Life is a combination of magic and pasta.

The Zoom was annoying because it's like they couldn't accept that I don't think hiring the person with no experience is a good idea. It's like they were determined to make me change my mind and agree so that everyone on the ~*~team~*~ is in agreement even though I'd tell them that hey, one dissenting vote is what it is. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong in my assessment and she'll work out well (which that got a passive aggressive reaction from Elaine,good grief piss off, what do you want from me?). If the rest of you feel she's the best person, then proceed with next steps (which they did).

Josh wanted to chat later in the day, which we did. He wanted to let me know that he respects and values my opinion, yadda yadda. I mean the sentiment is appreciated but ugh, that just feels so squicky. We are also evidently going to talk about potential upgrade and stuff next week. I said ok and will do but I internally absolutely cannot get excited for that. I mean yeah, he might try but there's been so many obstacles thrown in my way for no good reason since I'm always toted up as the all knowing, fabulous, wonderful, essential employee in the over 22 years at the University and the 13 years in the department I'm in that until the pay and title I deserve actually happens and I get some help for whatever they'd plan to toss on my plate, I can no longer get my hopes up that it will.

We found out in the meantime that the person they want to make an offer to cannot get a pay upgrade for coming over. It would be a lateral move for them and there isn't enough change in the job she's taking nor any evidence that her skills are high enough that it would warrant a raise. Elaine was allowed to make a verbal offer to see if the person really wanted this job change. We also heard through our campus HR that University HR is going through a conversion in systems and they're all flailing and angsting about it. Are you freaking serious? Candy asses. Their tiny minds would explode at the number of times I've had to learn, test and implement new and complicated systems on the fly. Hell, I'm still on a working group where I was recruited by USDA for the shit system we're using (BTW, just this week USDA finally implemented a change we've been wanting for years that I would bring up in every meeting - go me!)

Aaaanyway, Elaine gave me a call all excited and shit later that the person took the offer. Woo. Good for you. Did she actually expect me to be gleeful or something? I was friendly but ain't no way I'm going to match the manic energy. Also, be prepared to train her yourself since she ain't falling in MY lap until she picks up some skills.

I don't know if it was stress, sleeping wrong that night before or what but my stomach is SO distended since early Friday morning. Elaine looked concerned since yeah, I was not feeling good at all. Last night I had to sleep in the recliner since I couldn't sleep comfortably on either side. This morning it's still pretty big but a bit better than Friday. Just in case, I'm also going to avoid fizzy drinks and anything too acidic.

It's also 80F right now outside. Yuck. I had the windows open last night and was annoyed when the heat kicked on (I have no control of that) and so I put a window in the window and was able to get it just under 70F inside and then now I have all the windows shut. I'm hoping to avoid turning on the AC but I've a feeling I'll have to turn on the living room one this afternoon since my apartment is a heat-seeking missile.

Oh, next Sunday the 6th, I'm going to take the train in to NYC to have an early dinner with the sister and her husband. Reminds me that I'll have to text to see if she was able to find any family photos or mom's recipe cards to bring. At least we're going to go to a fancy dumpling place that she's been to in Vegas and loves. Hey, you had me at dumplings. Politics will NOT be discussed.

Made an appointment with a new gastro that has excellent reviews. Unfortunately it's not until Sept 16 (would've been the week before but STUPID jury duty...).

When looking up information to fill in the history, again, my memory SUCKS since I found that almost exactly a year ago last June my GP had abdominal XRays done due to bloating and all it found is that I was chock full of GAS and evidently have a "high diaphragm"?

Well, this time around even if things go away, I need to figure out what's causing it so that it doesn't keep cropping up. But I do hope it goes away while I wait for the appointment to come around.