So A**** commented that I was being pretty hard on the new guy. Even that I had a cruel streak. Eeep. Ok. Yeah I was and maybe yes I do (but it’s small!). I don’t like to admit it but unfortunately I fit my astrological sign to a T. (I never understood that expression, does it mean like a T-shirt? cause those don’t always fit so well.) but yeah, I rode his ass hard and pushed him to the limit yesterday. But the thing is, first off, the study director personally requested that I challenge him to see what he could do. Number 2, on his first day, he seemed to take offense and get all huffy when I was instructing him in the more simple laboratory skills. He’s got this smarmy confidence that just rubs me the wrong way. It’s very frustrating to have a trainee with this attitude. I hate smarm. So yesterday I thought, “well if he think he can handle anything, then we’ll see.” (except the voice I thought it in was dripping with dark ominous malice)

I loaded his plate with a ton of time sensitive and challenging, complex work, but throughout the day was by his side guiding and helping him. (while leaving ample opportunities to excel on his own.) Turns out he made some large errors when I left him alone. He also wasn’t truthful and tried to cover up one of the major mistakes. But that didn’t work and after bickering with me about it, at his suggestion, we involved the study director to review the large error and that’s where he really got his confidence stomped on. At the end of the day, walking through the hallway with the study director and I, he held his head low, looked at the floor and mumbled like a broken man, “that’s what I get for trying to fly solo.” Sweet music to my sadistic ears. So if my goal was to totally crush his spirit and emasculate him in front of the whole lab then mission accomplished. Except it wasn’t. I was fair. I think.