2006-08-26

navel-gazing @ 10:28 p.m.

Talked to the mom unit a bit ago. Now that I've re-secured my church gig, next week is the last time I'd be able to see the folks at church, so that was the plan. Alas, it turns out that my so-called nemisis cousin is going to be down from NY and of course, will be singing. It's a first Sunday and the service always runs long, so my felt that certainly someone from the fam would do their level best to keep cousin G from sharing the floor with me. But it's like I told her, neither of us really had issue with the other, the whole competition thing was really created by the adults. She was a pop singer in the style of Whitney and my slant was classical, so where was the competition except on Sunday with the youth choir? -shrug- Never was much of a deal for me. But she swears she's not even going, so...whatev. Told AS we were off the hook and much happiness ensued.

Ass broke right now, but there's a lot of good on the horizon financially, just have to hold on. Was talking with my former assistant J Thursday and feeling cranky about the fact that I still didn't have my contracts in hand. She said that every time she mentioned it to the supposedly semi-retired director, E, she responded with "next week" each time. Well, I just came unglued right there at my desk and penned the following email to both her and my former supervisor, A.

Greetings,

At the risk of causing discomfort, I submit to you that I have been contributing to both MLC and the LPHA efforts in a consultant/advisory capacity since July 1, 2006 with the understanding that contracts between myself and the institute would soon be in place. Should contracts for both projects be created, signed, delivered and applied, I will invoice from the period beginning July 1, 2006. Should it be that the aforementioned creation and subsequent actions will not occur, I would like to be informed of such immediately.

Colloquially and briefly, ladies, I do not/cannot work for free. Please advise. Thank you.

Within 20 minutes I had a response from A:

Hi,

Financial assistant sent the accreditation subcontract over for signatures. I would expect that it will be sent to you any day now. It was my understanding that the MLC subcontract is also complete. FA or E can inform you of its status.

No time now, but I need to talk to you soon about a couple of things to do with LPHA. More later.

Hope you're well,
A

Yeah, I bet you have things to talk about, now that the shit is falling to you in the absence of someone who knows how to deal with the hellishness. I said to J that I think people are really starting to realize that I did more than sit at my desk and rant. I was ranting for a reason. Then E weighed in:

Miss T � And you shouldn�t work for free. I thought that the MLC subcontract had been sent to you a couple of weeks ago; it was set up to start July 1, and you can invoice from July 1.

We are now working on the no-cost-extension and revised budget that need to go in at the beginning of next week, and my attention has been diverted to that. There will also be a proposal for MLC-II (submit November 1, start date December 1).

My attention has been diverted to working on the no-cost extension budget, since I thought your subcontract was OK. Since it clearly is not OK, I will check on it today and find out what the hang-up is. Apologies that this fell off the table.

Otherwise, I hope that everything is going well. � E.

The final email came from the head of finance and contracts:

Miss T...

Please know that I�m writing your subcontract this afternoon and it will be mailed by tomorrow morning. I apologize for the delay. Thanks, F&C

So we shall see. Once in hand, I'll be invoicing them for 2 months of an hour of work daily at roughly $60 an hour. Which reminds me, I need to find an invoice template. But all right for a diva temper tantrum producing results.

-later-

Hmm. Looks like I'll have to some tweaking of the ones that I found, but should be fine.

In other news, Ass Princess is coming along...we think. She's eating the prescription food like gangbusters. Still kinda yellow though, and pretty much keeping to herself with occasional stints on the bed with us at night. I guess it just takes awhile for your liver to grow back...