I am sulking until you make me tea

(Sorry I meant to post this Monday but I am completely computer inept!)

It's Monday and my many reasons to be grumpy include:

• I overslept this morning. (worse than usual)
  
• I have mad hair seriously I look like the victim of a power surge. Must get a hair cut.
  
• I am still annoyed at two of my workmates for the events of Friday.
  
• Ted "hem heming" when I arrive and pointing at his watch. (Admitedly it is half nine and I am half an hour late.
  
• The office is still not switching the heating on and I am freezing.
  
• I think my pants show through this skirt.

Great.

I arrive and plan to make my know to both Rob and Jamie. Instead of a good morning I shot both of them my best evil stare.
"Morning Kate" Ethan says and I glare at him as well - oops
"Something in your eye?" He responds. I sulk.

Ted has been very busy today trying to decicde where we are all going to sit when we make the move downstairs. He mentions that he wants me to be in the hub of the sales team. I mutter that I hope I don't catch anything Rob sniggers and my inbox pings a second later.

"You still mad at me? I'll make you tea if you lighten up."

I reply
"Tea is a start"

He reponds,
"I'll put the kettle on - by the way can I be Butthead? I just don't feel like a Beavis."
I evil stare him again.

My email pings once more and says

"Open your top draw."
I do and find a huge bar of chocolate. I don't like chocolate but the thought is sweet.

He pings again with
"Forgiven."

I laugh.

The next email says
"Thank God. Your evils are seriously crap."

Hmmmmph

I have a very sore head....

Ouch my head hurts....maybe this post should be renamed reasons why trying to be nice is a bad idea.

Well I feel awful and have limited memory of last night. Note to self must learn to say no. I was tempted to call in sick today but decided to come in and face the music.

I arrive pale and wearing sunglasses (only ten minutes late so progress) and attempt to smile. If you are smiley you can't possibly be hung-over right?

Jamie keeps giving me funny looks making me paranoid, my hair is curlier than usual hair and I am makeup free. While I don’t wear makeup everyday I tend to skip if hung-over. Bad idea as I am looking suspiciously flushed today and I keep blushing under Jamie’s scrutiny.

“Late one last night Kate?” Jamie says accusingly.

I blush and stammer something noncommittal. Must get through this day must get through this day.

I make it to lunch without being sick or saying anything stupid. Mostly managed by not speaking though I answer the phone once with the wrong company name. I don’t think anyone noticed.

At lunch I go and get a huge coffee and look at my phone - I have a text from Rob saying “Thx for being so lovely last night”

Back in the office I smile at him in what I hope is a reassuring way butnon flirtatious way. I like that he trusts me I just wish I could remember more about what happened. I remember telling him something about my on/off (currently off) boyfriend which is embarrassing. Plus I am having weird flashbacks which makes me think he might have made a move.

At the end of the day the guys suggest coming out. I refuse. Well done Kate I think.

After work I get a text from Jamie saying: “What’s happening with u & Rob???”

I also get a text from Rob saying: “Are you and Jamie involved?”
Oh crap...I respond to both saying no.

I then get identical clearly drunk texts from them a few hours later saying "If you choose between me and Rob/Jamie which one? drink Monday? xxx”

Great I appear to have ended up as the prize in a male pissing competition.

I reply saying "Dear Beavis/Butthead - sleep it off"

It’s going to be a bad Monday.




eyecream.org

Workmates with girl trouble and too much tequilla

Time for the updates on last night and the biggest revelation - Rob has a sensitive side. Seriously - who knew?

In all seriousness poor Rob is going through a really hard time. It turns out his on off girlfriend is now off for good. Apparently Rob realised she was waiting for him to commit to something serious. Realising he didn't feel the same way he decided his only option was to call it off. I mentally melted at this - bad boy with a sensitive side - focus Kate you are here to listen and be sympathetic.

I encourage him to keep talking and after a few more drinks Rob looks distinctly teary. I feel horrible I never realised he was going through such a bad time and whenever I see anyone cry it always makes me cry. I give him a hug and tell him that he did the right thing. If it was me I would rather he was honest - at least it would let me be free to get over him and find someone else.

He sighs and says he wishes he could love her and he has really tried to feel more than he does but can't. He asks me if I think he is too shallow and admits he doesn't think he has ever been in love and is worried he won't ever be.

"I'm thirty two." He says. "I should be thinking about settling down and having children. Is there something wrong with me?"

I feel so bad for him and I give him a big hug. I tell him he will find the right person and he has done the right thing.

Rob laughs self consciously and thanks me for listening to him - "I can't talk to many people" He admits.

I smile and tell him anytime although in all honesty I am not sure how great I am being. Occasional hugs and arm patting is about all I have managed.

