Hi WovenGalaxy -

My question asked applies to my job and my finances and my life....

thanks for your response. I don't want to work at this law firm anymore. Gossip from managers about their employees is illegal in most states, b/c of the way it creates a hostile work environment for everyone.

When Gossip Creates A Hostile Work Environment in California..

Since the founding partner I spoke to covered her law partner associate's behind, along with the female attorney who I overheard gossiping about me to the associate law partner - I have grounds to sue the 3 of them if I had the financial means, for creating a hostile work environment for me.

The easiest way out of this shitstorm of course, is to find a financial way of life that aligns with my sense of self, my values, my creative goals, my personal goals, my professional goals. I thought that was to be a paralegal (and maybe it still is). The more blogs I read online about how law firms are toxic and hostile work environments due to the nature of the work and lack of a health management system of employees, the quicker I want to find another income stream that fulfills me and doesn't run me down.

Maybe work in a library. My neighbor does. He was a paralegal and left the field for the same reason (toxic work environment). That said - libraries can be toxic work environments too. Essentially, every work environment has different levels of toxicity I suppose. So, there's no escaping it.

Had I better people skills maybe I could maneuver around this shitstorm at the law firm better. I'm going into work today assuming I'll be fired. I will be shocked if I'm not. The christmas office party done, now the dust will settle and the chess game begins. I suck at chess, too. I'm terrible with strategy. I lack it.

These people stick together b/c they can and what they have to lose is just a warm body (me). They can hire and train another legal assistant.

My training in leadership (ok, that's the strategy I referenced) is limited to the fact that I have yet to apply the strategies i spent the past 3 years learning about and analyzing while studying work place environments.

I could become a consultant like my professors and be paid to analzye toxic work environments and provide realistic solutions/fixes. I thought about becoming a coach of some sort to people (not therapist, not personal coach but career coach). I enjoy a job where i help people connect to resources that can help them. Maybe a social services job for my county? Library assistant? Paralegal that's remote so I don't have to deal with people's ******** and office politics b/c I'm at home? These are ideas that I'm currently mulling over.

I'm dreading work today. I know what's coming. The hammar on my actions of listening to my boss gossip about me to an associate law partner who knows my cousin. The ripple effects of their actions....

Meanwhile, my kitten is still sick. I did apply for a nonprofit grant to cover vet costs so we'll see if I get it.

I forwarded the article I found to my work email. I am gonig to print if off ths morning as a refresher for when the hammar goes down on me, so that i have some valid talking points to arm myself with.