Happy Birthday

I have to start my post today with a big 'ol HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite dance partner. Seeing as how you are in Korea, it is now 2am and you are probably done or close to being done celebrating it, but I still wanted to say it again.

On a different note...
Anyone who read my last blog could probably tell that I was a bit upset. I don't take kindly to people reaming me for no good reason. I asked for some advice, and I got it from a few people. Some said I should just ignore him, others said I should schedule time to talk to him and make sure he knew there was no malice in my intent, and my roommate just said I should go rip him a new one. I think I've settled for a hand-written letter.

My reasons for not going with the suggestions are as follows:
1.) I can't really ignore him-he works in a lab where there are times I need to ask for assistance. I can't afford for things to be that awkward.
2.) At the moment I'm still too angry too say anything in person. I will do much better putting my words down on paper so I don't forget anything in the heat of an argument that I really needed to say. Besides, going out of my way to do what I wanted to do and he yelled at me on paper for not doing just seems dumb. Don't give me a chance to do things, I won't do them. I also shouldn't have to prove to anyone that I am a good person. People are always making snap decisions based on stupid misinformation or their own insecurities and if I spent my whole life making sure everyone liked me I wouldn't like myself anymore.
3.) As much as I would LOVE to walk down to his lab right now and just let him have it, I'm too professional and too nice to do it (which, in his note to me, I apparently am not). I would get a lot more pleasure out of quietly making him feel like the biggest choadknocker in the world.

My reasons for choosing the letter are as follows:
1.) I can leave it on his desk/windshield/etc. without having to see him (big plus).
2.) I can have other people (my roommates, both current and college) read the letter and give me feedback.
3.) I at least have a little bit of a break before he can say anything back to me about the letter.
4.) It keeps it on a maturity level he can deal with. If I were to take certain (bitchy) measures things could get pretty ugly pretty quickly between the two of us. I'd rather just be done with it. The end.

Today I'm going out to two bars. In about an hour I'm going out with my work group-gov't and contractors-to celebrate the winter solstice. Its really just an excuse to leave work a little early and drink some beers together. Then in about 5 hours I'm going to drink with my office mates and all of the guys that hang out with them. It concerns my mom that I'm "one of the guys", but that's what I've been going for all along.

I'm supposed to have this Friday/Monday and next Friday/Monday off work for Christmas and New Year's, respectively. I just found out that I may be coming in to work on Friday to keep my specimens running in the machine as much as possible. So basically I'm on call. Yipee. Depending on whether my advisor is in on those other "holiday" days, I may get to come in on some of them as well. Oh, the joys of graduate school. Anyway, I think that's about all I have to say.

Have a good day!