Rob suggests we get more drinks in and when i get back from the toilet I find him with two drinks and a shot of tequila each. I get the feeling my reward for listening to him is going to be one hell of a hangover tomorrow

Thaw

Fiona Robyn is going to blog her next novel, Thaw, starting on the 1st of March next year. The novel follows 32 year old Ruth’s diary over three months as she decides whether or not to carry on living.

To help spread the word she’s organising a Blogsplash, where blogs will publish the first page of Ruth’s diary simultaneously (and a link to the blog).

She’s aiming to get 1000 blogs involved – if you’d be interested in joining the splash, email her at fiona@fionarobyn.com or find out more information here.
http://www.fionarobyn.com/thawblogsplash.htm

Thank you!

Welcome to the basement goodbye sun...

So we are moving office....

Ted emerged today puffed up and asked for complete silence as he had something of the utmost importance to tell us. (I think it rather spoilt the effect that Andi had told me and Jamie yesterday.)

"We are all moving to the basement except accounts and Jay. This move will allow us to have more space and will bring sales and marketing closer." I frown I rather like my position far enough away from Ted that I don't feel the need to kill him yet....

As Andi made me and Jamie promise not to tell anyone (I didn't - he told Rob) and act surprised I let out a loud gasp
work
Ted shouts me a glare - "Enough of the sarcasm thank you Kathryn"

Oops I may have overdone that and since when does he call me Kathryn?
Oh right.

After the nightmare that was my fathers phone call on Mondays revealing my childish nickname of Cactus we started talking about our names. Me and Rob are both only ever called our full names when we have done something very bad. Apparently Ted while not participating in the conversation was listening. Oops

I have been worried about Rob this week - he hasn't been his normal self - even messing with my phone on Monday doesn't seem to have made him as smiley as it would usually. Rob could charm the birds from the trees usually so it is strange to see him looking gloomy.

I email him and ask if he is okay.

He replies saying no and would I come for a quick drink with him tonight as he could use a friendly ear and decent listener. He asks that I don't tell Jamie and it is just the two of us.

This seems so unlike him - I agree immediately and hope I can help.

At the end of the day Jamie asks me what I am doing and I reply that I am not sure. He asks if I will be around for a drink nd I say no. Unfortunately I am a terrible liar and I think my flaming cheeks are giving me away. Luckily he leaves - a bit huffily and once the coast is clear Rob and I head to the usual place.

Never give parents your work number

The first Monday since Jim finished. Sigh. Ted is officially in charge now and so far so bad

I arrive in the office (9:20am) and sneak inconspicuously towards my desk. If I tiptoe no one will notice I am late. Jamie rolls his eyes when he sees me.

Still I don't think Ted noticed. In fact he doesn't appear to be here, nor does Andi. "They are in a meeting with Jay." Rob says guessing what I was thinking. I hate it when he does that.
"What is the meeting about?" I ask
"Timekeeping." Rob says and then bursts out laughing.
"I hate you." I say blushing.

I go up and make tea for the group. It's my penance for being late.

When I get back to me desk Jack Ethan and Rob are crowded around it playing with me phone. It is now on loudspeaker and no one can seem to change this. Great.

At that point my phone rings - I shush the guys so I can sound professional on my call.

"Good Morning Small Anonymous Publishing company, Kate speaking" I say in my best posh voice
"Cactus! Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy Birthday dear Katie happy birthday to you!" Sings my dad down the phone.
Oh God I think I might die.
"Er thanks Dad." I say, "But it’s not my birthday today it's Emma's" (my sister)

Note to self - giving parents your work number is a bad idea.

Email truth or dare - inappropriate?

It's been a quiet afternoon.

Jim went home early (he's been doing that a lot since he quit - Jim I am the queen of headache excuses and I know you are faking) and Ted has been blustering through a series of phone calls with limited sucess. By limited I mean no sucess.

Jamie emails a few of us suggesting we liven things up with a few office games. The few us of silly enough to agree at now getting strange looks from the the rest of the office. Joe has looked over with a confused look more than once and May has sent me an email with the words "Behave Katie!" written in them.

May is lovely but a few years older than me and I seem to have tapped into her protective side. She told me yesterday she worries about me getting into trouble with the boys. I don't like to tell her I have been getting into trouble with various boys for several years now. Besides her intentions are good and I like her.

So far this afternoons games start tamely, pass the cough, secret Mexican wave calling Ted's phone surrepticiously from one of our mobiles and then hanging up when he answers, calling Ted's phone from the toilets and asking to order pizza, after the last one of those I saw the ears go purple again so suggested we moved on. It moved on to clothes swapping. This involves us all emailing a number between one and ten to Ethan who is acting as ref and the two closest numbers going to the toilets and coming back wearing an article of each others clothes.

So far I am wearing a bracelet of Andi's Jamies tie and one of Rob's socks. Rob is standing out the most in one of my stockings and Jamies shirt.

I really hope management can't read our email accounts and Ted stays so utterly oblivious...