The shit has hit the fan
Ok, all of you I'm sure know about JP's bad news, that he's leaving the office, and not by choice. I was soooooooooo sad to hear this news. I feel like it's all my fault....
When I moved to Portland, I got a job at a law firm downtown (my present bosses' (and JP's) old firm), although I didn't know that at the time, of course. JP was working at another firm downtown. Things were seemingly going alone fine, for both of us. I liked my job, he liked his.
One day I was over at a chick's house, who I worked with, tossing back a few beers and generally shooting the shit. Also there was a friend of hers there, who worked at another firm (my 'now' firm). We got to talking about work and the legal profession in general. I mentioned how I'd gotten my paralegal certificate back in '89; however, I'd been working as a legal secretary since graduating, and I liked what I was doing. Chick #2 started telling me how I should apply over at her office, as the one partner did not have a paralegal, and yadda yadda yadda how great it was to work there.
I myself really wasn't interested, as I liked where I was and, although I had my certificate, I really wasn't in the market to become a paralegal. I am very good at what I do, and I wanted to keep it that way, at least for now. I figured if I was going to make a move, I'd just go ahead and go to law school. However, I casually mentioned this conversation to JP a few days later, and he got to thinking about making a change - maybe more money, etc. So, long story short, he applied for and got the job. He was very impressed with the interview and decided to take a chance and make the change.
He seemed to really love it there. However, the secretary he had to work with (whom I eventually replaced) was a complete dipshit, and it was making his job a lot more difficult. She didn't work hard, wasn't competent and basically was a huge pain in the ass. At that time, I was beginning to have doubts about my then-job; my boss was older (in his 60's) and was beginning to drink a lot and be out of the office more than not - and I wasn't the only one who noticed. I sensed he'd be retiring soon, voluntarily or otherwise, and I was concerned what would happen to me. It's not easy to find a great attorney to work with, I could have easily gotten stuck with an asshole. So, JP convinced me to take some initiative and see if I could replace the dipshit secretary over at his office. It was tricky, b/c this new attorney JP worked for had left my then-firm a few years before, and he was also good friends with my then-boss. Most everyone at JP's firm had also migrated over there from my then-firm, and JP's boss didn't want to create any tension between himself and a good friend of his.
After several weeks I eventually decided to make the change, and I've been happy about the decision ever since. I love our office. Strangely enough, my boss at the old firm eventually joined up with us at the new firm.
* * *
I don't want JP to leave. I'm so busy I can barely keep up now, and when he leaves I'll have even more work to do. Today I had a literal hissy fit - sometimes when I get a little too busy or overwhelmed I go into total fucking meltdown mode and just start screaming at my computer, my phone, my pen, and anything else I can think of. I'm afraid of what kind of monster I'm going to turn into when he leaves. It won't be nearly as much fun. I'll have more work. I probably won't get a raise this year. Shit, I just went and bummed myself out!
This sucks. I really truly hope he gets a great new job and is happy, he deserves it. I, however, will probably start drinking - more :)
When I moved to Portland, I got a job at a law firm downtown (my present bosses' (and JP's) old firm), although I didn't know that at the time, of course. JP was working at another firm downtown. Things were seemingly going alone fine, for both of us. I liked my job, he liked his.
One day I was over at a chick's house, who I worked with, tossing back a few beers and generally shooting the shit. Also there was a friend of hers there, who worked at another firm (my 'now' firm). We got to talking about work and the legal profession in general. I mentioned how I'd gotten my paralegal certificate back in '89; however, I'd been working as a legal secretary since graduating, and I liked what I was doing. Chick #2 started telling me how I should apply over at her office, as the one partner did not have a paralegal, and yadda yadda yadda how great it was to work there.
I myself really wasn't interested, as I liked where I was and, although I had my certificate, I really wasn't in the market to become a paralegal. I am very good at what I do, and I wanted to keep it that way, at least for now. I figured if I was going to make a move, I'd just go ahead and go to law school. However, I casually mentioned this conversation to JP a few days later, and he got to thinking about making a change - maybe more money, etc. So, long story short, he applied for and got the job. He was very impressed with the interview and decided to take a chance and make the change.
He seemed to really love it there. However, the secretary he had to work with (whom I eventually replaced) was a complete dipshit, and it was making his job a lot more difficult. She didn't work hard, wasn't competent and basically was a huge pain in the ass. At that time, I was beginning to have doubts about my then-job; my boss was older (in his 60's) and was beginning to drink a lot and be out of the office more than not - and I wasn't the only one who noticed. I sensed he'd be retiring soon, voluntarily or otherwise, and I was concerned what would happen to me. It's not easy to find a great attorney to work with, I could have easily gotten stuck with an asshole. So, JP convinced me to take some initiative and see if I could replace the dipshit secretary over at his office. It was tricky, b/c this new attorney JP worked for had left my then-firm a few years before, and he was also good friends with my then-boss. Most everyone at JP's firm had also migrated over there from my then-firm, and JP's boss didn't want to create any tension between himself and a good friend of his.
After several weeks I eventually decided to make the change, and I've been happy about the decision ever since. I love our office. Strangely enough, my boss at the old firm eventually joined up with us at the new firm.
* * *
I don't want JP to leave. I'm so busy I can barely keep up now, and when he leaves I'll have even more work to do. Today I had a literal hissy fit - sometimes when I get a little too busy or overwhelmed I go into total fucking meltdown mode and just start screaming at my computer, my phone, my pen, and anything else I can think of. I'm afraid of what kind of monster I'm going to turn into when he leaves. It won't be nearly as much fun. I'll have more work. I probably won't get a raise this year. Shit, I just went and bummed myself out!
This sucks. I really truly hope he gets a great new job and is happy, he deserves it. I, however, will probably start drinking - more :)
posted by Miss_Vicki at 8:51 PM
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