LTE 2.0

[lawgrad91]

Sheree, so sorry about the passing of your kitty. Hugs and vibes and prayers for you in your loss.

[windsor]

Oh Sheree, I am so sorry to hear this. A house without an pet is a quiet place indeed.

Vibes, hugs and healing Labrador kisses to ease your heartache.

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

Sheree,
Sorry about the passing of your kitty, Abby. Our animals are our babies, and a big part of the family.

[DukePA]

Much love and many hugs to you, Sheree

[DukieInKansas]

Sheree,

I'm so sorry for your loss. from Kansas.

[TillyGalore]

Sheree, I am so sorry for your loss. Losing our fur-babies is never easy. HUGS

[YmoBeThere]

Hoping everyone is doing okay through this cold spell. It wasn't too tough on us here in South Central Texas. My biggest concern at the moment is whether my citrus trees survived.

[shereec]

Thank you all for your lovely words and kind thoughts - they helped a lot. It sucks to lose our animal babies. We've gathered all the stuff up that we think the Wake Animal Shelter can use - just have to work my nerve up to go over there. In the meantime, everyone stay warm!!
ps - great finish to the game tonight and loved seeing Andre smile that sweet smile again!

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Hi Sher, Just came across this message about your losing Abby. I'm so sorry. It's just impossible to be fully prepared for when it comes, isn't it?
Extra love, Ima

[shereec]

Thanks, Ima. I'm sorry to see that you were up at 3:30! Hope all is well with your gang!

[IowaDevil]

Sheerec am really sorry to hear about the loss of your kitty! It is so tough to lose our little furry friends!

[ArkieDukie]

Next installment of "As the Bunsen Burns":
As you may recall from my lengthy last installment, Road Runner asked me to lead things up on a project with an external collaborator, and Bar Minion caused trouble. She tried to make Brilliant Grad Student, another postdoc and myself look bad by sending Road Runner a list of things we had done wrong. Flash forward to today: I figured out that, unless I missed my guess, Bar Minion sabotaged our experiment. She tuned the instrument just before we performed our analysis, and she changed a setting to make the instrument perform in a less than optimal manner. I sent a nice little email to Road Runner saying, "I found the source of the problem. In our past experiments we used setting X; for this most recent experiment the setting was Y. I will check in the future to make sure this doesn't happen again." I did not directly say that Bar Minion did this on purpose because I cannot prove it, but the blame for the problem is now squarely where it belongs. Hopefully Road Runner can/will connect the dots.

On a similar note, today I had to help set up the instrument for the repeat analysis of the same samples. We decided to use a slightly different instrument method this time; it's one the Bar Minion used in the past to analyze another sample set. When we started to set up the instrument queue, after BM finished tuning it, we discovered that she had hidden the instrument method we needed (or just flat-out removed it from the instrument computer). The three of us spent an hour rebuilding everything from scratch. Oh, and we also had to fix the setting that she had messed up yet again. I sent another nice email to Road Runner with an update, saying we had to rebuild the analysis method because the other one was unavailable and that I had corrected the setting that was wrong yet again.

Seriously, if I was Bar Minion's boss, I think I would've fired her by now. If not, the most recent incidents would be the final straw. Unfortunately it cannot be proven that any of this was intentional - just the way she planned it. My gut tells me it was, though.

[Very Duke Blue]

Next installment of "As the Bunsen Burns":
As you may recall from my lengthy last installment, Road Runner asked me to lead things up on a project with an external collaborator, and Bar Minion caused trouble. She tried to make Brilliant Grad Student, another postdoc and myself look bad by sending Road Runner a list of things we had done wrong. Flash forward to today: I figured out that, unless I missed my guess, Bar Minion sabotaged our experiment. She tuned the instrument just before we performed our analysis, and she changed a setting to make the instrument perform in a less than optimal manner. I sent a nice little email to Road Runner saying, "I found the source of the problem. In our past experiments we used setting X; for this most recent experiment the setting was Y. I will check in the future to make sure this doesn't happen again." I did not directly say that Bar Minion did this on purpose because I cannot prove it, but the blame for the problem is now squarely where it belongs. Hopefully Road Runner can/will connect the dots.

On a similar note, today I had to help set up the instrument for the repeat analysis of the same samples. We decided to use a slightly different instrument method this time; it's one the Bar Minion used in the past to analyze another sample set. When we started to set up the instrument queue, after BM finished tuning it, we discovered that she had hidden the instrument method we needed (or just flat-out removed it from the instrument computer). The three of us spent an hour rebuilding everything from scratch. Oh, and we also had to fix the setting that she had messed up yet again. I sent another nice email to Road Runner with an update, saying we had to rebuild the analysis method because the other one was unavailable and that I had corrected the setting that was wrong yet again.

Seriously, if I was Bar Minion's boss, I think I would've fired her by now. If not, the most recent incidents would be the final straw. Unfortunately it cannot be proven that any of this was intentional - just the way she planned it. My gut tells me it was, though.

Hang in AD. Surely BM can't get by dong this crap for ever.

