Gosh- I was just going to write a short post but maybe I can answer some of your questions Al!
Re. the tests- yes, I am fine. I don't feel worried or concerned. Whatever will be will be as they say. To be honest it seems pretty unstressful after all the other upheavals of the past couple of years so I am genuinely fine.
Re. H not having any opinions. It was him who didn't have any opinions to offer- I met him straight after I'd been for the tests, and a couple of hours after I'd walked out on CEO and I asked him what he thought I should do in my work situation and about my tests and he didn't have an opinion of offer on either front. Maybe it was a surprise I was asking (although it's quite normal for me to seek his opinion), but nevertheless no opinions were forthcoming.
Re. exchanging e-mails with H, I'm not DBing them- I'm just being completely normal in them. But having said that I've felt like I've been totally normal in the e-mails I've been sending him for the past 8 months at least so I've not 'stopped' DBing exactly. H and I are lucky in that we've always been able to communicate throughout the S, and it's nice that we still are now. Next week we're going to the Lindsay House for his birthday, which should be fun, and yesterday he called to check on what had happened with my job, and we then had a coffee in the afternoon. I'm quite happy with the way things have worked out- I even talk to him about CEO and he seems to be OK with that. Not feelings talk- just events and facts. He still doesn't mention the aubergine, but I guess he'll decide if and when he starts being able to discuss that kind of thing with me.
Re. CEO- I was really angry because although it was good news he was giving me, he gave it to me in the form of an ultimatum, that he'd decided on the course of action and I couldn't negotiate or influence it. Since we've been working towards getting this outcome together that was pretty aggravating to hear; we're supposed to be a team, not me as his slave and him the master (although he does often joke that I'm his slave and I must be happy to have achieved such an important station in life!). He realised he was out of order, though, which is why he apologised (so sweet!).
Re. being out of there in two days, CEO couldn't offer me the single position available because there are two project managers at the company now and he had to run a competitive selection process between us. My equivalent who was competing with me has been very underhanded this week about that, so it's been delaying me hearing the outcome. Good news, though- CEO called to say he was giving me the position this morning. One less thing to think about (at least for another 6 months as the contract is milestone/target based).
Re. will I still be working for CEO.... I'm not sure- at the beginning of the week I thought not, but during this week we;ve been discussing his career options quite a bit and he thinks he'd like to continue with the project with me, so he'd be my part-time boss, I suppose. I'm not too happy about that and he knows it. Having said that, it's not really typical to take your boss on a day-trip to Somerset to have lunch with your friends, is it? I could ask him about it, but I'm so DB that I'm just following his actions. That and also I think he'd hate to have a discussion about 'us'. Alpha males
So, buried in there is the good news I wanted to post- my job is safe for at least another 6 months. Phew! CEO said he thought I was the best (all hell would have broken loose if he hadn't said that!), and that I'd been the most loyal over the past few months and he'd noticed and appreciated it.
Will try to visit you guys over the weekend- I really ought to go to work now!
