What’s on the iPod: Love Interruption by Jack White
A mindful Good Friday and Passover to you all. May whatever your celebration is be blessed and filled with love.
Though I made an effort to avoid it when possible, I didn’t give up complaining for Lent. Good thing, for there was plenty going on this week that would have had me in a coma from lack of oxygen as I held my breath. For the most part things have been going along quite well, but this week there seems to be a spate of, well, stupid occurrences that have me on simmer.
Here are a few of the things getting under my skin:
People who give you tidbits of information, then go silent. I had this happen a number of times. I sent out a note to someone asking for an interview. The response: “That’s handled by someone else.” My follow-up note asking whom I should be contacting was met with complete silence. Seriously? Worse, this was a company senior exec ignoring the chance at free publicity. Next!
Randomly stated policies that throw a wrench in everything. In one case, an “Oh, by the way” note from one particular event coordinator group mentioned this new policy, which basically negates any reason for me to have spent the money to attend their event. Luckily, I’m able to work around it successfully, but they will be getting told in spades whenever this event is behind me.
“Personal” Twitter notes that aren’t. Twitter tweeps, many of you are guilty of the automatic DM. One of you tried to make it sound like you appreciated my follow, but if you’re not using my first name, I don’t think you really mean it.
Nonexistent customer service. I had a problem with an anti-virus installation. It took an hour to get past the ultra-thick sales/browbeating portion of the call to the actual help desk person, who solved it by uninstalling/reinstalling. Thanks for wasting my billable hours.
The worst job “offer” ever. Thanks to Meryl Evans for this one, which reads like a really bad recurring nightmare:
I need a writer who can write at least 5 articles everyday from Monday to Saturday. I am going to select multiple writers for this project. I will pay $1 per 500 projects. I will increase the rate per article once I find the right fit and award more projects to the same writer in the future. There is never ending work.
Please be prepared to write a short sample of 200 words if you want to get selected.
Bid only $30 for this project of 30 articles.
Looking forward
That’s not a truncated message. This person couldn’t be bothered to finish the ad. Perhaps she’s also being paid $1 for 500 projects?
The slew of fools who shouted “Pick me!” in the bidding section. A dollar, people. Seriously? I shake my head in disbelief.
What are your peeves this week?
Clients who try to heap work outside the job responsibilities on you without compensation. The answer to that is, "no."
Or sneak it in as a "What do you think we need to do next?" instead of paying for a consultation.
Clients who are consistently late to EVERY scheduled call. And no, this isn't a Do as I say, not as I do situation. 🙂
LOL! Cathy, I had one client (happily former after her unprofessional outburst) who missed something like seven out of eight calls that SHE scheduled. It got to a point I simply put it on speaker (on hold, of course) and worked through the Muzak.
And her rant? Called me unprofessional for not rewriting an entire article to my usual standards – complete with three new interviews – in two hours. She was paying for two hours, and I warned her it wasn't nearly enough time for me to do the job properly. I swear she thought I'd "donate" my time. No way. She'd squeezed the penny way too often and expected too many concessions on MY side.
Last weekend I started a second Twitter account to focus on local, neighborhood things. I followed one guy (a reporter for the "big" local paper who I know through LinkedIn). He has the auto "Thanks for the Follow" DM, but because he didn't bother to follow me, I couldn't respond. Well, dude, prepare to be unfollowed next time I check that account.
My only real peeve this week is that there aren't enough hours in the day to work, clean, grocery shop, buy painting supplies, do laundry, clean some more, do yard work, cook & bake (the fun part), dye eggs, clean yet again, do even more laundry (yes – I forgot to do the towels), and still obsess over knitting and felting little Easter eggs. I have about 46 hours to get it all done.
Rats! I have to call the neighbor again about getting the ladder she said we could borrow.
Have a wonderful Easter, Passover, or non-holiday weekend, everyone!
I'm with Paula… I want the time and energy to do twice as much 😉
Happy Easter everyone.