Happy happy.

[rivka]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind birthday wishes. I had a nice, mellow day with Alex, whose contribution to my birthday happiness was being a perfect angel at the library. (Usually we just go on Fridays for story hour, but yesterday I wanted books.) In the evening Michael and I had take-out sushi and just relaxed together. He gave me a beautiful string of hematite beads with a ring and clip to hold my work ID. Such a clever idea! I've been wearing my ID on a boring cloth cord for years. And wcg gave me some lovely sharp kitchen knives, and my mother sent a cardigan and a pair of fleece clogs for inside-the-house wear. It was a good birthday.

I lectured my RAs for weeks about how I thought it was inappropriate for gift-giving to happen up the supervisory chain, because there's no way for pressure not to be involved and because our boss and I make more money than they do. Today they took me out to lunch and each gave me a card with a tiny token gift. "You guys are completely insubordinate!" I howled. "Yep," they said. "Get used to it." Obviously I have no authority.

Comments

[kiya]

It's good to see that Uppity Minioning is a growth industry.

[beaq.livejournal.com]

Oh, sweetness!

Please accept my belated happies. You are a fine birthday girl.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

pesky minions!

happy birthday, you!

[chomology.livejournal.com]

Hooray for insubordination! Happy Birthday :)

Happy belated!

[librarygrrl]

From me and Sam. :)

[baratron.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday, somewhat belated! (Semagic did tell me on the day, but I was otherwise occupied & didn't feel very happy).

another idea

[(Anonymous)]

Oh my goodness!

In my workplace,(where, like most of us, I have no control over the fact that all staff birthdays are collected and publicized by secretary memo)I have always had perfectly good luck preventing gift-giving "up the supervisory chain" by simply not talking about my birthday, redirecting the subject if it comes up, and decidedly refraining those weeks of "appropriate gifting" lectures. (With rabidly festive office-mates, just cheerfully suggest bringing in edibles, and then make sure you bring something delicious to share, yourself!)

IMHO, the less you say about the potential gift-giving occasion (and things like salary discrepencies and the potential for pressure)the better. Because, conversely, the more you mention it, the more some people working for you *will* feel pressured, because they will wonder, "But does she really secretly want to be fussed over?"

Re: another idea

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Heh. Give me a little credit. It wasn't, like, "Just wanted to let you know that my birthday is coming up and you are NOT to celebrate it." I only ever mentioned it in response to direct comments like, "We need to figure out what we're doing for Rivka's birthday."