# Weeknotes 2026-26

> Source: <https://departure.blog/weeknotes-2026-26/>
> Published: 2026-06-28 12:37:00+00:00

I've grown a lot of freckles on my face. (A lot more sun than usual, I guess?)

Seagulls have been brawling outside my window, which means I've been waking up at 5 a.m. (Baby seagulls are very cute.)

My nails are longer and stronger and less brittle. It's time to paint them. 💅️

Went swimming in the sea, which is (surprisingly) something I have never done before.

My office wants a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which management is discouraging because it "reduces speed and flexibility" and the benefits we have are "already equal to or better than" what a CBA offers. My colleagues pushed back, citing that speed is the problem. "In this era of doomsday narratives, war-mongering, and accelerating AI race, what people want is a sense of stability. Valuing speed of execution above all (in regards to corporate decisions) doesn't sound reassuring. Instead, ambitions like thoughtfulness and participation throughout the process would. Adopting a CBA is a litmus test as to whether the company is (for real) willing to strengthen employee involvement."

Someone mentioned *Twilight*, which reminded me of this old gem: [Buffy vs. Edward: Twilight Remixed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZwM3GvaTRM).

Olivia Rodrigo – *you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love*

Billie Eilish – *HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR (LIVE)*

I couldn't follow my sister's work stories because she doesn't name names. It's always "senior manager" and "other senior manager" and "teammate" and "other teammate." So I asked for an org chart...

And she came back with a flowchart titled "Corporate Gossip." This thing is a work of art:

I especially enjoy:

Terrible Process Guy.Left in 2025 to be mediocre in another job role and ruin other people's work lives.This was the guy who was in charge of a process that everyone was forced to have to follow and the process sucked. I gave him a very well, articulated email providing feedback, and his response was, "Do what I say." Words cannot express how ridiculous I think his work is.

So now when she shares stories, I can refer to this chart to know who she is talking about and how all the people relate to each other. (There are factions!)