Dream Alliance

My Dear Princess and Dear Friends,

I came in to work a little late today. I came in on the train with Caro who flew out to Tauranga this morning.

She is dogsitting for Macca for 2 weeks while Macca travels NZ in a camper van.

Caro is kind of looking forward to it. She loves the doggy in question. And even though she is still working, she thinks the change in scene will help her get her head together.

On the work front, she's feeling more positive too. In that she is now serious about quitting and finding something better. She's planning on putting it to her manager - either they take the stress out of her job or she's out.

She is not hopeful they will change the job to make her happier. But she's resigned to resigning. If you know what I mean.

So I'm feeling way happier about things.

My wave of happiness was crashed by the appearance of Shenée this morning. She looked just defeated when I met up with her for coffee.

Once again the effwits at work are effing with her. They never let up. I will spare you the detail but essentially a small, bitter, petty little nobody of a pr1ck has not forgiven her for humiliating him a couple of weeks ago and is now going over all of her finances, looking for sh*t.

He will find nothing, but just stirring sh*t is damaging to her reputation. It's like the implied allegation is enough. Nothing OFFICIAL in WRITING of course. That would require some actual effing backbone, of which this toolspank has none.

Nevertheless Shenée's immediate manager gave her a warning and - as she put it - she feels like she is being performance managed.

For context, everything she has delivered thus far should have cost 900k NZ$ according to the original project forecasts.

She has spent about half that. Effing HALF.

AND she has delivered additional features that no-one thought about. AND she has the happiest team in the department (it has been noted).

"They should be [VERY BAD WORD] thanking me!" she said. "Instead they're questioning what I spent on a [VERY BAD WORD] team LUNCH?!??"

She was really upset. So I decided to take the afternoon off and take her to the movies to take her mind off such petty bullsh1t.

And the PERFECT SHENÉE FILM was on. Dream Horse stars one of Shenée's favourite actresses (Toni Collette) and it is ALL ABOUT HORSES.

Shenée loves horses. Even more than dinosaurs. Even more than CHICKENS.

In other words, she loves horses A LOT.

And she bloody LOVED this film. She was jumping up in her seat and clapping with delight. And I'll even admit I cried at one point because there was a bit that reminded me of home and I miss me dad.

Shenée comforted me. She passed me a tissue from the packet I'd given HER earlier in the day.

"Oh, the irony," I snuffled.

"I know, right?" she said, giving my hand a squeeze.

So the day turned around for both of us. I left her at the railway station, waiting for Craig to pick her up. You will be happy to hear that by this time, she was looking and sounding DEFIANT instead of defeated.

As for me, it is nice to have a bestie who I know I can always rely on to squeeze my hand and pass a tissue when I'm sad. I hope Shenée feels the same way.

We are only strong because we have each other. We are like a... well, like a dream alliance I suppose you could say.

S.