Leaving my comfort zone more and more...

So I have decided to take the leap in to self-publishing.  I'm unsure of what degree I'm going with but I am in the process of editing my first book - I had gotten the proof copy from CreateSpace and then realized that I must have had one eye open for most of the first edit - and I have a student of mine helping me to design a better book cover.  It's all pretty exciting.

I have decided to go with a pen name because no one can pronounce my real last name easily and so I took the leap and chose one.  I'm not ready to share it yet with the world but I did keep my initials.  I showed it to Frank and he approved and was not the least bit offended that I did it.  He's actually considering a "stage name" to use with the band.  Really?  

Yesterday at work I had an "issue" with a co-worker.  She doesn't work in our office and like I've mentioned in the past, she is very high maintenance.  Well, yesterday I did something that CLEARLY displeased her and next thing I know she's on the phone with the gal at the next cube and I hear part of the conversation!  I can hear her whispering "Well, she's still new...she's training..." and I just about lost my mind.

Now, one of the reasons that I have a blog is so that I can vent because I do not do confrontations well.  Yesterday?  All bets were off.  First there was an email I was going to send...but after getting two different opinions we decided that wasn't the way to go.  One of the girls suggested that I go in to the conference room and CALL this woman.

So I did.

Well, I got her voicemail several times and so I realized that was as close as I was going to get to talking to her so I left a lengthy message stating (nicely) that I do not appreciate her going to a coworker to bitch about me.  If she has a problem with me, then bring it to me, not someone else.  She emailed me a little later explaining that she wasn't doing it to bitch but so that (because she's in another location) this co-worker could physically and visually show me what I need to do.  So I'm like "But she never shows me anything!" 

OOPS...can open, worms everywhere...

The plan is that when this woman comes in to town next month, she and I are going to have a meeting one-on-one to train me in the things that she sees I'm still weak with.  I'm hoping it's not going to be a LONG meeting!  But in the end, I felt so much better for having opened the dialogue!!

Comfort zone?  Not always a good place...