a kinder, gentler Borg

As there weren't any full time opportunities available for me at the ad agency, I returned to my former employer last week. While I couldn't muster any real enthusiasm - I hate the 20-mile commute - the atmosphere of the new department is thankfully relaxed.

In typical Big Company fashion, the order for my computer was cancelled by accident as the buying dept. couldn't understand that I'd been rehired. Ditto my voice mail. But I have still been able to do some work on my own laptop, and to mark up hard copy printouts of the entire Underwriting policies and procedures manual. Best of all, I am left entirely on my own. No micromanaging crap.

One interesting bit of trivia I learned was that everyone in my former department knew of my rehire except PD*. I decided that it was a bit early to rattle her cage, so I didn't visit my former colleagues last week. Instead, I let them come upstairs and pay homage to me instead.

Eventually I asked someone to please tell PD I was back, as I decided that discretion was the better part of valour. And since I was in a better department than PD's, I could afford to be gracious. But I still haven't clapped eyes on her. I have no plans to stick a fork in her eye but have no topics for small talk either.

* See Key to Characters at right.