Thursday, April 03, 2008

Welcome to the Monkey House

Taken from the title of a Vonnegut short story of the same name.

This morning: Meeting for us associates and the Jr. partner re workload update. I updated my tally. Managed to cross a few things off in the past 2 weeks. Also managed to add more items than I crossed off. Not good.

This afternoon: Cake and celebration of April birthdays, mine included. Cake is good. (The cake is a lie!)

Tonight: More boardgames but with a new group. It's an invite-only affair. I was invited by a guy I've met through other, open groups. Should be fun.

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This morning's meeting was... not very peppy. Now, I know these meetings are to keep the Jr. partner appraised of where us associates are at and how we're doing managing our workload, but they're also depressing as Hell.

Afterwards, the Jr. partner stopped by my office and, separately, by a friendly co-worker's office. We were both informed that unless we stop spending time talking with one another and get caught up, one of us would be moved to the other hallway.

Yes, we talk too much. We have the same interests – sci fi, boardgames, books, graphic novels, movies, etc. We're friends. Heck, this is the guy who got me into boardgames in the first place. But we're also both in trouble at work and pretty not happy with the current workload. If there were ever a way to motivate us, that wasn't it. I swear that there's a way to say the same thing and have a similar effect but without making it highly negative.

Really brought down the mood. We pretty much didn't talk at lunch, either.

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Thoughts:

Last night, in my various car-drivings, I pondered a scenario where I tell boardgame.girl that I found her blog. Reminded me of that class at the end of law school where the professor told the whole class about my blog (without identifying me or stating that it was a student's blog, though). I wonder if she would feel a similar initial rush of heart-stopping panic. Or maybe she'd be cooler with it than I was.

If/when (because it's more of a "when" than an "if," assuming things work out) I tell boardgame.girl that I found her blog, I would also tell her that I have a blog. I really am all about being forthright and honest with this gal. (Though I may delay said forthrightness a bit, for the blog revelation I mean.)

Today I'm also feeling more positive about the whole thing. Ironically, the renewed positivity appears to stem from the lack of communication. Funny but true.

I'm trying to figure out why I should call her tomorrow (on Friday). I would like to, if for no other reason than to provide some indication of my continuing interest, but I do need a reason for calling her... and I'm having trouble coming up with one. I know I'm going to see her on Saturday (or at least I know she's planning on coming to the Sat. boardgames), so there's little reason to call and attempt to plan something more at this time. Could just call to see how her week has been. Like I've said before, I'm rotten at this.

It's also easier to be positive about her since I'm fairly negative about work today. The two have no real connection, but it seems as though there is an inverse relation. If I'm worrying about work, I don't have much leftover worrying for the situation with her.

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Apparently, some people think that I need a work dominatrix. I have no problem with this.

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This afternoon's birthday celebration feels hollow. I'm not in a good mood. I'm not doing well at work. I'm just not at a place to enjoy cake this afternoon. Yet, I will try to act happy and smile and say "thank you" and feast on tasty, sugary goodness. I have no choice. I must. (It is a difficult burden.)

Sometimes someone at work will ask me how I'm doing. These days I usually reply with a monosyllabic grunt of some denomination that reflects the merest iota of my current state. Occasionally I'll also make a face in conjunction with said monosyllabic grunt. Surprisingly, this counts as a valid response to their question.

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Filed a continuation that was sort of due today. (Filed it in lieu of a RCE at the 6 mo. date of a Final OA for which the Examiner has assured a Notice of Allowance that is "stuck in processing.")

*whew* That's a mouthful.

ANYWAYS, I skimmed over some advice and comments at my favorite dating blog and had two interesting thoughts. The first was that she could be waiting for me to call her (and possibly wondering why I haven't). The second was that she could just not want to go out with me and hasn't told me yet.

As to the first, her canceling Tuesday night runs slightly counter to that. Even so, she may very well have been too tired for anything that night. As to the second, ummm, how should I know? The lack of communication doesn't really weigh in for one side or the other, as far as I can tell.

That's one area that I've been horrible at interpreting before – when to pursue and when not and how to pursue. Occasionally it's very easy, other times it's rather difficult.

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Bleh. I'll quote Eva here:
In the dating world where some of us feel that there are too few victories and high points and so many disappointments, I think that a great date does mean something, and I think it means something that doesn’t need to be dismissed even if the outcome isn’t what we desire. I think a great date means that two people, at the very least, have good manners. It means that they value making people feel good and they enjoy having a good time. It may even mean that two genuinely good people have had the opportunity to meet each other. I agree that what a great date doesn’t mean is that there is a mutual connection, a mutual desire for a second date or a long term relationship. It just means that two people shared a pleasant time together. How can that ever be a bad thing? I haven’t always felt this way, but I’m now thankful for a fun date even if I never see the guy again. I just know that one day when that fun date turns into something more, I’ll be ready for it.
*sigh*

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And that was today's installment. Maybe I should call her tonight? And schedule is another "thing." I know she's working these days until 7-8pm, so I wouldn't call her cell until 8-ish. Sheesh.

If there isn't a big, blinking neon sign staring me in the face, I may be useless here. (And I may be useless, even if there is a big, blinking neon sign staring me in the face.)

I'll call her tomorrow night. Maybe. Yes. No. Maybe. Ugh.