Of Mouse and Cats

A man showed up at the office today about the mouse that we had reported -- a month ago, remember that? I heard him telling the boss that we shouldn't have released it, which is pretty rich coming from someone who shows up a month later. Sorry that we didn't feel like mouse-slayers that day, sir! Or maybe we should have bought it a cage and a wheel, and made it our mascot?

He also gave us (mostly me, since it was near my desk) a lecture about how food attracts them (even though all it ate was my plant), an extended diatribe on the life cycle of mice (including a phrase I never thought to hear, "alpha mouse"), was very condescending to me as he asked if I was the one who "took care of it", and finally announced that he would return in a month -- to what purpose is unclear. Repeat lecture? It was very odd.

Also today, I had my review. It was fine, in the "I totally expected this to be weird since she admits she doesn't know what she's doing" way. She said that when she read my self-assessment, it was more or less exactly what she was going to say, that she's pleased with my work, that she knows she hasn't interacted with me a lot but it's because she doesn't have any issues with my work, and she did give me the opportunity to ask questions and raise issues if I had any.

We didn't discuss any goals, unlike last year when I was given very vague/unmeasurable goals that were supposed to be for the next six months and then heard nothing about them again; I wonder what will come out after she has her own review. Anyway, at least it was relatively painless. Some days, that's the best you can hope for.

*****
In the end, I did not leave the cats together today. Last night at bedtime, George was acting so crazy that I put him in the office for the night; then after letting him out this morning, back in he went for the day. I mean, I get that he's bouncy, but I can't let him bug Carlos too much, too soon. Tonight I'm trying to play with George enough to work out some of his wiggles before bed. We'll see how that goes. Already my finger is sore from holding the laser pointer on, but they're both enjoying it, so I will persevere. Until bedtime, which fast approaches.