If only money could buy common courtesy…
April 22, 2009
Dear members of our board of trustees,
Five thoughts about our relationship
-I know it may feel like it, but I don’t actually report to you. I have a boss, and she has a boss and he reports to you. If you think I should be making a phone call, or wearing a different suit…take it up with one of them.
-Just because you are rich does not mean that you are smart. Sure it may mean that you are smart and that is how you became rich but it may also mean that you married someone rich or came out of the birth canal of someone rich or someone who married someone rich. This wealth does not make you an expert on everything.
-You may be retired with not a care in the world and all the time you want to spend your money but I have a full time job. This means I can not meet you for meetings hours away from work in the middle of the work day and still DO MY JOB.
-Speaking of my job…believe it or not, I might know a little something about it. While I appreciate your helpful suggestions, thoughtful advice and ideas that I will be forced to implement and explain while you sit in your chair and pen a check, how about you give me a little credit and assume I might know something about the work I do?
-You may ask me a lot of questions and I may be forced to give you a lot of answers but my age will not now, nor ever be one of them. I don’t care when you were born, you should not care when I was. Got it?
Sincerely, your humble servant.
If I had to pick five 
April 22, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Preach on!!!!!!!!!
Also, you wear a suit to work? How professional!
Not everyday, but any day I have an important meeting…which feels like everyday.
April 22, 2009 at 4:53 pm
How much do you want to put this in a memo for them for the next board meeting? You know you want to…
Very, very much. Then I can write a post about the top 5 reasons I got fired.
April 22, 2009 at 5:29 pm
please tell me someone did not really have a problem with the suit you were wearing.
Oh yes they did…apparently navy, gray and boring are the only appropriate suits for meetings with the mayor.
April 22, 2009 at 6:21 pm
See? This is why I wrote yesterday’s post. Just act like you’re 90 and tell them where to stick it! I’m sure it’ll go over well…
The sad this is…most of them are 90. They would probably tell me where to stick it right back!
April 22, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Just because you are rich does not mean that you are smart.
YES!
It also does not mean you are handsome….but it helps.
April 22, 2009 at 9:41 pm
I can relate…it’s nice that after 4 years of college, 3 years of law school, a clerkship and a few years practicing that sometimes when you make a telephone call or walk into a meeting some individuals (who are probably in training to be future trustees on your board)think you are the secretary or court reporter because you are young & female. They are probably judging the suit too!!
And let me tell you…if (and maybe when) I need a good lawyer, I would want you by my side over any of those old dudes!
April 23, 2009 at 1:17 pm
hahahahaha love it. what bunch of dicks, obviously!
You took the words right out of my mouth.
April 23, 2009 at 3:54 pm
So some things never change, huh?
At these times I like to sing in my head “I don’t work for non-profit! I don’t work for non-profit!” It only helps a little bit.
No, the players may change, and building may change but the game remains very much the same.
April 23, 2009 at 6:33 pm
“the birth canal of someone rich”
You use words real nice. Real nice.
But really: as long as it’s not a clown suit, any problems with the suit you’re wearing better be followed with a shopping spree. Not that you’d take the advice then, either. But at least the next suit they hated would be one they paid for.
So the clown suit does not count as business professional? What if you are in the profession of being a clown?
Seriously, this comment made my day.