THOSE people at work...

So this one example of someone who bothers me at work has been on my mind for awhile, and I can't forget to write about it now!

This came on a day that I was particularly frustrated, stressed out, freaking out. I didn't get a lunch break, barely had time for a pee break. And this chick comes in the bathroom with another blond and says "I thought I would be rich by now"

2nd blond says "You just graduated, what were you expecting?"

1st blond "I know, but I'm just a lucky person anyway. I get a lot of things other people don't. Like I've been the tenth caller on a radio show..."

I got out of the stall, holding back bursting out laughing, and she saw me and said "Hey! We're going to get lotto tickets!"

I was fuming! I don't even get a lunch break and this bitch is getting lotto tickets because she's so dumb she thinks she's a lucky charm!?

My day: 9a - Start work 12p - No lunch break, food on the fly 6-7p - Lucky if I get to leave

Her day: 11a - Start 'work' 1p-4p - Lunch with clients (yeah, they last that long!) 5p - Leave work to go to industry party, drink too much booze, overtly flirt with the clients, come hungover for work the next morning.

And I'm pretty sure the sales' girls get paid more than I do.

Just as an example of how my days go; because there are so many retarded things, it's hard to keep track; I've been bugging my supervisor to order me some business cards. I don't even care if they don't have my name on it. A generic company card would be fine.

I have a Portfolio review tonight and tomorrow to recruit interns, and I need these cards. I have been in several situations where I don't have a business card, and it's embarrassing! So I said fuck it, I'll make them myself.

I put my title as "Studio Manager/Production Assistant". The Exec. Producer came by and said, No, that's not it, change it. Now it reads "Assistant Producer / Studio Manager". That made me feel good, until...

A music producer at the other company was paging accounting, but kept pushing random numbers and saying "Hello? Hellooooo?!" There was an echo of this all around the studio, and I was yelling at no one "Where are you calling" running back and forth to every phone it sounded like he paged.

Finally I got ahold of him, he was trying to find a guy in accounting, and I told him the number.

He said "I know, but he wasn't there, so then I tried to find the receptionist lady...uh...Jess..."

I was completely offended, especially after I had made my new business card and when this guy has known me for over 2 years. I said, "I am not the receptionist." He said a quick sorry and hung up.

Later he came down to apologize, so I gave him my card and showed him my title. I said I was going to go to a Portfolio Review tonight and I needed them. He said, "Ooooh, portfolio? That's what it's called? Is it at a club?" I was like, uh no, it's for potential interns, it's at a school!!!!

He asked me where it was located. I'm afraid he might show up. But he won't stay long, as there won't be any booze.

On top of that, I'm all proud of my cards that I made. My supervisor saw them over my shoulder and started in on them "Oh, I should really give you the template I have. The text needs to be uniform, " (it was) "and there will be spillage, don't put anything too close to the edge, and those aren't the right size..."

I copied the thing as damn close as I could to yours! If you have a problem with MY card, then why don't you get off your ass and make me one already!!!! Sheesh!

Not all Charity is Good

I try to volunteer here and there. I am a member of NY Cares, and I give blood every now and then...gotta do so more often however!

I found this organization, not sure if I should mention it here. But it fights for the most essential necessity in life : water. They provide water in third world countries. I actually found out about it while watching online TV, so I'm not like a diehard fanatic or anything (I met one of those last night).

Every year they have a huge event to raise money for the charity, and it has attracted a lot of celebrities and inappropriately wealthy people. I thought I was lucky to be apart of it, but the atmosphere didn't feel as if we were doing charity work, it was a lot of flashy items, videos and lights so these not-so celebrities would shell out their money. I think the originality of the organization is great, but I think that the people who are giving only do so to make themselves look good. I'd rather actually do something, help someone, rather than throw my money around and brag about how good I am.

Needless to say, the event was lame. Luckily I found some people who shared in my joy of making fun of people's outfits, which I can attest that when you have money, it doesn't always mean you can buy style! I worked at a donation table, I could have chosen anywhere since I was on reserve and floating around, but they didn't make an effort to put me anywhere, so I felt useless.

