daily conversation with mr. t.

mr. t just said he hopes 2016 will be a better year for me.

"i hope you won't be rude and mean and obnoxious. i hope 2016 will be a better year for you. i hope you will be a better person than what you've shown for the past 12 months. you are super duper obnoxious, and i know you seem to take pride in that."

i told him i'd work on it.

"i am not coming back to your office again," he said. "i will avoid you from now on. the 2012 plan is for you to be nicer and gentler. don't be mean. i need to get you that bumper sticker that says 'mean people suck'. many people in the department could benefit from that."

i asked him if i was the meanest person in the department.

"no. on a scale of one to 10, you are about a four. you don't have a mean bone, but there are days when you go over the edge. and that is an advantage."

i told him i'd like funding for therapy to be added to my salary.

"that seems fair. you know that family that sent me their picture? i have yet to call them."

i asked why he needed to call them.

"to ask if the baby is theirs."

wow.