Hey Leslie, if you are the one who unloads the dishwasher and cleans up messes, I think that means job security...

So far today has been a MUCH better day than yesterday.  Not sure why I went off the deep end mentally yesterday, but sometimes it happens. Thankfully, not very often!

Holly - I have no idea what the plan is for this dept (estate planning, etc.).  Currently, we have 1 legal secretary (Amy) and 1 1/2 paralegals (Nancy and me).  Nancy works 3 days a week and is supposedly retiring "soon," which I think means when she's eligible for Medicare, which is either this year or next year.  I came on almost 4 yrs ago as a temp in Amy's place, who was out on maternity/medical leave.  They then hired me full-time to eventually take over for Nancy when she retires.  Then somebody came up with the idea of having Amy get her paralegal certification, which I think is great, but she will be certified by the end of the year . . . and what are you going to do with 2 1/2 paralegals and no legal secretary? She has already voiced that she's not going to do work she can't bill for, and this dept cannot support that much support staff.  And even though Amy thinks there's plenty of work for to go around, there simply isn't - at least not on a regular basis.  We're "required" to bill a minimum of 5 hrs a day - which is no problem if there's enough work, but things go up and down too much.  It seems like it's either feast or famine.

So I have no idea what the partners are planning.  This office is bad about moving head with doing things without thinking through all the consequences/outcomes, and it's rare you found out that something is going to happen until it's set in stone in their minds.  I just need to go to my boss and ask him what the plans are - or have they even thought about a plan.

BTW - Stress can cause your back issues.  Maybe put a picture of your boss' face on a dartboard and "dart off" some stress. 

Holly S. I suppose too busy is better than not busy enough, but in your case it seems like a close call. I hate meetings too. Many of the ones I have to attend require a formal call to a vote, I am generally the one to call for it. Then the vote it typically unanimous and I am wondering why we had to discuss something for an hour that we all favored anyway. 

fatozzig it does seem like you are super busy at work. Like all the time! Are you sure there is not enough work to go around and even add some more staff?

I ran 9 miles today down here in Austin where I am for the next few days. The heat, humidity, sun and hills did me in. Over several stretches I had to stop and walk. On the plus side, it gave me an excuse to go enjoy one of the greatest gifts to mankind: a barbecued brisk sandwich which in Texas is as good as it gets!

That is a side of dirty rice with it. Of course, if you want real Texas barbecue it has to be from a roadside shack and this place fit the bill.

Holly.....     argh.   I'm so sorry!      ,,, ,  Leslie, you too!

tw. thanks for the reminder.   there are all Kinds of things that I've forgotten are probably millbot's fault.    phew!   (I miss him too)

yep I love looking through those posts.

hi Steve!!   where have you been??

went to my physical med guy today.. he is excellent.   found out some new things that might help all my various parts from going 'out' so often.

not so happy about one thing, though.  my right hand has been increasing painful & numb , doing the littlest thing will cause it.  I asked about that between all the rest, & he diagnosed carpal tunnel syndrome... I had a battle with RSI for years, & that was the one thing I didn't have.    no big deal in the larger scheme of things but a pita, & I have to pay attention to it.    so.   when I ignore things in type, please know that I'm responding appropriately in my head & heart!   (or.  at least my version of appropriate  ;  -

everybody with broken things... get better!

dg - Hopefully they can address the carpal tunnel through PT.

2Kitty - Stop posting food porn. 

Since you guys keep asking questions - and I'm very frustrated and need to "talk" . . . .

Each of the partners at the firm has a paralegal and a legal secretary.  The associates share certain legal secretaries and do most of their own "paralegal" work, with the exception of the associate I am working with on the medical marijuana side of things. The paralegals can bill for their time, the legal secretaries cannot.  I've been so busy because I agreed to help out with the clients seeking permits to grow medical marijuana.  That's been the killer.  Pretty much took me completely away from estate planning, etc., last year.  As of the first of the year, though, I've been splitting my time between that and EP.  I have a sneaking suspicion, however, that the partners are thinking that if this whole permitting thing opens up again (currently, the county is not taking anymore applications) - and it sounds like there's a good possibility- they will keep me working on that, thus reducing my time on the EP side of things and making room for Amy to step in as a full time paralegal.  The problem is I don't want to keep splitting my time.  I'm very much over the med marijuana thing - mostly because they took on far too many clients and we're drowning and I'm the sole paralegal to assist one attorney who's working on the stuff full time and 2 who are working on it part-time.

I LOVE estate planning, probates, and trust administrations.  It's what I've done for 20 years.  As it currently stands, the legal secretary (Amy) does all the estate planning, except asset transfers, and all the probates, unless she gets too many.  That leaves only asset transfers for EP and trust administrations for the paralegal, and unless there's some big wave of people dying, I don't see that side of the dept getting any bigger.  In fact, my boss has said he thinks the dept., especially EP since people can do their own on-line now, will continue to decrease over the years.  I don't agree, but that's neither here nor there.

Anyway, it's time for a heart-to-heart with my boss to ascertain what it is they think they have in store for me.

10k for me tonight. I got caught in a downpour, despite the rain being forecasted 2 hours away. Stupid weather folk.

I wonder if twocat will give you a fine for being caught in the rain. Nice run!

Leslie, Holy, Tamster, you have tough jobs as paralegals.  My upmost administration.

I have been in Seattle all week with 8 hour meetings at SeaTac daily. The long meetings and commute has left me no time to run at all, except the 4 miles this afternoon.  Se la vi.