Compass points.

"We've decided to go in another direction."

Which, as you well know, means that the "direction" is away from you.

But most of my life has been about rejection, so I am......accepting of it.

And yet, not.

I remember the world of academia, and the path to tenure.  Most people worked hard for tenure; played all the games, put the best foot and the best face forward, and got through the process of application in order to accept the burden of the academic Teflon coating.

But if you didn't get tenured, you only had one choice, and that was to exit.  Usually under the cover of nightfall...leaving no trace behind.  The higher education version of falling on your sword.

Yeah.

F**k that.

I'm going to go in a different direction, as well.

I'm tired of being used.  I'm tired of being called an asset, and being blocked from any upward movement.  I'm tired of being wooed and dismissed.

And I'm tired of pretending I'm not pissed beyond the definition of the word.

You hurt my pride, and dismissed my abilities.

Don't ask me for any favors.