I was talking with my grandfather on the phone last night and one of the few conversations we have is 'what's new'.
Well there's not much new, but as we started talking we discovered that things are pretty busy nonetheless. I have a lot of things on the go, long term, short term, similar time frames and due dates. It's exactly like University, I finish one project only to rush on to something else.
A quick breakdown of what's going on in my world.
1. Mag planning
2. Awards planning
(Sadly these two things have almost identical timelines, which is reallllly frustrating because on their own they're both challenging projects, together they verge on being overwhelming)
3. School
4. Wedding
5. Frisbee
That may not sound like a lot. But look at it in the sense that Numbers 1 and 2 take up the majority of my work day, and a portion of my work night. Number 3 takes up three nights a week, Number 5 takes up two and Number 4 is kind of like the time sprinkles on a no-time sundae. It's something that's always on the go.
Right now I'm trying to deal with things in a very male oriented type of way. One project at a time, completed in its entirety before I move on to something else. Multitasking and me? We talk, but we aren't really friends.
Anyway, pressure release is done, on to the actual work.
Showing posts with label jobby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jobby. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Compromise: Update
We wuz outplayed.
Our plan was to buttonhole the final decision maker on the mag and convince him to run with our current picture.
Unfortunately the other side of the equation waited until my backup was on lunch and ambushed me at my desk and convinced him to support her instead. Actually, my feeling was that he was already pre-disposed to changing it anyway so it might have been a wasted effort on my part to even throw my two cents in.
But throw them in I did, to utterly no avail.
So. This battle is lost, but there will be many more to come. I guarantee.
Our plan was to buttonhole the final decision maker on the mag and convince him to run with our current picture.
Unfortunately the other side of the equation waited until my backup was on lunch and ambushed me at my desk and convinced him to support her instead. Actually, my feeling was that he was already pre-disposed to changing it anyway so it might have been a wasted effort on my part to even throw my two cents in.
But throw them in I did, to utterly no avail.
So. This battle is lost, but there will be many more to come. I guarantee.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Compromise
It's been years since I've had an oppurtunity to be artistic.
That's what's so great about the new jobby. For the first time, in a long time, I get to be creative again.
And one the first lessons my new position has taught me is the art of the compromise. I hate compromise. I do it poorly, which is to say I don't generally do it at all. All of my greatest artistic achievements have been in situations where I've had complete control from top to bottom and my poorest where I've been forced to make decisions by comittee.
Which is exactly in the position I find myself today. The great thing about stickhandling this magazine to print is that I've been left alone to do my own thing. Aside from prefunctory check-ins by manager it's all been up to me. Considering the number of bodies who COULD\SHOULD be overseeing me, at least half a dozen, it's pretty spectacular that I have this kind of freedom. And, I think for the most part, I've absolutely risen to the occasion.
But the problem I'm running into is now that I've brought the mag along about 80% of the way we've reached the review stage. And the review stage is where everyone throws in their two cents, trys to suggest changes, without any idea about how I reached my initial decision in the first place. It's frustating, literally like swimming with sharks. I have to play the political game as all of these individuals are in position of authority over me. So I can't just reflexly nay-say. And, I'll admit it, sometimes a valid point is being made.
And some changes are literally cosmetic and not worth me fighting for.
It's the decisions I feel weaken the mag that are hard to take. I realize it's all subjective. People are trying to make decisions they feel are best for the greater good. But I'm a strong believer in a strong central vision. To many cooks spoil the broth. But even if I flat out disagree, I don't have the authority to make my vision stick.
That's frustrating.
I'm hoping part of it is proving myself. That once I do these and do them well people will start to trust my opinion. But in reality there will always be individuals wanting to stick their oar in and for as long as I do this job I'm going to have pick and choose which battles are worth fighting and which ones are a lost cause.
I don't have to like it but I'm gonna have to learn it.
That's what's so great about the new jobby. For the first time, in a long time, I get to be creative again.
And one the first lessons my new position has taught me is the art of the compromise. I hate compromise. I do it poorly, which is to say I don't generally do it at all. All of my greatest artistic achievements have been in situations where I've had complete control from top to bottom and my poorest where I've been forced to make decisions by comittee.
Which is exactly in the position I find myself today. The great thing about stickhandling this magazine to print is that I've been left alone to do my own thing. Aside from prefunctory check-ins by manager it's all been up to me. Considering the number of bodies who COULD\SHOULD be overseeing me, at least half a dozen, it's pretty spectacular that I have this kind of freedom. And, I think for the most part, I've absolutely risen to the occasion.
But the problem I'm running into is now that I've brought the mag along about 80% of the way we've reached the review stage. And the review stage is where everyone throws in their two cents, trys to suggest changes, without any idea about how I reached my initial decision in the first place. It's frustating, literally like swimming with sharks. I have to play the political game as all of these individuals are in position of authority over me. So I can't just reflexly nay-say. And, I'll admit it, sometimes a valid point is being made.
And some changes are literally cosmetic and not worth me fighting for.
It's the decisions I feel weaken the mag that are hard to take. I realize it's all subjective. People are trying to make decisions they feel are best for the greater good. But I'm a strong believer in a strong central vision. To many cooks spoil the broth. But even if I flat out disagree, I don't have the authority to make my vision stick.
That's frustrating.
I'm hoping part of it is proving myself. That once I do these and do them well people will start to trust my opinion. But in reality there will always be individuals wanting to stick their oar in and for as long as I do this job I'm going to have pick and choose which battles are worth fighting and which ones are a lost cause.
I don't have to like it but I'm gonna have to learn it.
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