Blogging from the ER... what dedication, huh? As my son lies on a bed next to me, watching TV and having a breathing treatment, I am writing in my notebook. I will type it into my blog when I get home and settled tonight. I'm committed to 365 days of blogging this year, after all. No skimping.
It's been an emergency kind of day. 7:40 am: my boyfriends FedEx package from England containing his medication is held up in customs. 9:20 am: my studio partner quits with six days until rent is due. 10:30 am: pick up my son from school because he isn't breathing well. 4:00 pm: my Mom can't take the kids to dance after all because something came up. 8:30 pm: my son needs to go to the ER because his allergies are kicking his ass. In between all of those times: deal with those things and try to get anything done on today's to-do list.
Rough day. As bad as it sounds, though, things get handled and it's not much different than a lot of workdays can be. Graphic design emergencies happen all the time. Seriously. Many days there are "I-need-this-graphic-design-right-away-or-my-company-will-be-in-ruins" interruptions, along with unplanned revisions and a project I just can't say no to even if it means doing it in the middle of the night. There is a constant juggling, day after day, that never lets me finish my to-do list. Of course, I get more done than just what's on my list too, so maybe I'm getting ahead, maybe I'm right on track, or then again maybe I'm behind.
It all averages out in the end. If everyone's real needs get met, if my commitments are honored, if quality work turns out, I'm happy. After all, it's not the White House or a hospital. It's just advertising. They really aren't "graphic design emergencies" because somehow even though there isn't enough time to do it the first time, there is always time to RE-do it if there's a mistake. Plan, be proactive, then handle the rest as it comes.
Besides, I'll make up for it at midnight.
Astonishing. You poor girl - I trust everything worked out OK in the end. Isn't it interesting how in your case, emergencies are often a part of the client's poor planning? I wonder how many emergencies at the WH and the ER are because of people's PPP?
ReplyDeleteGood, honest blog.
Yes everything is OK thank you. You're right, poor planning is a common cause ... and worse, many of those clients don't pay immediately. Not exactly fair, eh?
ReplyDeleteI agree, good point about ER emergencies ... lack of proactive health treatment ... and I can only imagine what's going on in the WH. Scary. LOL.
Great post! At work, where we design instructional materials, we try to remind ourselves that we're not creating rocket ships, that we're not producing things that will harm people if we mess up with a tiny tiny element. We have to remember to not take ourselves too seriously....
ReplyDeleteExactly Aaron! It's crazy how immediate people think their needs are. Technology, instant gratification, ADD and an inflated sense of self-importance are little buggers.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you Jessi on Day 3. And through all of this life stuff happening, which reminds us to be ever so flexible. As I've always said, sleep is overrated.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon, I totally agree about sleep! We're artists though, so I think that's just how we roll. :)
ReplyDeletelol - what? you've never heard of an emergency brochure?
ReplyDeletehaha Wendy ... and you used to work in the "White House" with me! (I know it's yellow, but I always used to say they acted like it things were so important it didn't matter how late people worked, etc.
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