Where does the time go????
I CANNOT believe it has been 4 months since I blogged.! With so many changes, you'd think I would be at it every day and with photos to boot! NOT!
O.K. - so here goes with my life in the last 4 months.
When we last blogged, I had just moved into my new office in Grayson. Other than the cold toilet in the back and the mud out front, it fit me very well. I had a nice little office with no windows (I like working in the dark) and a large reception area for socializing. It was connected through the warehouse with my friends at the Chamber/Newspaper, so we all took care of each other that way. Very cool.
LITERALLY the day after I moved in, a friend called to discuss a job with me. I assumed he was talking about a job he wanted to get done, but no, he really wanted to talk to me about coming to work for him - the day AFTER I signed a one year lease. "Day late ..." you know the whole thing. I had actually considered, on several occasions, calling to see if they needed an in-house artist in exchange for a little professional space, but didn't. I declined on the basis of 1) I wasn't comfortable breaking my lease and 2) this was a good friend and I'm always hesitant to work for friends and 3) previously self employed people make crummy employees (see #2).
But it nagged at me ... and he nagged at me ... and I continued to decline the offer, but kept mulling the possibilities and considerations in my mind. I prayed about it, asked my friends and family at Shiloh to pray with me about and really asked for a neon sign to point me in the right direction with this one. Ladies, I got several ... I mean, when you ask God for a sign so that you can do his will, you expect little mental nudges and feelings of right ... NOT your accountant calling you and telling you that you once again have NOT filed your employee returns correctly; NOT your largest client tell you that she is pregnant and may not be doing any more catalogs; NOT your friends talking about their problems with their business and you KNOWING that you could make it better ... NOT making demands and having them all met cheerfully by potential employers. I mean, big neon flashing arrows pointing me towards this position for some reason.
I spoke with my landlord who was VERY gracious in releasing from the lease; I spoke to my one employee who was really ready to play a bit more golf than work; worked it out with my family; and worked out the newspaper possibilities with my partners there ... there was absolutely NO reason for me not to do this, so I took the job and started the first week in April.
NOT the absolute best scenario to walk into. The company was having some problems and I'm there to revive it or save it. The employees had never met me, I'd never met them, and they were very upset at my imminent arrival. The lady up front was told she was potentially training her replacement (ouch) but if we could pull it all back together, there'd be room for both of us.
O.K., you'd expect her to be a bit bitter as she's been there for 10 years; the pressman for 15. They're a solid team. After the first week or so, I thought I was doing pretty good and had a feel for where the problems were. We seemed to fall into a rhythm, so I thought, but each time the owners would come in, I'd hear that I was considered uncooperative and overbearing. Really? So, I worked to be NICER - and folks, I think I'm pretty nice naturally, so I'm just really sickening when I put my mind to REALLY nice ... From an office where I had many friends who just stopped in for lunch, called to catch up, or just stopped by for a cup of coffee, I'm in the middle of much whispering, referred to as "her" and lunching by myself. Working my tail off while they hang about just to prove I'm not above the work. They tried to hang me with a mistake during the 2nd week and I took it and made it better. But I like the work; I like my bosses, the owners and more than that I respect what they are trying to do.
So, finally, last week, the lady quits on Friday. Seems all nice-nice. Then we redirect her corporate e-mails to me and man ... she really did NOT like me. So hurtful. And the gentleman in the back says that business is bad because God is punishing the owners for bringing me in. Truly. He said that. Punishing them for their bad and ungodly decisions. You can't make this up, sisters, I'm the plague and pestilence of Kipha Communications ... God's vengeance upon a couple of good men ... We're waiting for the locusts to descend.
I've spent the week trying to undo the damage with this very sincere Christian without getting in his face and yelling "are you crazy???" And asking myself if I misread God's direction. I don't think so.
That being said, on the personal front - We're winding down with school with a very positive note in the education department. Cori is finishing up her required languages this semester with a high B in French; a very mid-level B in Albegra II and A's in all else. She's finally decided upon a course of study and is doing very well in Chemistry (who'da thunk?) so she's taking a Forensics elective next semester. Wish they had that when I was in school! Robin is probably bringing home another Principal's list honor (all A's) and is excited about McConnell Middle. She'll probably do a year there, then attend Heritage Classic with David Still the following year. He's done very well there and I hear will probably only post one B this quarter. Smart guy.
We all worked at Grayson Day and Snellville Days this year and had a great time. Didn't work for the papers or the chambers, just as volunteers for the city and Snellville Days was a blast. David and I directed traffic on Sunday so fulfilled our "bossy" sides for the day. Cori and Robin helped out with the Chamber of Commerce booths and did my shopping for me.
O.K. - enough blogging for one day. I'll have to go through my photos to see what all has happened and update you on the more mundane, but more photogenic, areas of my life.
O.K. - so here goes with my life in the last 4 months.