People kept putting their drinks and trash on our donation table! It was so infuriating. This one woman set her drink down, didn't say anything like, I'll be back, or whatever and I was on a roll so I scooped it up and threw it in the trash.

Five minutes later she came back and said "I set my drink down right here." I acted as if I didn't know what she meant, hadn't seen it. I looked at the other two volunteers, wondering if they would sell me out. They looked just as dumbfounded as I felt. But I quickly switched that and said "Oh, there are people going around picking up trash. They must have thought your drink was trash."

She was mad. "That is bullshit!" she said "I know one of you three threw it out!"

I wasn't going to argue with her and put the other volunteers in an awkward place.

I said "Oh, well would you like me to get you another drink?" In my most forced sweet but sour sarcastic tone.

She was a bit thrown on the sudden change, but said she wanted a vodka tonic. I went to get her one, bitching the whole way.

When I gave the new drink to her, I did so making sure she knew it was a big inconvenience to me. Then I whipped out our sign, shoved it in her face, and said in a sickly sweet way "Would you like to DONATE?!"

She scoffed and walked away with her bitch friend in toe. Oooooh, that was the whole night summed up. Now I am torn. I enjoy this charity and would love to continue with it because it is doing so much good in third world countries. Although, I really don't think I can face these artificial people. They're putting themselves out there to look good, not do good. That's not what I'm about. And unfortunately, I probably won't continue with this charity. And it's too bad.

Total BS

My job consists on everyone in the office to rely on me. That's great in the sense that I feel needed and worth something.

However, when it gets down to "Will you dial the phone for me? Jess, could you go to the next room to get my iPhone? JJ, could you wipe my ass for me?" That's it!

It's bad enough everyone is so dependent on me, but when I can't go to the bathroom because no one is willing to turn around and cover me for a minute, forget it. I'm going to blow a fuse!

I was able to get out of the office on Tuesday for a huge shoot. It was amazing, so much fun, I was there with fun people, and people I actually know! I made the mistake of going back to the office when we were done at 4p, you know, just to check my email, and then go home.

Big mistake! I had to pick up all the pieces my interns left for me. And then I was made to feel guilty for leaving the office like I wasn't doing my job. Everyone here gets a little leeway in when they come in, as long as their work gets done, but I am chained to this title.

What put me over the edge today was that even though the person who helps me with phones, wasn't in, there were like 10 people who could have helped me. I do everything for these people and they cant fucking answer the phone for the 2 minutes while I take a piss! They're all so selfish and can't lift a fucking finger. I'm so fed up, and I'm PMSing!

It's been a stressful week, and I've lost it on several occasions. I don't hate my job or the people, but when they don't think about the things they do or say, it bothers me to the core.

Oh, and I'll be in the office on Sunday the whole day. It's a shoot and I don't have to do much. I get a free lunch and a hundred bucks, so I'm trying not to complain!

Birthdays at Work

I hate them.

Absolutely hate them.

Here's how it goes. I'm the one who has to organize them, and of course not everyone tells me when their birthday is, so sometimes we'll have a big thing for one person and somebody complains later that they didn't have a celebration on their birthday.

Usually it's a chaotic dash to whatever bakery is closest or cheapest or takes Amex. Then it's all about the planning, what time should we do it? When everyone is not working? That will never happen! So someone is always left out of that.

Luckily we have two offices so we can hide the cake in one while we distract the unsuspecting victim. But the gathering of two offices is so ridiculous!

Today was an independent editor's birthday, who has been editing for a good 3 months straight, coming in at noonish working til 5 in the morning. He spent his summer shooting in Lithuania and Poland. He has a deadline for the end of this month and said he wasn't doing anything for his birthday. Boo hoo, any excuse for office cake, we'll take it!

I had an anxiety attack trying to get the two offices together (no one from the other office ever gets there on time even though it's one floor away and I give them several reminders: We're celebrating a birthday in an hour! Festivities in 20! Everyone be down here in 10 min! Cake in 5 people!)

Then it's the timing. And the editor today was pushing it! He kept coming out at random times and I didn't want him to ruin his own surprise! The guys were watching the Phillies game and he kept looking out to see the score, so I had to motion to people what to do, and everyone just stood there like "wah?"

