Whatever.

I got to work yesterday at about 4:30. (Remember that Fridays are technically my day off - I *only* have to come in from about 5 to 7. I have a really short air shift and I take care of the automation for the night during that time). We still have an audio card out of commission from the last lightning strike so every day I have to load (in real time) a 2-hour locally produced show. No problem. He usually records between 10 and noon and on Thursdays and Fridays Andie loads it in for me so that it's ready to go when I get here. On Fridays, this person ALSO has a 1-hour show that needs to be loaded in. I had plenty of time from 4:30 - 7:00 to automate and load in a 1-hour show. Plenty of time.
When I got there at 4:30 he was on his way out. He said that he had just finished his show and it would need to be loaded in. "You've got plenty of time!" he said, not at all aware of what else I had to do. "Not really," I said, mentally rearranging my task list. I came in and immediately started his longer (and earlier) show and figured that if all went well I would be at work for an extra hour. It's not the extra hour that I mind. If he (or anyone else) had called me at, say, noon when he wasn't in to let me know I would have scheduled some afternoon time to get everything else done. I was irritated, but he doesn't necessarily know my schedule or what else I do - just as I don't know all of the things he does to get ready for his show. So I cooled down and then very carefully wrote an email - and I was seriously trying to not sound bitchy. Here's what I wrote and addressed to him and also to Andie (I have changed any identifying information - I'm not looking for a law suit!! This is part of why I don't put my real name or location in this blog):

It would be helpful if one of you would let me know next time that (Show One) won't be ready until later in the day - especially on those days that I am working only a few hours on my day off. There are a lot of things that I do in the production room during those few hours that I'm on the air beyond just loading in the show, and even I can't load three "real time" hours in the two hours I'm supposed to be here!! If I had known the show would be ready later I would have been in earlier this afternoon to load in (Show Two) and finish downloading the rest of the programming for tonight and tomorrow. As it is, I'm stuck here at least another hour or so - not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it could have been avoided. Hopefully the sound card will be fixed soon and loading in (Show One) and (Show Two) won't be an issue, but even then, considering how nuts my schedule is going to be for the next couple of months any changes in the routine could really become problematic. Anyway, just please make sure someone calls me when the routine changes so that I can plan accordingly!

Not unpleasant, right??? Seriously... let me know if you find anything bitchy about it. Here's what I got back from him:

I had a funnel [sic] to attend and I had no notice. However I did leave you a note on your desk and I changed my taping time on the door. Yes maybe I should have e-mailed you as well. But I have been a bit distracted by the death of my friend. Don't get your nose out of joint with me, I did try to reach out to you.

Hey, nobody likes funerals. I can really understand that my schedule was not on his mind at all yesterday... I did not find a note at my desk - which doesn't mean there wasn't one, I just can't find one. And did anyone else hear the unwritten "young lady" before the last comma?? I wrote back:

I apologize if you thought I had my "nose out of joint," I thought my email was fairly pleasant. I am very sorry that you had another funeral today, I know how tough that can be. The problem is that when things change on a day that I am off, I am not at my desk to see a note or read an email. I work 40 hours a week but never 9 - 5 and with my work at Hospice starting in the next few weeks my hours will only get more irregular. The point of the email I sent to you and Andie was that with the schedule that I have it's really important to call me when things change. Andie was not aware that tonight's show was not already in the system - she thought you must have recorded ahead when she didn't see you this morning. If you either don't want to call me or don't have time, you can certainly have K- call me and let me know.

Sure, I was irritated that he was making such a case about it. I'm the operations person, he's the dj, I should be able to send him an email without it becoming a battle. This is not the first time a simple email has turned into this kind of exchange. He really thinks highly of himself and generally treats people like Kleenex. I think that he doesn't like that he doesn't impress me at all and he really doesn't like that he is not in any kind of authority position. So here's what I get back:

I also told Andie at 2:30 that I was late taping, maybe she should have called you as well. The point is no one is trying to mess up your day. And it is not that I don't want to call you, I have been in a rush trying to console other people and have not had the time to do much of anything. As far as your note, I have been in business along [sic] time and I know when a note has an attitude. Let's take 5 steps back and try again. I am sorry I did not call you and I did not mean any harm.

Better, right? Sort of? He's still getting his digs in, but I can certainly see where he's coming from. Then he has to screw it all up by accusing me of lying about whether or not I intended to have an attitude. I slept on it - well, I didn't really sleep last night for various reasons and I consequently woke up late and so far this day is in the toilet - but the point is that I gave it some time. Here's what I sent this morning:

I know that yesterday was emotionally difficult for you and I really do apologize if there was something in my first email that made you think there was an attitude. It was not addressed to just you - I addressed that first one to you and Andie and she responded by saying that she would make sure to call me next time. I really meant it to be that simple. I never meant to imply in any way that I thought anyone meant to inconvenience me - what I said was that in the grand scheme of things it wasn't a big deal last night. In the coming weeks, however, my flexibility will be changing dramatically, and that someone needs to call my cell phone as soon as possible if there are going to be changes to the schedule.
I know that you did not mean any harm, you did your job (the show was done in what I know you assumed was plenty of time), Andie did hers (she says she thought you had taped ahead and it didn't occur to her to call me), and I did mine (all of the shows made it on the air). I just want to make sure that the lines of communication are open. This situation hadn't come up before and I'm just trying to make sure that there aren't future problems.

So we'll see what I get back this time. I'm done, though, unless he sends something really ugly. Then I'll forward that on to someone higher up than I am and they can deal with it. I understand where he's coming from, and while I was irritated at the extra hour I certainly wasn't irritated enough to be unprofessional about it... Or do you think that first email was as bitchy as he seems to??

I'm really trying to take the higher ground, but it just irritates me when people assume I have the worst intentions. I try - for the most part - to give people the benefit of the doubt. I try to remember that I have my shit and they have their shit and we all have to look just a few inches beyond our own shit when we're dealing with other people.

And seriously, if I wanted to show him attitude? It wouldn't be at all subtle or pleasant and I'd probably get in a lot of trouble.

Target's hiring, right? Everyone's happy at Target, right?