Aggravated

I came to my blog to vent and found myself realizing that while I'm a "blog stalker" (this in addition to facebook stalking and myspace stalking- I only leave comments on facebook just to warn you and then only rarely), I have not updated my own blog in quite sometime.

Since the last post:

1. I have found a new job and have been enjoying it. The duties are much thte same, but the people are much nicer and I do not have a minimum billing requirement to meet.

2. I have found a new place to live and LOVE it. It's just an ongoing process to get unpacked and organized in a timely manner as I just moved. But it's in the city, in a great neighborhood, and I feel as if I can and will be there for a while.

3. My relationship is developing nicely. We enjoy each other's company very much.

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And now to vent...

I am the only litigation paralegal in the trademark department at my new firm. This has been nice as I have been able to make it how I want it. I set my own hours and have only heard good things about how I've been handling things. And believe me, it was a MESS when I started. I do not do the same things the other paralegals in the trademark department do. Our duties are quite different and while I hope to crosstrain at some point in the future, they do not want to have any part in what I do nor does my supervisor. I am left to my own devices and when I need help I call on the Patent paralegals. This kind of puts me in a weird position. Some people believe I answer to the Patent paralegal supervisor when in fact I don't, I don't really fit into the trademark paralegal group because they do completely different things, and at the same time, I don't fit into the Patent paralegal group because they are not interested in the law I deal with. But I enjoy it.

However, because it's an odd position, I do not have a formal job description. This has caused me some issues because I came into the position feeling as if I am responsible for certain projects and not others and have had that belief dashed several times. I'm fighting back.

Frankly, if an attorney gives me a project I will do it. If a SECRETARY gives me a project I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE for it. Obviously the project was given to the secretary by the attorney simply because the project is not something I can BILL for. Yes, that's right, my work goes on the bills to the clients people, let's not forget that small factor shall we??

It just so happens that my main attorney has a HORRIBLE secretary. My attorney is cool. Unfortunately, she's out on maternity leave at the time being and I'm answering to a different attorney for the same cases. You would think that I would be dealing with a different secretary, right? Wrong. I am dealing with the same, incompetent secretary now more than previously and I don't know how much longer I can take it.

-I started a log so that when he removes files from my office that I am responsible for I know that he has taken them and can inform the attorney that it is not in my possession and I cannot guarantee that it is up to date.

-I am also determined to get him trained that he is to return the files to the drawer he got them from and NOT my desk. I have enough work on it already, thanks much. (I have had words with him several times regarding this issue- do not pretend you don't know how I file because the drawers have an index on the outside taped to the drawer and easy to read plus in case you can't read, the files themselves are in numerical order).

I have also spoken directly with my supervisor about issues I've had with him. Supposedly, she will be speaking with him when he gets back from being out of town.

And this brings us to my main complaint. And I realize this has to do with the fact that I'm too nice to this imbecile, but I've come to realize that he's not stupid, he's just lazy. I can handle stupid. I do NOT tolerate lazy. Especially when it comes down to things I am responsible for and can come back to bite me.

This particular secretary cornered me in the hallway yesterday and gave me a project on his way out the door.
ISSUE NO. 1: Secretaries do not give me projects. I am not their backup.

The project is easy, no problem, fine dude, just leave me alone. Did you give me all the necessary information to complete your project in a fast and easy manner? According to him: yes.
ISSUE NO. 2: I had to search for the necessary information to do what had been asked of me.

(Oh you can bet your ass I complained. I went straight to my supervisor as soon as I realized how long this was going to take me.)

Is the project a task that fits my job description? Given I don't have a definite job description- tit is MY discretion to decide if it does or not.
ISSUE NO. 3: The answer to the question above is NO. NO, no, definitely no. I only do what he gave me when asked by an attorney. AGAIN, I do not do projects given to me by a secretary.

On top of it all, these documents have been sitting on his desk, waiting to be put in a file (the creation of said file is the project he gave me) for OVER A MONTH. So, this leads me to the conclusion that something is coming due in the files and therefore he must have something to give the attorney when asked for them. Basically, I got the project because he was too lazy to get to it and was cleaning off his desk before he went on his stupid trip!!!!

NOT ALLOWED.

I am a litigation paralegal. I maintain the files and handle other duties as assigned by an ATTORNEY, not the secretary. I am supposed to give work to the secretary NOT the other way around. ARE WE CLEAR? I will not be doing this again. I repeat, I will NOT BE DOING THIS AGAIN.

Man, this guy aggravates me sooooo much it's crazy! He basically refuses to put the files back in the drawer when it takes longer for him to explain to me why he's putting it on my desk (adding to the several precariously perched piles) than to put it back in the drawer it came from!

I promise you, he's not stupid, he's just lazy. I'm done with tolerating his laziness. It just adds to my workload. My workload is big enough thank you. Must I remind you that I am the ONLY trademark litigation paralegal IN MY FIRM?? I pull 9 hour days on a regular basis. This guy can effing do his job instead of laying it off on me!

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K. I'm done venting. I think.

On another totally separate topic, I'm due for another laser eye treatment. No, it's not to correct my vision. It's to delay the full onset of diabetic retinopathy. It's scary. But it's helping, so I'll do what's necessary. Yes, it's painful, but only in that my eye is kept open while all I see is a series of rapidly flashing lights for a 1/2 hour or more (mind you my eye has been numbed for this). Thus, I leave with a raging headache and some residual pain when focusing on objects out of my normal range of site. But I've been assured that will go away. As did the fact that my vision would take a while to come back after blinking in the morning and at night. Something that will not be coming back is my night vision. Now, I never had good night vision in the first place. I don't own a car and rarely drive, so this is not a big deal for me at this time in my life. Not sure about later.

I've gotten back in touch with quite a few people from my high school days and have noticed that a majority of them are married and have one or two kids if not one on the way currently. I shouldn't be surprised at this but I am. Two of my cousins got married this summer. My brother and I are the oldest ones left in my family that are not married and I feel the push to do so every family holiday. Since I am only home for Christmas now, this push is felt more and more because it seems to be a big deal when I'm with that part of my family for the brief time I'm home. The push for marriage only comes from my step-family. You have to understand where they are coming from and the culture I came from in order to understand why so many of my relatives married under the age of 22 and why the push for me to be married gets harder and harder as I get older. But that's for another time.

I recenly purchased my plane ticket to go home for the up-coming Christmas holidays. I am out $500. This has gone up severely from last year and the year before. But, I'll be back on the other side of the Rocky Mountains from about the 21 to the 28. I hope to do things with friends that I miss and my family. I am also excited for all the good food!! Can't wait for some of my mom's cooking! Christmas is the time my mom makes her famous peanut-butter kiss cookies, caramel corn, Stein candy, and banana bread. For those of you that have experienced the amazing-ness that is my mom's holiday cooking... you understand why I miss it!