Slim's left town

I don't have time to post, but I'm going to anyway. There's just so much tension that's built up, I feel like I can't even function and my head is contantly throbbing. Some people were recently awarded salary increases, and not everyone knows. But at least one person who does is irate - because we've been told on numerous occassions that no one was being awarded increases for numerous reasons including the fact that we're into our fourth or fifth round of budget "reductions" (I've lost track at this point...there may be another cut in the Fall).

In fact, I got an equity review weeks ago regarding the additional work I've been doing, and despite indications of support from HR and my supervisor's boss (who I sat down and had a little chat with last week), there's been no sign of a resolution. That's okay...every time a new duty gets added on or I have to answer a really dumb question from or fix something done by someone "more qualified" than myself, I mentally add a fraction of a percentage point to the to-be-negotiated pay increase (I'm also asking that it become retrocative to when I started doing this job six months ago). If it ever gets to that point. So far, it's all talk, so I have my doubts. But, some people are so overwhelmed, that parts of their job are getting dumped left and right on others who aren't getting these phantom pay increases that we're officially not supposed to be giving out. They seem to be banking on the "tough economic times" keeping people around. I don't think they've thought their cunning plan all the way through, because that tactic has some people at a breaking point.

Crap. My boss saw my husband ranting in unhappiness earlier, and called me thinking he was yelling at me (just to be clear, he was not - I was just acting as a buffer for his frustration with some of the issues I mention just above). Then she offered an ear, as a "friend", in case I needed to talk. I want a comfortable relationship as supervisor/subordinate and am trying to maintain a little bit of distance so as not to complicate that or to develop too much loyalty to her as an individual, but she's made it clear she likes me on a personal level and doesn't seem to mind bridging that gap between personal and professional. She's now hinting around that she expects me to be doing her job some day. Halp!

I honestly can't wait to get out of here. We're planning a dash up the East Coast to NW PA at the end of the month, with a brief pause in Georgia, a detour into Pittsburgh to have lunch at the original Primanti Bros. location (and to possibly pick up Penguins Stanley Cup gear - yes, I'm staying cautiously optimistic), and spending a couple of days with family in PA, then turning right around and making the 18 hour trek back. I hope it's worth all that driving and I come back a little bit renewed. Or, I'll just decide to not come back!