Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Busy Like A...

Like a what? Why does everyone always say "Bee"? Bees are pre-programmed to be busy, doing busy work. I wouldn't exactly call what I do "busy work". Yes, I am busy DOING my work, but it is always keeping me on my toes. Things can ebb and flow and the tide can change at any given moment. One minute, I am bored out of my skull and the next I am so busy that my desk looks like a filing system organized by a three year old.

There's a lot of thanklessness in the position I am in. Not so much from the clients, but from the management. Fortunately, I can lay my head down at night knowing that I did a good job. However, words of encouragement tend to motivate people, and sometimes a simple "Good Job" or a "Thank You" would suffice. The funny thing is that the management has been heard "thanking" those who are more pretty, or younger, or who have bigger boobs. Yup, I said it. And now it's out there. I'm not saying this person didn't deserve an enthusiastic "Great job" for a flyer she spent the better half of the day on (when my 12 year old could have whipped it out in about twenty minutes), but I am saying that the preferential treatment is a sight to behold.

As are the boobs.

I wonder if my husband will get me that boob job now.

Monday, March 06, 2006

It's The Little Things

I am a very visual person. It's a fact that most people find surprising about me because of my creative ability. And my creative ability usually entails the ability to visualize things in your head before putting them into reality. I am not one of those people who can go at something with no forethought and come out with a Picasso.

I tend to need to see something before I can quantify it. Take, for example, when I am reading a book. I can visualize the characters, visualize the setting. I have to, or else the mainstay of the story fades quickly and I lose interest. I can do this irregardless of whether or not the author has done a good job with the visual alliteration. I'll even sometimes change what the author wants me to see, if only because it makes more sense in my head.

I am an event planner. I plan parties, showers, and weddings. I will talk with my clients and doodle, sketch and make notes as I am talking with them. I draw out what they are saying to me, so that there is not much room for error. Sometimes I am completely off-base. However, 90% of the time, I am right on.

Take for example this weekend. I met with a mother planning her daughter's baby shower. As we stood in the room, talking about what she wanted where, I was sketching it on my pad. She took one look at it, and said, Yes! That's it!

I also met with a couple planning their wedding. I mentioned things to them that they hadn't thought of (which completely amazes me, considering my own OCD and control issues, but that's fodder for another blog), and one of them turns to me and says "You should do this professionally."

Cue the crickets chirping in the stunned silence.

I thought I was doing this professionally. I mean, I get a paycheck every two weeks. I plan and replan and plan again. I check and double-check every little detail. I may not be J-Lo with the headset and the apron full of pharmaceuticals, but I still do this professionally.

So I went home with a sense of accomplishment on Saturday. I had upgraded the Baby Shower, and booked a nice little wedding. I told my husband about the comment and he just chuckled and said "Well, maybe it's a springboard for something you can do as your own business!" Just what I needed to hear. Then he high-fived me.

He so gets me.