an evaluation said i need to be more assertive. pissed me off. i'm compassionate and i'm new out there. its hard to encroach upon other people's business. not like i need to be told what i must be doing.. but i'd rather not step on other people's toes. i know what my problem is: its not that i need to learn how to be assertive. i'm perfectly capable of standing up for myself. its just that i tend to swing between two extremes. either i'm fiercely independent or hopelessly soft. one minute i mistrust every single person in sight, the next i want to take the whole world home with me and snuggle it up with a cup of cocoa.

arrgh.