Positive comments!

I have some good things to share about how the end of the job transition has gone.

I had a casual conversation with my boss the other day, a get-to-know-you kind of thing, and it turns out he's a biker, too! He and I were reminiscing over some of the hardest Ragbrai days in the past few years, and one was the day we biked into Audubon into a headwind so strong that you had to pedal to get down the hills (and of course, up them, too). The day after was much easier, into Waukee, and then I remembered that the day after was the day that I had my stitches taken out after my accident. I kind of blurted it out before I realized that I didn't want my new boss to know what a retard I was in nearly killing myself, but it turns out he had already heard about it!! I didn't even know the person who told him, so word was REALLY getting around Deere. My reputation, it appears, had preceded me. He's a pretty funny guy, tho, and he's already gotten a couple of glass-shard-related jokes at my expense. Makes me feel welcome, anyway! (and, stupid, all over again).


I felt a lot better, tho, when I had confessed to him that I was happy to be in this position regardless of part-time or not because my previous working relationship with my manager left a lot to be desired. He said he could tell from my year-end comments (which I hadn't realized he'd read... ) and that they seemed to be "out of line" with what other managers had said in their comments. He has said since then that he has high expectations, and that the few things I'm working are critical to accomplish.

I also had a conversation with his boss's boss (3 levels higher than me). This guy said he likes to interview everyone who comes into his organization (a couple hundred, probably), but that I had snuck past him in the way I got hired. But he had read my resume and my past year-end comments from previous managers and thought I was worth a shot after reading those. He said they don't give just anybody the opportunity to work part-time. So, after I had sent a (pathetic) email to HR at IVS, they sent it to this guy first. He must've looked me up immediately, because I got a call the very next day from HR saying they had interest. I was so flattered that he read about me and thought I was worth giving a chance. AND, he had read Tom's comments!! So, as worried as I was that Tom had somehow marred my Deere reputation by putting those asshole comments in about me, I have built up enough clout on my own that his remarks seem out of place to other managers (Managers worth working for, I might add). I can't tell you how good I feel having these positive comments said to me. :) Ahh...

Emily is really close to being able to sit on her own. In her bouncy chair, she tucks her chin down like she's trying to sit up, although she's pretty wobbly on her own. She likes grabbing at toys, and we're looking around the living room trying to decide when and how to babyproof. At her 4-month check-up, she weighed 16 lbs (90th percentile), and length is 26 1/4" (95th). She cried in my arms through the post-vaccine fever, which breaks my heart but she fared a little better than last time. And, on the bright side for me, at least she was a little bit snuggly for a while!