I was affected at work by a whole string of serial managerial bullies - what was my saving mental moment, was realising that a Footrot Flats (Aussie) comic I had just read had "The Answer".

It involved The Dog realising that the reason Horse was not interested in Prince Charles but was very aggressive towards him was, as The Dog said "I'm a THREAT!".

Some time after, I came across the movie The Wiz. The Scarecrow Song by Michael Jackson and the 4 Crows - "You Can't Win, You Can't Break Even, You Can't Even Get Out Of The Game" sample of Track 9.

I realised the utter truth of this. Don't think you do, unless you too have been there. It's the one thing I try to get friends who are in similar situations to understand - without that understanding, you cannot get out!

What it means is not what it seems on the surface - at first, you keep on THINKING YOU CAN PLAY THE GAME and WIN! This is wrong! "You Can't Win, You Can't Break Even, You Can't Even Get Out Of The Game"
- you see, if you even think that you CAN WIN, then YOU ARE STILL IN THE GAME!!!

Finally, I found a poster - a modified copy of which I put up near my desk - I made a slight modification.

"Yea, though I walk thru The Valley of The Shadow of Death, I shall fear no mean mongrel bastard, for thanks to the training I received at the hands of you bastards, I am now the meanest son of a bitch on the Valley!"

They started to leave me alone... :-)