August was the Month

August was the month that I went from really liking what I do to just having a job. The job itself didn't change, but the office dynamic did.
Our office is located in an apartment building. We have a one-bedroom apartment that has been made into two offices for three people. The director had the private office (bedroom) and M and I shared the outer office (living/dining area). Most of the time this worked because all three of us are part-time employees. Sometimes on Wed and Thurs, when M and I overlapped, it was a little loud and crowded, but it didn't keep me from being able to work. Apparently it bothered M, who complained about it to J, the building manager and "wondered" if our storage space down the hall could be turned into a third office. J sent a blanket email stating that the cost to make the space functional was prohibitive, especially since we do not pay rent. (yes, you read that part right). She suggested an alternate configuration, which made sense, but the whole thing was overstepping her bounds as far as our office management goes. D, the director, made a passing comment on this fact, but obviously took it under consideration. It was decided that D would take my desk, since she is in and out of the office the most, M would keep hers, since she is the office manager, and I would move into D's office so I could have space to spread out my projects. It feels a little weird to be the low man on the totem pole and still get a private office, but it really does make sense.
Prior to this, I had made arrangements to be out of the office for a few days. This also apparently bothered M when one day at lunch I referred to my upcoming vacation. She bristled, and said we don't get vacation. You could tell she was annoyed from then on. When J asked me about it the next day, I stopped her and said "There has been some clarification. I am taking THREE DAYS OFF and my kids can call it whatever the F*** they want." No one really discussed it after that.
Knowing that I was about to be out of the office, I worked hard to get everything done that I needed to do before I went. Then I came in on Wednesday to find that M had spent Mon and Tue rearranging the office. Her space was nice and organized, D's space was ready to go, and my office was full of boxes and equipment! In spite of wearing a skirt and heels, I spent the day rearranging furniture, locating the most important files and items, and crawling around hooking up computers. M made a few comments throughout the day that seemed a little passive-aggressive, but I smiled and worked through it. By the end of the day Fri my office looked a whole better and I felt like my absence was going to be okay.
Fast forward to yesterday, when my pay check was "adjusted" for my absence. While no one said it in so many words, I probably shouldn't have been surprised. Really surprised wasn't the word for it as much as aggravated. I knew that those days would need to be made up. I also thought that D and I had agreed they would be made up in the next month as we prepare for the convention. What frustrates me is the less than transparent way it has been handled, leaving me feeling a little blindsided.
So now I feel the need to document everything, which I didn't before. If the new policy is going to be getting paid strictly on time in the office, then that is how I will proceed. But my pissiness about documenting my time isn't really about recovering the lost wages. It's that now I no longer feel compelled to check my work email from home on days I don't go to the office. Now if I bring work home I will feel like I am being taken advantage of, rather than doing a little extra now to make work go more smoothly later. Now it's just a job.

But if there is some latent passive-aggressiveness in me, it will surely take pleasure in the fact that I can show up at the office on a day M isn't expecting me. My very presence will undoubtedly irritate her, but what can I say? I believe it's called a benefit :)