insert lawyer joke here

Cried at work again today. This happened in October, too. Twice in one academic year is enough to officially dub me The Crier. I am a total wuss.

I am not, however, an idiot. Which is what was implied in a meeting by an evil lawyer who suggested that perhaps I don't know anything about kiddie neurology. I almost came out of my skin. Eviler still was the fact that when I (calmly, mind you) invited her to ask me anything she wanted about this topic, and she just looked at me blankly. I was steeling myself for some really random inquiry about brain development at age 4 years 6 months, but she didn't even know how to go about formulating an appropriate question. I hate games like this. Like any corrupt (backwards, disgrace to her profession, I could go on) lawyer, she only wanted to plant the seed of doubt about my abilities, not actually pursue it. "Objection...withdrawn." Just because I work in a school, don't think I won't take you down in the time it takes me to tie a pre-schooler's glow-in-the-dark shoelace.

I was livid. L-I-V-I-D. I am many things, but I am dead serious about my job. Well, dead serious and still able to have fun with it, but you know what I mean. I responded to this woman on pure adrenaline. Then I sat back and thought my head would explode. Then one of my coworkers typed "Good job, Red...deep breath" on her laptop. Then I got through the rest of my meeting and I felt the tears coming and I slipped out so I wouldn't cry in front of my colleagues, but they followed me to rally.

I do love that I work with people who will follow me to rally, who give me unconditional support in a situation like this because they know me and know how I feel about the work that I do. It means a lot. But if another weasely lawyer makes me cry again, I swear!

On a happier note, at the Sox game tonight I met one of my dad's work friends for the first time. He was maybe 40 and he asked if I was still in school.

Me: What, college?
Him: Yeah.
Me: Oh, no. I'm 28.
Him: WHAT? You're TWENTY EIGHT? Are you serious?

Thank you, random coworker of my dad's sitting next to me, for that well-timed, accidental compliment. I needed it.