Bummer, LKJ, sorry to hear that.


If you don't mind I'd be interested in reading some of the WOAT's exploits.

If it comes to it, yeah. Not at all ideal, but I've taken care of my savings, have meticulously gamed out how long I could make current resources last without an income, and I'd be fine bridging the gap.

Oh I wouldn't mind, but I'm not even entirely sure where to start. Dude is an immature toddler who is not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, the ultimate example of swagger over substance, complete entitlement without any regard for others, a despicable narcissist without redeeming quality. Almost everyone hates him, but his act caught on with one person in a high place, and he's been able to play that connection to the max.

Here's one ridiculous example, from when I worked with him on a peer level in advance:

Under the prior boss, who let him get away with everything, he just got used to strolling in for the day whenever he felt like it, usually 10:30 or later. New boss comes in, observes that everyone else is following usual office policies by arriving at a reasonable time each day, and goes "WTF" at his extremely late arrivals. She pulls him into her office and tells him that he's going to need to start arriving no later than 9:30 each day. Sheesh, even 9:30 is giving him a lot of rope; nobody else was even arriving that late.

He immediately reacted by jumping out of his seat and saying, "Not doing it! Not doing it!" Then he marched out of her office, went to her boss, and demanded that he overturn this decision (which he didn't do). Like, he just instantly lights this relationship with the new boss on fire for making an incredibly reasonable ask.

Watching him react to her management of him was a lot like watching Michael Scott react to suddenly being subject to direct management by Charles Miner, aside from the whole aspect where you were supposed to view Charles as some sort of villain.

Obviously I wasn't in the room for, "Not doing it!" but I can visualize it perfectly, because he shows zero self-control in all human interactions. He once objected from the ****ing audience during one of my cases when we were colleagues in the past, because he was frustrated that I didn't raise the objection. During his hearings, he would incessantly object whenever possible, never reading the room and understanding that if you raise an objection every single time you possibly could, the effect is that you do more harm than good to your case by annoying whoever you're arguing your case in front of.

I heard him grumbling about a couple of objections that I didn't choose to make from the front row, but then he broke in so loudly one time that it stopped the hearing in its tracks. Opposing party asked a question of the witness, and actually I was going to raise this objection, but before I could he breaks in with, "OBJECT! Calls for speculation!" The whole hearing stopped for a moment as everyone looked at him. I shot him a death glare, then I shook my head and apologized to the other side on his behalf.

Have you ever in your life experienced one of those people who simply can't contain a reaction? Like, if they're hearing something that they don't like or agree with, even if they aren't instantly speaking they'll rock back and forth in their chair in reaction to this thing that's just bugging them so much? That's him every single time he doesn't like what's going on. ****ing idiot.

Anyway, I think it's pretty clear that on a long enough timeline they would grant me the internal transfer and I wouldn't end up being voluntarily unemployed. The HR guy, who is just now returning to the office but was around in the past (and therefore knows me and knows WOAT), pretty clearly understood that I was taking a reasonable position by drawing this line in the sand.

When I had that conversation with HR, I was just trying to focus it on what could be done to get me into an acceptable situation, but HR kept asking for more details about WOAT. I spit so much fire about him that I since came to find out that, within a few days, they actually brought him back in for a full re-interview for the position. The sense I get is that he wasn't truly in danger of losing his offer in this re-interview - I think his friend in a high place probably held a functional veto over the offer actually being pulled - and that this was more like a meeting to say, "Hey dude, just so you know, the whole 'being an out-of-control *******' thing isn't going to fly this time."

The boss of the area that I'm asking for a transfer to was visibly excited when I came into his office, resume in hand, and told him that I had expressed an interest in joining his team. So there's really nothing in the way except for the office bothering to transfer me in a timely manner, and it would be stupid if we couldn't work something out. I'm probably going to have to be very annoying to make sure that they don't just let this turn into some incredibly long saga though. I've told them that I will be reasonable about abiding this shitty situation during a reasonable phase-out period, but that I'm absolutely going to have to have reassurances of a transfer and a transfer date.

Anyway, sorry for blogging. That's a lot of words.

On a more pleasant note, I recently wrapped up Schitt's Creek. I originally picked that show up and didn't make it through season one, but since it got so much buzz I felt I owed it a second go, and I was able to stick with it this time until it got really good. Season four was the peak, just a really strong season all around, and the show did remain strong through the end. The slow start to the series is unfortunate, but at least it was laying the foundation for something.

I can't imagine how frustrating that must be for you/everyone else.

Hope it works out LKJ!

