I know it’s supposed to be a day people traditionally blow off work – that last summer blowout before we get serious again. But I’m here, for a little while today, to get ahead of the work. That’s either dedication or stupidity. It depends on your perspective.
Since I feel like working like you feel like working, I thought I’d share some of the madness that’s been my week so far.
The recommendation letter that should be filed – circularly. It came in the mail yesterday from the company where my daughter interned. They were giving her a letter of recommendation. Only trouble is it was written so poorly, there’s no way she can use that without it reflecting badly on her. See, they’re a communications company – a publisher. How bad? One sentence: “….consistently met that were goals set for her.” Right. Then there was the missing apostrophe in the phrase “this students work” and the errant period that just leaped off the page with nowhere to go. Mind you, I’m picky, but when I read it to her, she said, “How am I supposed to use that crap?” My sentiments exactly. And proof once more what a lousy company they are.
The switcheroo. I have the project schedule in front of me with everyone’s duties on it. Yet when I asked about that one crucial part being completed by someone else, the answer was “Yea, I don’t have that. You’ll have to put that together on your side.” And I waited three days for this. Tick tock, you’re still on the clock.
The doctor’s wife. Truly the bright spot in my week so far. I called to ask about traveling after surgery. She said the doc needed to know where and what I’d be doing. She heard Ireland and suddenly we were in a girlie conversation about Scotland, Ireland, and where and when she should convince her husband (the doc) to take her. She’s talking just above a whisper so her coworkers wouldn’t hear. And she swore me to secrecy – “Don’t tell him. I don’t want him feeling like I’m pushing him if I send patients after him about it.” Hilarious. Then she screwed her professional demeanor back on quite reluctantly and said, “Yes, the doctor says as long as your activity level isn’t strenuous, you’re cleared.”
The “Don’t delete my messages!” complaint. Another funny moment. The client left a message. I saw the number on caller ID, deleted the message in order to call him right back. Alas, wrong number! I sent him an email. He replied “I’m crushed! LOL” I phoned him and explained that I was in the process of framing his latest email so that he knew how special a client he was to me. When both writer and client get giddy at the same time, it’s a free-for-all.
The imprint on the window. Because our kitchen window is next to the bird feeder, we’re used to the familiar WHUMP when a bird hits it. However, this bird left a lasting impression – literally. I looked out the window and saw on the glass the perfect imprint of a mourning dove, in flight, in full detail from wing tips to his beak as it thumped into the glass. The photo is below. (I know, clean my windows…)
What kind of madness have you dealt with this week?
17 responses to “Friday Madness”
What kind of madness have I dealt with this week? It's been surprisingly quiet. Apart from the cat having a barmy moment. All my subs are in – or all the expected ones. Maybe that's the madness. It's TOO QUIET.
Have a great weekend.
Want me to come help you shake things up, Diane? 🙂
Yeah! On your way to Ireland. I'm not use to this peacefulness. :o)
Mine hasn't been terribly mad either.
Unless, you include a client who has twice scheduled a call for the next project AND twice had me sitting there waiting for them AND twice had me sending an email asking if we were still on AND twice having them coming back and saying, "we can't do it today" AND then not replying to an email invite for rescheduling.
You mean like that? 🙂
Probably didn't bother me as much because I got a new client with multiple projects right after the 2nd "no call." 🙂
Is anyone else noticing that people are using apostrophes (possessive) for plural words? I guess I should have written "apostrophe's" and "word's".
It's driving me bughouse!
Mine's been a quiet but productive week. The only madness has been getting a letter of thanks for a project I didn't work on (second time from this non-client) and having yet another adapter burn out with my netbook.
I think the bird imprint looks pretty cool.
Today is my madness day. Hubby volunteered us to smoke some chickens for a local fundraiser.So, I got up at 3a.m. and got today's work done and then got started curing the chickens. The fun begins later when they go into the smoker. Yea! I get to smell like hickory smoke for days. The rest of the week has been pretty tame around here.
The bird print on the window is a sign that luck is on its way. Okay, for you- not so much for the bird.
Maybe your daughter should get out a red pen, edit the letter and send it back for revisions. Perhaps they'll get the point: some interns are smarter than the bosses.
