Office Grab Dilemma

[AllyandJack]

Hi, all...I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Of course, with the season comes the dreaded Office Grab. For those of you that don't know, I hate my job and the vast majority of the people I work with. I'm treated like a law clerk/secretary despite being an attorney. Every day is like a punch in the face. It's just a lousy situation all around.

By the way, if anyone in MA or NH is looking for an attorney, PM me!

Anyway, of course I get the biggest loser in the office in the grab. I hate this guy. He's smug and rude and I really can't see myself spending $20.00 on anything other than a big pile of crap for him.

Any advice? What do you get the person you hate for $20.00??

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by AllyandJack
Hi, all...I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Of course, with the season comes the dreaded Office Grab. For those of you that don't know, I hate my job and the vast majority of the people I work with. I'm treated like a law clerk/secretary despite being an attorney. Every day is like a punch in the face. It's just a lousy situation all around.

By the way, if anyone in MA or NH is looking for an attorney, PM me!

Anyway, of course I get the biggest loser in the office in the grab. I hate this guy. He's smug and rude and I really can't see myself spending $20.00 on anything other than a big pile of crap for him.

Any advice? What do you get the person you hate for $20.00??

How hateful do you want to be? I can give you plenty of ideas, but I need some boundaries within which to work.

 

[AllyandJack]

Me version of being hateful is quitting right after bonuses come out. I'm being nice...I'm waiting until they pay to renew my license to practice...that gives them another few months to kick me around.

I just want to get through this grab thing with minimal pain. How about $20.00 worth of coffee - he LOVES his coffee? A $20.00 picture frame for his kids?

 

[cinmell]

Can't go wrong with coffee but you can also consider a $20 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by AllyandJack
Me version of being hateful is quitting right after bonuses come out. I'm being nice...I'm waiting until they pay to renew my license to practice...that gives them another few months to kick me around.

I just want to get through this grab thing with minimal pain. How about $20.00 worth of coffee - he LOVES his coffee? A $20.00 picture frame for his kids?

In that case, anything impersonal works. Coffee / picture frame / gift card - which has the added bonus of you not having to spend your time picking out a gift for someone you don't like. If you wanted to make that slightly backhanded, you could get him a gift card to somewhere you think he wouldn't particularly like. You heard him say once he hates French food? GC to La Petite Maison, here we come!

And darn! I was hoping you wanted to be really evil!

 

[AllyandJack]

The law clerk in the office (yes, we have a law clerk which really makes me wonder why he treats ME like the law clerk) says I should get him something where I'm subtly making fun of him. I don't have that much time to think up something like that. I have to get it by tomorrow.

The Barnes & Noble idea got me thinking....he loves the Red Sox. I'd love to see if I could find some kind of collectible book about the Red Sox....one that focuses in on the heartbreak. I could really be mean and get a Yankee book and pretend I thought he was a Yankee fan, but we've had discussions about baseball, so he knows that I know he loves the Sox.

I'd love to write my letter of resignation and wrap it up along with my key to the building and drop it off really early in the AM. But, I want that bonus, so I have to stick it out. Lord knows I've earned it!

I've been planning my exit for a while now, I just have to get through the final indignity of buying something for this fool.

So, I'm going to do an easy search of Barnes & Noble to see if I can find a heartbreaking book about the Red Sox and, if not, I'm off to Sam's Club to buy that Starbucks gift basket with the coffee mugs and coffee. He can toast me with a latte on my way out the door....then he drink it to stay up all night when he realizes that he may have to actually do his own work!

I can make it through this.....bonus....bonus.....

Thank you everyone!

 

[Indyman]

spending $20.00 on anything other than a big pile of crap for him

I think composted cow manure is $2.00 or less for a 40 pound bag, so you can get 400 pounds. I'm not sure how much the uncomposted variety is, but you can ask farmers in the area.

 

[jennyl772003]

What says "I don't give a rats patootie about you" then wrapping up a $20 bill?

 

[Rajah]

I think the coffee basket or gift card is the best idea. As much fun as it would be to get him something that lets him know just how much of a jerk he is, you do still have to put up with him for a few more months. Easier to do if you were at least neutral about the gift.

 

[MHopkins2]

I *love* the idea about the Red Sox "tragedy" book!!! Here you go, buddy, wallow in the suckiness!

 

[Disney Doll]

While I wholeheartedly understand your anger/resentment etc., take a deep breath and think a minute.

The legal profession is a small world. Your goal should be to behave as professionally as possible over the next few months, until you resign. Don't go down to their level...instead, make them come up to yours!!!!!

If you know this man likes coffee, then a nice coffee basket woudl be a great gift. The Red Socx book would also be good...any book about the Red Sox is going to mention the "curse", so you'll get the beenfit of being able to say "I thought you'd really enjoy this because I know what a fan you are" while still giving him somehting that will "stick it" to him a little.

As my mother always says "There isn't too much traffic ion the high road".

 

[MICKEY88]

in spite of your feelings, keep it nice and professional, you never know when you will cross paths with him or someone else in the firm. or if you might end up working with a friend of his...

 

[FreshTressa]

Find an old cookbook or other completely innappropriate book like, your baby and child, around your house and wrap it up.....then he can be like one of the people on the "what's the worst gift you have ever received" thread j/k

 

[wdw4us]

how about a chia pet or one of those clappers.

the gift that keeps on giving............


denise

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Make a donation to your favorite charity in his name.

 

[HappyMommy2]

I'd say go for the coffee. That's nice and impersonal, but it wouldn't burn any bridges.

I think, as some of the other posters pointed out, you have to maintain good relations since in your profession you'll probably have some connection to these people even after you leave.
But feel free to vent here--that's what we're for

 

[AllyandJack]

I ended up getting him a collectors book about the World Series - something like 100 Year of World Series or something. He loved it. In the end, I was nice. Although, the book was REALLY heavy and my best friend said I should have "accidentily" dropped it on his crotch.

I didn't do that either. I'm so boring, but at least I can look at myself in the mirror and know that I maintained my dignity.

I think that's easy when you have places like this to discuss getting him a lump of crap. It's a great outlet and thank you all for listening and helping me out!

If I don't get a chance to get back here before the holidays, Happy Holidays to everyone and Happy New Year!!

 

[Rajah]

Good for you, good job.

 

[disykat]

Good job. It's always nice to do the right thing, but to have had the fun of being a little evil in your mind can sometimes be a sanity saver!