Thanks.

And yes, when the news came down that he was returning, the reaction on the team was something akin to everyone finding out that someone had died. A whole bunch of lives get worse in one fell swoop because stupid people make reckless hiring decisions and put terrible people in charge.

Thanks for a detailed response!


I think I'm in season 3, or perhaps finished it, of Schitts Creek. Need to get back on that horse.

Yeah, season 4 is really to me when the series hits full bloom and everything ties together.

Though I will say that Moira Rose is a worthless character, and that's despite having the considerable talents of Catherine O'Hara behind it.

I don't really like Moira but I do appreciate the performance of C O'H and think she's a net positive.

She does what she can with it, but I just think it's a pretty big indictment of the character itself if even Catherine O'Hara can't really rescue it.

1. Sorry to hear about the WOAT situation, but sounds like it's moving in the right direction, and you are surrounded by other intelligent people who are supportive of your asks and motivations

2. I quit on Schitts 4 eps in, everyone has been telling me if you dont like it by then, you prob wont like it. Maybe I'll try again

1. Thank you. I'm a bit disheartened that HR promised me an additional update by the end of the week and then just left me hanging with no further update, but it's whatever. I'm taking a long weekend and I'll tackle the challenge of next week next week.

2. That input you've gotten is odd. Most people I talk to who love the show are in agreement that it starts slow and you just have to stick with it. One of the sticking points for me in trying to get into it was that the David (Dan Levy) character is clearly beloved by the fans of the show, and I found him completely insufferable when I started in. However, I can tell you that I went from finding him awful to him becoming my clear favorite character in the series by the end. The character arc is really done well.

FWIW, Ratingraph agrees that season 1 is the weakest by a pretty noticeable margin:

I didn't realize while watching the show that Twyla is the Levy, not... jesus I can't think of the name of the daughter.

I love Bob. Perhaps Mutt is my least favorite.

Oof. Rams paid a whole lot to get Stafford, and I still have no choice but to feel like they made an unequivocally great move. NFC West is not getting easier.

They are never picking in the first round ever again lol . And I feel like Stafford isn’t better than someone they could have signed .

The good thing though is they did get rid of Goffs awful contract

I've done it multiple times and it seems great but auto quitting your job is a fail. You say **** this, get a new job and abuse the best of both worlds. Being happy to be **** you Imma do what I want is so optimal but you are stronger getting and leaving a job in a position of power.

I/we got ****ed over on my pension recently (still v good) and tried to convince others it's bullshit and to say no because if they did they wouldn't have a workforce but no one did (and because life is hard for others) and no one realises the compounding effect. Which btw is much worse than what you are doing, dealing with a ****. I was so annoyed I was like **** this is bullshit, you have to pay out alll this stuff to change it I will do it and get paid ok for months at home chilling. Then a job I actually want came up and it'd be so suboptimal.

Very importantly think you are the interviewer and try to explain that you left your last job because some guy was a nob. In that situation you always sound like the issue. So bad. Flex your muscle to get a move but please don't leave.

I think Stafford is easily an above-average QB that any team looking for a QB would have wanted to pick up. The only QB out there who is even comparable in quality and theoretically could be signed is Dak Prescott, and it seems like Dallas will just keep him.

I see this as a pretty noticeable shot in the arm for them, even with paying a big price in draft picks.

Watson tho. Doubt they could have gotten him though

I can't imagine why you think I'd explain my departure by airing my grievances against the would-be prior employer; I'd have to be deeply stupid to do that. There are diplomatic ways to answer inconvenient interview questions, and I would manage. I'm coming up on the 10-year mark with the same employer, which makes it a lot easier to sell myself as not being a problematic, flighty employee.

Obviously it would weaken my position in the job search to be unemployed. No question. But I don't fear a resignation making me outright toxic to prospective employers, and I have enough in reserve to bridge a significant gap if it comes to that.

In any case, I do think it's more likely than not that I'm able to force my way into a transfer that allows me to stay put.

Watson is not a free agent, and they would have had to have paid a whole lot more for him. I kind of doubt anyone meets the price needed to get Houston to trade him.

I think the Rams and lions lose this deal. Apparently Washington offered something similar for Stafford and they wouldn’t have had to take Goffs contract back

Yeah, Lions have draft capital to rebuild with, but it definitely feels like you can write them off for at least several more years.

Maybe Goff will improve . He has been competent at times .

He's not the worst QB, and it's not impossible he could improve somewhat, but it would be pretty surprising to me if he suddenly turned into something significantly better after being transported to a much worse team and franchise.