Succinct Advice
Monday was a really interesting day in the life of Granola A. Girl. I called my "twin" sister about it and we had a good talk. I've been debating not posting this, because of the ultra-personal nature, but I also feel I need to get it down, even if it's just so I can look at it and think, "What the heck was I thinking?" So, here's what happened:
I was sitting in my office early in the morning when MyBoss called me to ask me if I remembered when we were tracking down how to do thus-and-such four months ago. "Nope, sorry. I've slept since then." Normally that would elicit at least a chuckle, but I got nothing. Now, a few weird things about this moment, usually he wouldn't call me, he'd come over to my office to ask; and he sounded quite depressed. I wanted to ask him what was going on, and generally I would, except I figured it's really not my place to get involved in some things  like my boss' personal life. I answered his question completely unsatisfactorily, and let the moment go.
Later he didn't join us for lunch, which surprised me. When he finally did appear it was 1 o'clock and we were all heading back to our offices. I had to rinse out my cup from lunch, so I went into the kitchen part of the break-room and found him looking in the microwave at his lunch. "How are you?" I asked chipperly.
"I'm ok." he said with more than a hint of sadness in his voice. "How are you?"
"I'm fabulous." I declared.
"That's great."
"I'm also lying. What's going on?"
"Oh," he sighed, "just life. I guess." Well, the last thing I need in life is to get stuck trying to comfort my boss. I know I'm a good listener, and I apparently give good advice, or else people wouldn't keep coming to me. However, his best friend (aside from his wife, I assume) is GoteeBoy, so MyBoss can just talk to him if he needs something. Plus, it is never a good thing for a woman to be consoling a married man, about whatever.
"I'm sorry." I half mumbled, hoping he wouldn't confide in me. It's really hard for me to not offer the support that people seem to find in me, but I wasn't touching that one. I left him there, staring at his food, looking distraught.
Later that afternoon after our team meeting I caught him and told him I remembered how to do thus-and-such from this morning, and this was how. He thanked me and said he tried something else and that had worked for him. He still didn't sound like he was doing all that well, but I ran away before he had the chance to ask my advice on anything.
I called my sister later and vented at her about all of this stuff. Her advice was as sound as anything I could have possibly said, and more succinct than many people. In her most emphatic tone of voice she ordered me to, "Stay the Hell away from that, Gorp." Ya think.
I was sitting in my office early in the morning when MyBoss called me to ask me if I remembered when we were tracking down how to do thus-and-such four months ago. "Nope, sorry. I've slept since then." Normally that would elicit at least a chuckle, but I got nothing. Now, a few weird things about this moment, usually he wouldn't call me, he'd come over to my office to ask; and he sounded quite depressed. I wanted to ask him what was going on, and generally I would, except I figured it's really not my place to get involved in some things  like my boss' personal life. I answered his question completely unsatisfactorily, and let the moment go.
Later he didn't join us for lunch, which surprised me. When he finally did appear it was 1 o'clock and we were all heading back to our offices. I had to rinse out my cup from lunch, so I went into the kitchen part of the break-room and found him looking in the microwave at his lunch. "How are you?" I asked chipperly.
"I'm ok." he said with more than a hint of sadness in his voice. "How are you?"
"I'm fabulous." I declared.
"That's great."
"I'm also lying. What's going on?"
"Oh," he sighed, "just life. I guess." Well, the last thing I need in life is to get stuck trying to comfort my boss. I know I'm a good listener, and I apparently give good advice, or else people wouldn't keep coming to me. However, his best friend (aside from his wife, I assume) is GoteeBoy, so MyBoss can just talk to him if he needs something. Plus, it is never a good thing for a woman to be consoling a married man, about whatever.
"I'm sorry." I half mumbled, hoping he wouldn't confide in me. It's really hard for me to not offer the support that people seem to find in me, but I wasn't touching that one. I left him there, staring at his food, looking distraught.
Later that afternoon after our team meeting I caught him and told him I remembered how to do thus-and-such from this morning, and this was how. He thanked me and said he tried something else and that had worked for him. He still didn't sound like he was doing all that well, but I ran away before he had the chance to ask my advice on anything.
I called my sister later and vented at her about all of this stuff. Her advice was as sound as anything I could have possibly said, and more succinct than many people. In her most emphatic tone of voice she ordered me to, "Stay the Hell away from that, Gorp." Ya think.
posted by granola girl at 1:32 pm
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