…and you’ll find that it’s not much different than it was on the other side. I took the blog private because I’m in the middle of looking for a new job. Once that mission has been accomplished, I’ll make it public again, I suppose. Meanwhile, you might notice that I’m a little more willing to tell you how dumb some of my co-workers are.
Like this morning. I’m working on a large directory of GLBT and GLBT-friendly businesses that we publish every year. This goes to press on May 16 and has been in process since the first of the year, basically. There are numerous interim deadlines that have been circulated repeatedly in our vast office of five people. Whenever there’s been a change I’ve sent out a revised timeline. None of these deadlines should really come as a surprise to anyone.
But then there’s our editor. He’s a nice guy, I suppose, but I do wonder how he remembers to breathe sometimes. His deadline for getting me a list of stories that are going into this directory was April 25, and by May 2, this past Friday, when the stories were actually due, he still hadn’t gotten me the list. I needed to know the story topics so that I would know where to place them in this directory (it doesn’t make sense to save room near the financial advisors listings for a story on pet care, for example). So when I sent out an update to the schedule, I noted that I hadn’t received them, along with anything else that I hadn’t received by deadline.
And today he asks if I could communicate those items to him directly instead of in group e-mails.
Um, no.
I listened to him explain that he works hard for this business, and tried to care. (Sadly, I failed.) If you miss a deadline, I’m not going to cover your ass. Especially when your shit rolls downhill and I’m the person at the bottom. If the publisher hadn’t gotten me the edits to her intro letter, it would have been in the schedule. It is not my job to make sure he remembers his deadlines. He is a grown-up and should be able to manage his own time and should be able to communicate when he is not going to have something.
The ridiculous part of all this? He had the information, he just never bothered to give it to me. Bless his heart.
I might be more sympathetic if he were actually a good editor, but heaven help me, my dog could do a better job.
(You know, if I do decide to make this blog public again, entries like this will likely disappear….)
5 Comments
May 5, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I feel like a Hilton with this V.I.P. access! Only less blonde and with more hair everywhere.
You should ask your editor how long he’s been in the industry. “Really? Huh.” Then walk away.
May 6, 2008 at 10:48 am
Ha ha … I think I like the private blog better. It’s more fun.
It’s all Julia Sugarbaker, all the time!
May 6, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I’m with aug2000mba. I can’t wait for all the rants that wouldn’t make a public blog. I envy you the newfound freedom.
May 7, 2008 at 1:04 am
Jeffrey – Definitely supports the saying “Hell is other people.”
Jhames – You’re also MUCH prettier; more talented, creative, and intelligent; have FAR better taste and have a cuter dog; plus no one doubts why you exist at all.
May 14, 2008 at 10:39 am
Hmmm..I like the private blog too!
A Southern friend told me you can say anythinga s long as you say, “Bless his heart” after it. Like:
She is as dumb as a box of hair and a hoar to boot, bless her heart. And isn’t it just so kind of us to care enough to point that out, bless her heart.