fifth business

Its pretty bad when your boss says something like “the designers here know nothing, so come on in” within earshot of both junior designers and he doesnt even bother to talk  in a lower tone. I almost dont want to go to work tomorrow

In other news earlier in the week they said they were going to start cutting back my hours. If I am going to be trashed talked (or what appears to be trashed) I am almost glad to have my hours cut. Not only that but one of them has taken up looking over my shoulder constantly and he doesnt seem to get why I dont like it. He wants me to be productive while hawk eyeing me. Last time I checked that never reaps productivity.

My personal business cards came in and I have been leaving them at establishments around the city in hopes of client getting. I also joined up with another studio to help get my name out there.

Ive been working with my NFP a bit, but Ive found out they were paying a design firm 100/hr but are unwilling to pay me my reduced NFP rate. I may cut them off if I dont get taken seriously soon.

I still Vehemently hate my period. The day I come off my pill all shit hits the fan. I can feel it coming, and no matter how logically I try to handle situations, or talk myself out of over reacting. Nothing. Nada. Not doing. I become paranoid, insecure, easily offended. I’ve read that it can be likened to withdrawl symptoms, and of that I have no doubt. I collapsed on my living room floor today crying and dry heaving for half an hour over something that didnt warrant it. Or if it does, it doesnt yet because nothing has actually happened. I then spent the rest of the day on pins and needles trying not to set myself off. I havent actually been able to finish any movies (happy or sad ending) because they all make me cry like a child. I can wait for this week to be over, and I am so glad its only a four day week, with a day off in the middle.

I am very good at what I do. I am very efficient at what I do. Graphic design is not just inputting data into a machine and pressing go. It is more than just tracing images (not trying a low shot today), or slapping copy righted/premade images together. It takes skill. It also takes respect. So when a client attempts to disrespect me, I dont take it to heart. I just put all of the work in my trash bin.

A woman sent in a request for cards at the begining of september. That morning I finished the cards and emailed proofs back to her. I didnt hear from her, work has said not to chase after clients so I didnt call her, infact I just forgot about her. When you deal with any where from 8-16 clients in a day its pretty easy to forget about people who never respond to your email.

She calls at the end of september demanding to know where her cards are. I search my email for her name, and our data base and let her know that I sent the proofs the day she ordered them. ‘Well she never got it’, and it somehow becomes my fault because she is just too busy to chase after her cards so why didnt I call her. I tell her the exact same thing, that dealing with more than a dozen clients in a day, five days a week is just as hectic, and seeing as she was the one to purchase the cards she should have been the one asking sooner where her product was. ‘Well you still should have called me’.

I send them again she receives it, approves them, I send them to print. The print shop does them in the order they are received so hers do not go out as soon as she would like. She calls again with ‘where are my cards’ we track them down and have them driven over by one of the shops employees while I am on the phone with her. She is requesting discounts for having to wait so long for them. To get her to shut up and get off the phone with her I say “I will ask the boss” knowing full well he will say no.

Last week I received an email stating that she would “accept a very large discount on her next order”. I enjoyed telling her, no way no how. We charge 69.99 for 2000 cards, thats a wholesale price on cards. Any cheaper and I wouldnt be eating cookies right now. Well shedoesnt like this and tried to make us feel bad with “I guess I will just go to my regular printer who has just as good prices andI wont have to wait weeks to get my product”

I responded with a “delete”.

Some days I really hate clients