[windsor]

Next installment of "As the Bunsen Burns":
As you may recall from my lengthy last installment, Road Runner asked me to lead things up on a project with an external collaborator, and Bar Minion caused trouble. She tried to make Brilliant Grad Student, another postdoc and myself look bad by sending Road Runner a list of things we had done wrong. Flash forward to today: I figured out that, unless I missed my guess, Bar Minion sabotaged our experiment. She tuned the instrument just before we performed our analysis, and she changed a setting to make the instrument perform in a less than optimal manner. I sent a nice little email to Road Runner saying, "I found the source of the problem. In our past experiments we used setting X; for this most recent experiment the setting was Y. I will check in the future to make sure this doesn't happen again." I did not directly say that Bar Minion did this on purpose because I cannot prove it, but the blame for the problem is now squarely where it belongs. Hopefully Road Runner can/will connect the dots.

On a similar note, today I had to help set up the instrument for the repeat analysis of the same samples. We decided to use a slightly different instrument method this time; it's one the Bar Minion used in the past to analyze another sample set. When we started to set up the instrument queue, after BM finished tuning it, we discovered that she had hidden the instrument method we needed (or just flat-out removed it from the instrument computer). The three of us spent an hour rebuilding everything from scratch. Oh, and we also had to fix the setting that she had messed up yet again. I sent another nice email to Road Runner with an update, saying we had to rebuild the analysis method because the other one was unavailable and that I had corrected the setting that was wrong yet again.

Seriously, if I was Bar Minion's boss, I think I would've fired her by now. If not, the most recent incidents would be the final straw. Unfortunately it cannot be proven that any of this was intentional - just the way she planned it. My gut tells me it was, though.

You need to keep doing what you are doing. Factually reporting any issues that occur and hoping eventually the dots get close enough together for RR to see the logical conclusion. Sadly, it might take a while. Obioulsly, check all the settings before running any samples. Now, if I an think of a subtle way for you te let BM know you now....hmmmm

[YmoBeThere]

BM = Bowel ??? Well, you get the idea?

[Very Duke Blue]

BM = Bowel ??? Well, you get the idea?

Yup, you understand.

[ArkieDukie]

Sheree, I'm so sorry for the loss of Abby. Pets are truly like family members, and their loss leaves a hole.

[ArkieDukie]

Next installment of "As the Bunsen Burns":
As you may recall from my lengthy last installment, Road Runner asked me to lead things up on a project with an external collaborator, and Bar Minion caused trouble. She tried to make Brilliant Grad Student, another postdoc and myself look bad by sending Road Runner a list of things we had done wrong. Flash forward to today: I figured out that, unless I missed my guess, Bar Minion sabotaged our experiment. She tuned the instrument just before we performed our analysis, and she changed a setting to make the instrument perform in a less than optimal manner. I sent a nice little email to Road Runner saying, "I found the source of the problem. In our past experiments we used setting X; for this most recent experiment the setting was Y. I will check in the future to make sure this doesn't happen again." I did not directly say that Bar Minion did this on purpose because I cannot prove it, but the blame for the problem is now squarely where it belongs. Hopefully Road Runner can/will connect the dots.

On a similar note, today I had to help set up the instrument for the repeat analysis of the same samples. We decided to use a slightly different instrument method this time; it's one the Bar Minion used in the past to analyze another sample set. When we started to set up the instrument queue, after BM finished tuning it, we discovered that she had hidden the instrument method we needed (or just flat-out removed it from the instrument computer). The three of us spent an hour rebuilding everything from scratch. Oh, and we also had to fix the setting that she had messed up yet again. I sent another nice email to Road Runner with an update, saying we had to rebuild the analysis method because the other one was unavailable and that I had corrected the setting that was wrong yet again.

Seriously, if I was Bar Minion's boss, I think I would've fired her by now. If not, the most recent incidents would be the final straw. Unfortunately it cannot be proven that any of this was intentional - just the way she planned it. My gut tells me it was, though.

Hang in AD. Surely BM can't get by dong this crap for ever.

OMG - I just got the pun here! VDB, I love you!

[ArkieDukie]

BM = Bowel ??? Well, you get the idea?

Yep. That was intentional. It was a consideration when I chose the name for her.

[ArkieDukie]

You need to keep doing what you are doing. Factually reporting any issues that occur and hoping eventually the dots get close enough together for RR to see the logical conclusion. Sadly, it might take a while. Obioulsly, check all the settings before running any samples. Now, if I an think of a subtle way for you te let BM know you now....hmmmm

My past strategy in dealing with this type of situation has always been to play stupid. If I don't tip my hand and let her know that I know, she'll keep up her antics at her current level. There's a greater chance that she'll eventually trip herself up with Road Runner that way. If I let her know that I know, she'll get more dangerous in that she'll change her strategy. She's already done that to some extent; she's gotten better at being more untraceable (for lack of a better word) in her actions. Anyone with a brain knows she's intentionally sabotaging her colleagues, but she's doing it in such a way that there's no solid proof. If I call her on it now, I become the a$$hole IMO. She would go crying to Road Runner immediately, and Road Runner would back her. Remember, she has a history of playing the "hostile workplace" card when she gets called on her BS. I'm hoping I can keep my current course and she'll eventually do something so blatantly insubordinate that Road Runner cannot ignore it any more.

I had drinks after work last night with MacGyver. We were venting about our stressful weeks, my primary gripes being related to Bar Minion. He agrees with me that something is weird between Road Runner and Bar Minion but can't put his finger on what it is. He also agrees with my assessment that Brilliant Grad Student has cried wolf so many times that any legitimate complaints she has about Bar Minion get lost in the noise. In fact, I think he has a similar issue with BGS and may not have realized the extent of the problems with Bar Minion.