Finally, got everyone rounded up, and had to make something up to tell the editor. "Hey, there are leftovers in the fridge, I don't know whose they are, can you come check?" He totally knew what was going on because he just smiled when I said this (I've said it many times before and he's given me attitude about them not being his leftovers).

There's always the awkward "Happy Birthday to Youuuuuu!" Anyone watch The Office? Hilarious! And then who cuts the cake? In this case, it was me. I'm not kidding, it was too much excitement for me! I was shaking! And flushed! Seems a bit dramatic, I know. But I hate being responsible for surprises, birthdays, or anything fun that later if it turns bad, people can blame on me! "We ruined the good surprise on YOU!" Anyone? Name that movie!

The good thing I've learned, if everything else sucks, you better have some damn good cake that trumps it all. Luckily I did! It was a Peanut Butter Cup cheesecake pie thing with bits of peanuts and caramel in hard crumb shell. Amazing! And people were thanking me more than saying Happy Birthday. Boo yeah!

I need to lie down.

Arrogant Little....!

All through college I dealt with pompous student filmmakers who always bent the rules and thought no consequences applied to them, because they were expressing themselves through the art of film.

Give me a break! It's all self-serving and obnoxious!

It gets worse when these attitudes approach the "real world", especially when they haven't even graduated, or left their comfy nest of self-absorption, and think that their third year thesis film is worth being put on imdb.com!

This is all true about a recent intern I had. He came in for only two days, for five hours each, and this is what he wrote to me:

Jessica -

I want to inform you that unfortunately I won't be able to continue my internship with The Station.

Based on my first week, I strongly feel that The Station is not the right fit for me. My point of taking an internship was to get an intensive first hand experience with a working production company. Unfortunately I don't feel like I was learning anything more than taking lunch orders and further did not see a future for me there.

There is nothing that needs to be done on your part. My school will take care of everything and allow me to change to a different company next week.

Thank you for understanding.

Best,

Now I know I have to be professional, but this is what I want to write:

Hi Joe,

I'm sorry you feel that way, and I'm disappointed that you didn't give us a real chance. Here at The Station, especially with an internship, we believe you need to earn the right to work on projects that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. With the small tasks we give the interns, we build up that privilege. I don't think 5 hours a day for 2 days a week is enough for anyone to get an intensive first hand experience. That's what an internship is, you have to take the bad with the good and learn from it. Unfortunately, commercial production is not a business for everyone. Good luck in finding something that fits your needs. Thank you for your time.

Jessica

I REEEEEALLLY want to be a bitch and knock this prick down a notch. But alas, I can't. I can send him bad vibes and hope someone else knocks him around a bit for me.

Bus Buddy

A few months ago I noticed this guy on my bus route, and it got to the point that we both frequented the same bus stop that we started talking. He was nice enough, but has this strange look about him. He seems a bit cold and abrupt when he talks, and he has a creepy wide eyed look, but he's also pretty young. I found out he was married, so I'm not worried that he's hitting on me...

I haven't seen him in a couple months, and it wasn't a big deal, but then today I saw him and we waited for the bus together. He usually gets off before me, but today he saw that he had already missed his train and decided to stay on. So we awkwardly sat next to each other for the whole ride and I felt obligated to come up with conversations. He doesn't continue them, so there were a lot of awkward silences.

On the subway we rode all the way in to the city, which takes about a half hour, just trying to come up with topics. I kept thinking, I shouldn't give this guy too much info on where I work or where I'm moving to or anything. But I guess stalkers have a way of finding that info out.

Am I just paranoid or should I be more cautious when talking to strangers?

Just something new

So I'm not traveling, my job isn't all too thrilling, but I like to talk about random things.

Things I do, things I see other people doing, things I hear about, things I want to try out.

I also like to ask questions and hear other people's answers.

I've had a couple diaries before, and I think I still have a blog from freshman year of college floating out there online. I hope to use this one to write down random thoughts I have, and start discussions with other people.

I'm tired of the same old "How are you?" "Good." Great.

Tell me something new!