" work. End date is June 30. It looks like that is fast and firm.

None of the big wigs at the meeting suggested that I train the tech school "accountant" to do the deposits. That leads me to believe she won't be doing them but the final word was not handed down. Also, when the "accountant" offered to again be the go-to person for questions from the staff there, her boss said, "No thanks." That was good because when she WAS the go-to person there, she screwed up everything with the wrong answers.

And here's the whiny part: she's an ugly, old excuse-making bee-yotch who is losing her hair and is fat. Sorry, but I couldn't help myself. The reason will be clear here in a moment.

We were discussing some of the resistance I have encountered from a handful of the cashiers over there when I go over what I need. I understand that the tech school is sensitive to having to take direction from us, and I approach it very carefully and diplomatically. (For the record, I know I can do this and am good at it because I do it every day in the course of my job with the university.) The dean informed me that she has been approached by three people who resent my being there and have shared with her that I come across as a know-it-all who just tells them what to do. Without reservation or hesitation, I can say that that is absolutely not the case, but sometimes people have decided what you are based on the situation and not the person. Without her naming names, I know who she was talking about because I have been met with resistance and resentment. They resent that I go to their campus to clean up messes and bring order to their chaos. And it wouldn't matter if I was Mother Theresa, they would still resent me. The dean told me that she didn't necessarily believe I had handled the situation badly, but that these people came from difficult backgrounds and were limited in what they could do and how far they could go so they were extra sensitive to being told what to do.

So my "counterpart" suggested that perhaps she should be the one dealing with the staff. Her words were "I understand where they are coming from and I really am a people person." I turned to the dean and my "counterpart" and told them that I understood that when I work with these people I need to tread lightly. I told them that I made every effort to be helpful and considerate of the situation. I was sure that had they been present they would agree. And then I turned to the "counterpart" and told her, "And I am a people person too." Effing bee-yotch.

Anyhoo, I can't say things went well but I suppose they could have gone worse. My "counterpart" hasn't been given the keys to the castle although it's not been ruled out. I'm now wondering about the dean's motive behind telling me (and everyone else at the meeting) that there are people there who don't like me. I was told by one of her other employees at lunch today that she likes to set fires, and I believe she was blazing up some kindling on my behalf. Okay, although it's a remarkably unprofessional management style, I can accept that. My fellow accountant and I left the meeting, dropping f-bombs and rehashing, and then went out for a glass of wine to decompress and vent. It really helped us sort out a lot of what really happened as opposed to our reaction to it. There's a difference.

But let me tell you, if I ever turn into an ugly, old excuse-making bee-yotch who is losing her hair and is fat, you have permission to shoot me. After all, I'm just looking out for you because I'm a people person.