On Tuesday: Started out as a good day. I was chipper, everyone else seemed to be chipper, all was good. So, I�m talking to Staples (my co-worker) and find out that she�s leaving. Fine. I like her well enough, but I won�t really miss her as much as I do the person who was here before her (ya, you. I do miss you, but you can�t have your desk back!). So, Staples tells me she wants to make a proposal to our boss about her leaving, doing a couple freelance stories a week, and me working by myself. I know I can take care of the paper alone, with the help of freelancers of course, but not for the piddley pay I get now. This news made me happy too, because either way (hiring a new person, or me alone) I was getting a raise.

Later that day, Staples was making up her proposal after sizing up the boss to see what he thought. He liked the idea, so long as she would be my relief person when I go on vacations. So, making her proposal, she asks me what I think she should get for a week of relieving me. I think. I don�t come up with an answer. So I ask her how much her take-home pay is on every cheque. She says a little over $700.

Let me offer a bit of background here, and I have people who can attest to this. When Staples started here I�d been here a while already. So I became senior reporter and ultimately her supervisor. I got the better desk, I got the faster computer, but I also got added responsibilities: more stories, more pages to layout, dealing with crazy drunk old ladies who call me up and complain about the whole paper, things like that. Also, Staples didn�t write enough. She�d write three stories where I�d have to do seven to make up the rest. She�d write two, I�d do eight. You see the pattern. There were other things, but that was the biggest beef with me. I was working 45-50 hours a week, while she was coming in late everyday. I held a meeting with the boss and finally clarified what we should do � six stories each. She got better, but still not great.

Okay, back to present time. So she says a little over $700. I asked her what she made a year, and she told me. So I told her to charge whatever she wanted, and went back to my desk. I was livid. She made more than I did. I was her supervisor, and she made more than I did. This still makes me as mad as hell. Why does she make more than me, especially when I do more work and am her senior? Because she told the boss she wouldn�t work for less and he saw no reason to increase my salary to be properly in line with her. I bet he banked on me not finding out, or he never realized and never thought to check. Either way, steams me.

Now, with added responsibilities, you can be sure I�m going to ask for a much higher wage. In fact, since I figured a secretary position in the building across from this one, makes more than I do now as a starting salary! So, I�m asking for a price, if they won�t give it to me, I�m walking. I�ll work at any place where at least I know I�d be a little more respected then I am here. I don�t care if it�s not my field. I don�t care if it�s fast food or retail. Anywhere where I can have my self-worth and self-esteem in check.

****

So, there is my rant. I�m still mad (as you can probably tell), however, I managed to keep the bad-swears out of the entry!

On a brighter note, I was so very touched when I found out that Mangoes linked to me as her dland quote of the day. Thanks Mangoes, you rock!

Umm... Sue may have her diary up and running soon. Yay. I interviewed Colin James � how cool is that? It�s been snowing here and I�m bloody sick of it. We got like 15 centimetres in a couple of days. I know, my friends in Barrie are thinking �15? You wimp. 15 is a gently dusting here!� But you see, this city doesn�t believe in clearing the roads, so yesterday I was the first one on my road, forging a trail with my truck! It blew!