Politics of level 11

Today was my first day instructing in Christina's trial. I was nervous as hell. Chris came down to the court with me in the morning. The cop was there and he asked if she would be hanging around. I joked that she'd jump up and take control when I screwed up.

Not funny, it is a very real possibility.


Talk about stress. Every waking moment I was mentally checking whether the next step was the right step. All the while I'm trying to type down everything being said. According to the way she likes to have it typed. Fark.

And the thing is, Stali, as good as he is, due to the way Chris has organised it, doesn't really know what's coming up next, so my position plays a much larger role. Why did she have to do it this way???

In the afternoon, when we got up to calling the cop, Chris took over. I wanted to offer it to her anyway during afternoon tea, but it never came! Lucky she was there. So for the last 45 minutes I just sat at the back watching.

After court, Rom asked if she was allowed to talk to me. I took it as a joke and said "no, you're my mortal enemy now for between 10 and 4 everyday". Then on facebook she writes a status like "I thought it was [insert name here] but not 100% sure..." - wtf?

As we were walking back after court, I felt like Stali and the cop just liked Chris so much more than me. Stali didn't even look at me when we all said bye. And the cop was asking what time Chris would be catching her train. What the hell? Were they organising to catch the same train together? He, too, didn't even look at me when he left.

Anyway, I just told myself that I'm here to get paid, not to be liked.

I was so tired after work. Clare came to my room to tell me a funny story today from the diversity CLE about what DS had said, and then she appeared to want to gossip a bit about what had happened yesterday and the trial. I whispered a bit of info but didn't really want to say anything more with the door open.

I spoke to Mary about seeing a lady I used to work with in Lismore on the bench. Turns out she knew her too, so we had a bit of a chat about that. I felt like it put us in a better relationship than what it seemed like yesterday.

I was hungry so went to the supermarket to get some food and walked a bit with Mary as she was going home. I saw Clare was ready to leave as well and expected her to be with Mary. Wonder if she stayed back to try to gossip with me.

After I made some sandwiches in the office, I did a bit of tidying up and then decided to call it a day. I was too tired to even go to the gym. I decided to walk home to clear my head. I find that I subconsciously love walking and listening to my music. It's the next best thing to driving around with my music.

As I walked home, I thought about the recent events surrounding me that had shed light on the political situation of our floor. Call me stupid, or just a guy, but I've only just realised that Mary and Imad don't get along. Some points:

1. Just like in good old DS fashion, he has gotten onto this topic late - the topic of helping me get an SLO position. To bump up my credentials, he has arranged for me to supervise Nathan and for me to be involved with Chris in her trial.

2. You have to wonder, why? In two respects - first, are my current credentials insufficient? Surely he has the experience to know who'd qualify and who wouldn't. I honestly thought that I had enough, what with my previous work history (apparently that doesn't mean much once you're here), my work ethics here, and the big matter Mary has assigned to me. Also, is he giving me extra padding because he just found out that he won't be on the panel? Of course, if he was on the panel, then perhaps all this wouldn't be necessary.

The second aspect is, why help me? Meaning, what's in it for him? Does he truly just want to help me because he sees me as a hard worker who doesn't make a fuss? Or is there something more? If it's the former, then I think he's a person I can trust.

3. Why is Mary opposing this? I'd like to think she genuinely cares about my workload, but I am starting to think this isn't the reason. Chris said she feels threatened by Imad. Mary and Michael were good buds when they were on this level. She had no reason to feel threatened by Imad back then. But now that DS is here, she has no best friend high up. But how does having me work in Chris' trial mean losing power to Imad? I don't think it does. I think she just wants to flex her muscles and is angry that she can't. So if this is true, then it seems that she doesn't really have my interests at heart.

Stepping back a bit, it seems that she has more of an interest in creating a tight knit group to support her if anything happens, hence all the long lunches occasional food offerings etc.

4. Let's look at Chris' position. She liked it when Michael was here. She doesn't like DS. She likes the fact that Mary no longer has the power she used to have. That's kinda an odd position. She sides with Imad. Now extend this. I think Nunjo sides with Chris.

WOULDN'T THIS EXPLAIN why Nunjo stays out of group conversations with Mary??? I always attributed it to her personality and being selfish, but this makes more sense. She doesn't want to be seen as siding with Mary, because she is on Chris' side, who is with Imad.

Dayum. Mind = blown.

5. I also thought about the possibility (probability) of not getting the promotion. I don't think I want to wait another year to earn more money. This is the time to be making money. I think I'll be forced to "test free agency" if I don't get it. I am thinking LAC. Hmmm. It's kinda sad, because I really like it here.

On another note, as I was walking to court with Chris after lunch, leaving our building we passted that Asian girl from my office who is kinda hot. She held eye contact with me for a few seconds as we passed. Hmmm. Still can't forget the time she came onto my level and started strutting towards and past me.

I keep thinking I should wait for her - a much better goal than Nunjo.