When we last blogged, I had just moved into my new office in Grayson. Other than the cold toilet in the back and the mud out front, it fit me very well. I had a nice little office with no windows (I like working in the dark) and a large reception area for socializing. It was connected through the warehouse with my friends at the Chamber/Newspaper, so we all took care of each other that way. Very cool.
LITERALLY the day after I moved in, a friend called to discuss a job with me. I assumed he was talking about a job he wanted to get done, but no, he really wanted to talk to me about coming to work for him - the day AFTER I signed a one year lease. "Day late ..." you know the whole thing. I had actually considered, on several occasions, calling to see if they needed an in-house artist in exchange for a little professional space, but didn't. I declined on the basis of 1) I wasn't comfortable breaking my lease and 2) this was a good friend and I'm always hesitant to work for friends and 3) previously self employed people make crummy employees (see #2).
But it nagged at me ... and he nagged at me ... and I continued to decline the offer, but kept mulling the possibilities and considerations in my mind. I prayed about it, asked my friends and family at Shiloh to pray with me about and really asked for a neon sign to point me in the right direction with this one. Ladies, I got several ... I mean, when you ask God for a sign so that you can do his will, you expect little mental nudges and feelings of right ... NOT your accountant calling you and telling you that you once again have NOT filed your employee returns correctly; NOT your largest client tell you that she is pregnant and may not be doing any more catalogs; NOT your friends talking about their problems with their business and you KNOWING that you could make it better ... NOT making demands and having them all met cheerfully by potential employers. I mean, big neon flashing arrows pointing me towards this position for some reason.
I spoke with my landlord who was VERY gracious in releasing from the lease; I spoke to my one employee who was really ready to play a bit more golf than work; worked it out with my family; and worked out the newspaper possibilities with my partners there ... there was absolutely NO reason for me not to do this, so I took the job and started the first week in April.
NOT the absolute best scenario to walk into. The company was having some problems and I'm there to revive it or save it. The employees had never met me, I'd never met them, and they were very upset at my imminent arrival. The lady up front was told she was potentially training her replacement (ouch) but if we could pull it all back together, there'd be room for both of us.
O.K., you'd expect her to be a bit bitter as she's been there for 10 years; the pressman for 15. They're a solid team. After the first week or so, I thought I was doing pretty good and had a feel for where the problems were. We seemed to fall into a rhythm, so I thought, but each time the owners would come in, I'd hear that I was considered uncooperative and overbearing. Really? So, I worked to be NICER - and folks, I think I'm pretty nice naturally, so I'm just really sickening when I put my mind to REALLY nice ... From an office where I had many friends who just stopped in for lunch, called to catch up, or just stopped by for a cup of coffee, I'm in the middle of much whispering, referred to as "her" and lunching by myself. Working my tail off while they hang about just to prove I'm not above the work. They tried to hang me with a mistake during the 2nd week and I took it and made it better. But I like the work; I like my bosses, the owners and more than that I respect what they are trying to do.
So, finally, last week, the lady quits on Friday. Seems all nice-nice. Then we redirect her corporate e-mails to me and man ... she really did NOT like me. So hurtful. And the gentleman in the back says that business is bad because God is punishing the owners for bringing me in. Truly. He said that. Punishing them for their bad and ungodly decisions. You can't make this up, sisters, I'm the plague and pestilence of Kipha Communications ... God's vengeance upon a couple of good men ... We're waiting for the locusts to descend.
I've spent the week trying to undo the damage with this very sincere Christian without getting in his face and yelling "are you crazy???" And asking myself if I misread God's direction. I don't think so.
That being said, on the personal front - We're winding down with school with a very positive note in the education department. Cori is finishing up her required languages this semester with a high B in French; a very mid-level B in Albegra II and A's in all else. She's finally decided upon a course of study and is doing very well in Chemistry (who'da thunk?) so she's taking a Forensics elective next semester. Wish they had that when I was in school! Robin is probably bringing home another Principal's list honor (all A's) and is excited about McConnell Middle. She'll probably do a year there, then attend Heritage Classic with David Still the following year. He's done very well there and I hear will probably only post one B this quarter. Smart guy.
We all worked at Grayson Day and Snellville Days this year and had a great time. Didn't work for the papers or the chambers, just as volunteers for the city and Snellville Days was a blast. David and I directed traffic on Sunday so fulfilled our "bossy" sides for the day. Cori and Robin helped out with the Chamber of Commerce booths and did my shopping for me.
O.K. - enough blogging for one day. I'll have to go through my photos to see what all has happened and update you on the more mundane, but more photogenic, areas of my life.
posted by Gail | 8:38 PM
2 Comments:
Glad I gave you a nudge! ;-)
You have been busy, busy, busy! Sorry for the turmoil at work, but it sounds like you're where you should be. Hang in there and keep blogging!
Geez, guess I'd better get on the ball and update my blog as well (it's been since January!)... Thanks for all the emails and phone calls.... Really do miss you! -- Barb :-)
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