3-fer Thursday

A lot is going on in my life right now, a lot of changes happening in many areas, but for some reason I just couldn't focus on any one, so you'll get some variety today.

First up, we had to let an employee go at work last week. It was hard. We are a very small company so we all know each other really well. She had been with us for 8 years or so, maybe more. She had everyone's full trust, so much so, that when it made sense in her personal life to move back to her hometown in Arkansas a year and a half ago, my boss agreed she could make the move, and keep her job. Pretty sweet deal. Total remote work set-up. No commute. No getting dressed in the morning if that's your MO. The kind of situation you'd think you'd want to work to protect.

Apparently not. She couldn't do it. My theory is that the temptation of blowing off work because no one is watching, combined with some personal problems, was too much for her to handle. We're not sure when she stopped working, but we do know, in retrospect, that every month it got worse. Less got done. By December she was not only not doing her work, but she was manipulating the database to make it look as though she was. Really devious stuff. My boss referred to it as malfeasance. After a lot of convincing.

He did not want to believe her failings in the worst way. Even when presented with the evidence, he wavered.

I really pushed to can her. I gave it my all, pretty much taking the stand of, "look, dude, this is what needs to happen." He relented. She was terminated. He gave her the good news. She then sent a heartfelt email apologizing for failing us all. I felt guilty. Very. I wanted her to know that there were no bad feelings, no anger or resentment. You screwed us, but this is business, not personal.

I texted her saying as much (as the email I sent bounced because she had already been cut off from the network) and this was the very strange reply I got back:

"Oh Beth, you're so awesome. I love you. I really do. Thank you for being so sweet...."

She loves me!? Oh dear.

Thank god she's numerous states away, or I'd be on high alert for her going postal.

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Next up, my home life. I'm still loving OB, and my middle daughter just told me yesterday, when I mentioned we'd need to find a house to live in at some point, that she never wants to move from our crappy rental. It's home for now, and it's obviously working; the peeps are happy. But more and more I'm feeling the grittiness of it all.

The need to get my girls out of there and to somewhere less edgy is creeping in.

Think I'm just a uppity dance mom?

Well try this on for size. Last night while sitting down to dinner there's a loud knock at the door. I open it and who's standing before me, a polite few feet back from the door's threshold? A San Diego Police Department plainclothes cop, or detective, or whatever the hell he said he was. I was blinded by the big, shiny badge he was wearing necklace-style over his black T-shirt, I really didn't catch it all.

He and his crew were investigating a crime in the the apartment building directly across the alley from us. Right there, a mere 50 yards away.

He was nice and all, but Jesus, when they send the plainclothes guys out there has to be something to it, doesn't there?

I didn't ask any questions -- just secured both locks as he left.

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So, it stands to reason that after my SDPD visit last night,  I'm really hoping that Jax Teller will show up sooner than later. He, I know, could keep me safe.

Don't get this reference? Well sit yourself down and watch a few seasons of Sons of Anarchy.

Yes, the whole SAMCRO thing is really rocking my world right now.

It trips me out a little, this new addiction I have, because violence is not my thing. I generally avoid movies and shows with too much gore, but somehow I'm hooked on this one. Watching a man get his giant tattoo literally burned off their back against his will, or a guy carve a giant "A" in to another guy's chest with a knife, or an addict foam at the mouth from purposely delivered crank is not enough to deter me from the storyline and characters.

Katey Sagal is amazing. She rocks the Gemma Teller Morrow character. Gemma's a bad ass bitch - conniving and smart and powerful. She claims at one point in the show to be part Jewish "on the angry Russian side." Gotta love Gemma.

And Jax? Well he ain't too bad either.