Tuesday was one of those days with three key interviews scheduled. Got the early one done, then the publicist arranging the other two interviews rescheduled both of them at least twice. One moved from 4:30 to 3:00 to 1:45. The other moved from 4:00 to 6:00 to 6:15. At some point I gave up and told myself, "Whatever. I had most of the afternoon open for those calls anyway, and since it's the same publicist I don't have to worry about any scheduling conflicts." Rolling with things really reduces stress.
Then Wednesday, when I planned to start transcribing those calls, news broke of the hostage situation at Discovery HQ. I deal with people there all the time, so I had genuine concern for their safety. When the news broke I was in the middle of a quick e-mail exchange with one of my editors who also knows a lot of people there, so we both checked the news and eventually shared our relief that most employees had been safely evacuated. Needless to say, I didn't get that transcribing done, but I fit some other work in between my news updates.
I'm hoping to knock out the three things I need to do today before 2:0 so I can take a little time off.
I think Paula's idea for your daughter to correct the recommendation letter is fantastic. She can't use it as it is anyway; does she have anything to lose? 🙂
No madness this week besides the regular rush to get things finished on time. (Successfully, woohoo!) I imagine next week will be a little crazy because I need to get some company presidents on the phone, and they are often bad about callbacks. Cross your fingers for me.
Yesterday turned into a no good, horrible, very bad day. If Friday is worse, I may just never come out from under the covers again.
Hope you have a lovely weekend!
Here's a head-to-keyboarder for you.
On Friday, I get a semi-panicked email from a client to contact his business partner about an email they want to send out, stat. After reaching out to Mr. Business Partner daily via email and phone, I finally reached him yesterday. His response? "Huh? What email?"
Right hand, I'd like to introduce you to left hand.
Have a great long weekend, y'all!
You may want to remove the glass from the window and save it… looks lovely…
Ireland? I'm jealous.
Recognize Jake's clients… go have fun everyone.
I mean exactly like that, Cathy. 🙂
Drives me nuts too, Carole. I want to hold them down and scream "Stop F-ing with the apostrophes, you putz!" Somehow, that may be viewed as an extreme reaction. 😉
You got thanks for not doing anything, Valerie? Damn, I should be overrun with that kind of thanks!
Wendy, I'll take that luck. I'm a little short of it lately. (And I think you smell like a flower!)
Paula, I think my daughter should copy that letter, edit it, and use BOTH in her portfolio. It would be living proof that she was more than up to the job. I hope by the time you read this, you'll either be on vacation or it'll be Tuesday. 🙂
Fingers are crossed, Ashley! Keep us posted.
Wait, Becky. What's up? Good thoughts for you….
Jake, I'm not surprised. It is corporate work, right? The left and the right are often unfamiliar. In fact, they're often in different buildings!
Anne, that's the whole reason I've not cleaned the window after he sprayed it last week with the hose. I can't bring myself to remove that. Well, I can't help but think of the headache that dove has, but he's alive, so that's good. 🙂
What a week, Lori!
I like the bird's window imprint…although I don't think the bird enjoyed leaving it.
I agree with Paula – the recommendation letter needs editing before your daughter can use it!
My week has been very quiet and tame – but I am used to that. I live in the country, my husband goes to the city to work everyday, I have no kids, no pets. It's just me and my laptop.
Lucky you, going to Ireland!
I enjoyed your post!
Nikki, I think you're right! I think that's one bird with a pretty big headache right now. 🙂
Lori, I clearly don't know what that V-word means. It's 4:30 and I'm debating whether to do some transcribing now or over the weekend. I have three tapes to finish so I can write the article on Tuesday.
I'm not all about work today. I did sneak out for a bit took a nice walk on the beautiful brisk (and downright windy) day. And I managed a long call with a good friend while I did dishes.
What can I say? I inherited that darn Scandinavian work ethic.
Hope the little birdie isn't concussed…
Work madness: I've been working (to use the term loosely) on a project that seems to take around a dozen steps backward for every single forward step. Irksome.
I too have gotten recommendations that were less than coherent, including one on my LinkedIn page. I wasn't sure which was worse: deleting it, putting it out there or sending back a copyedited version and asking that it be revised…