OMFG

There are a lot of things that can make the workplace miserable and obnoxious. One of them is being treated like a child by a control freak.

Yes, the equipment was purchased with the funding granted to your boss' laboratory (not you, by the way). Your boss graciously and generously opened up free and general use of that equipment to us. That's what a sign-up sheet is for, you know. We sign up for time, we use it, 'sall good. This means that we all need the training if we are to use the equipment, and we all need access if we are to obtain data. Oh - and if there are major changes made, regular users - ALL of us (yes, even those of us who have been here for more than 4 years) - ought to be notified. One or two more email addresses tacked on to the memo is not that hard.

Hell, you could have just tacked on our PI's addy and that would have been good enough.

Or, when a user comes to ask a question (not to drag you away from your Very Important Business), or to let you know that said user cannot obtain data until certain things are done and certain needs are properly met, can this be done at your earliest convenience . . . you say what?

You say, "Oh yes, we've made some changes and I have not yet added user files for outside users. As soon as I have a few minutes, I'll get that set up for you. In the meantime, just go ahead and use my set-up (or X's set up, or ask X for help)."

You do not say, "Well, it's OUR scope and equipment, and WE'RE the priority. You're just going to have to figure something out. I didn't have time to worry about other people when I was setting it up with the representative and I'm too busy now. I just don't have the time. Didn't you get the email I sent? It should work the same as before. . . "

Um, no, I didn't get the email because you didn't send it beyond your lab and it doesn't work the same as before, and I still need to have usernames set up for myself and the other users in my lab.

But fine. She knows what needs to be done, and that's all I needed to tell her, anyway. I was going to ask for about 5 minutes of hands-on help from someone else in the lab (who DOES have a username), anyway.

Later in the day, I needed to inform her of a small snafu - a zeroed meter - that was my fault. It is not a big deal, but I knew she'd flip if she found it on her own. I go to her to tell her, say "Excuse me, E, I have to tell you ___"

Before I get half way through the sentence, she's blurting out half-syllables, her hand flat-palmed in the air, in my face. She's not even looking at me as she says, "I don't want to talk to you, I'm not here, ep eep nop neep eh ohp."

"No, E, stop. I have to tell you this before you find out on your own and you become angry." Something to that effect.

She grabs a post-it note and puts it down, heavily. Finally looks at me. "What!"

I'm still very calm, my voice isn't breaking like I know it will soon if I don't get out of here. I tell her, then tell her what I will do to let every one else know to start counting again and to let her know when to change the bulb (that's what the meter was for, a light bulb - a pricey one). She then repeated to me what I had to do, as if I didn't already know. Said, "Fine!"

"Good night, E. I apologize." As I'm leaving the room.

"Whatever!"

Sure, that was an appropriate response.

Water off a duck's back. Water off a duck's back. Water off a duck's back.

This morning, I come into my lab, open the door, and look for our doorstop. Now, I haven't told you this, but our lab has a radioactivity bench in it. When left unattended, the doors must be shut, but when we're here, we can have the door propped open. Everybody knows to shut the door each and every time we leave the lab unattended, no matter if it's for 30 minutes or 30 seconds. When the lab first opened, we had a little wooden doorstop. Then, E took it. Why? Take a wild guess.

We've been using a lidded trash can that's rather heavy as our doorstop. It's the radioactive spill kit, which I'm sure breaks all sorts of OSHA and NRC rules, and it's awkward, and it's bruised all our knees from pushing it back and forth in front of the door.

Last week, I found another doorstop in the building and brought it up here. For about 4 glorious days, all of us responsibly and comfortably used our doorstop.

Yesterday, it disappeared again. I wonder who took it?

I plan to ask E if she knows anything about the missing doorstop. If she says yes, she's going to get a piece of my mind, and I WILL get another doorstop. If she says no, I will simply get another doorstop and hide it at night. This shit is ridiculous, and it has got to stop.

Good grief. What a way to start the week. And over a doorstop, no less.