Ugh...so, I don't know how I get myself into these messes, but it looks like I'll be presenting at a human rights conference in Detroit this weekend for my old company (the company who let me go w/ 1 week notice when they ran out of grant funding). I was invited by a a youth activist I used to work with when I was on staff, and I originally thought that it wasn't going to work out and I would be spared, but apparently he's pleaded with the person in charge of the topic area I'll be presenting on to let me represent them, and begged me to come (he's paying for everything), so I'm going.
But what did I find out for sure today? That my horrible pig of an ex-boss will be there. So...four days. Stuck in Detroit. Without a car. At a conference with a boss who originally tried to get me fired (obviously a FAIL), and then frequently "joked" about asking me to sleep with coworkers to get things done for our department.
Awesome. Sigh.
/vent

Re: NSOR: Venting
Based on the way the conference was last year, I have a feeling we'll be crossing paths, a lot. Doing my best to plan ways to avoid him at meals, and I've asked that we be kept on separate floors at the hotel. I'm a little sad that I won't be able to hang out with other former staff members that I'm still friendly with, but because staff tends to hang all together, ex-boss will be there, and I"m not willing to expose myself to any more interaction with him (lest I have an uncontrollable urge to stab him in the eye with a fork).
In re: the four days, the conference is Fri, Sat, and Sun, and flying in on Thursday was the cheapest flight they could get for me, and since they're the ones paying, they booked it.
In re: representing the company, fees? From a human rights non-profit? Let me dissolve into a fit of giggles for a moment.
In all honesty, members (and I'm definitely still a member - have been one for 12 years) frequently represent the org, without a fee. So it's definitely not expected that you'll receive anything. Getting all of my travel, room, and board costs covered is actually fairly unheard of, but the organizers really wanted me back this year, even though I'm not on staff, so they made an exception.
"You don't get to be all puke-face about your kid shooting your undead baby daddy when all you had to do was KEEP HIM IN THE FLUCKING HOUSE, LORI!" - doctorwho
LOL! That's a way more pleasant way to express what I'd like to say than what I was thinking of going with - I might have to steal it. Maybe I'll put it on a few business cards so I can just hand them out without having to say anything...
"You don't get to be all puke-face about your kid shooting your undead baby daddy when all you had to do was KEEP HIM IN THE FLUCKING HOUSE, LORI!" - doctorwho