(no subject)

*stabbity*

What part of "That's line 8, a roll over line from line 1, so I do not know the actual number for it - but take my word for it, the number you are quoting is probably right, but XXX company, which used to be at that number and our line 8 IS NO LONGER THERE." was confusing? (Okay, so most of it was. But when said in pieces over and over and over...every other person calling gets it, why can't you?)

I'm not doing well with folks who don't believe me over the phone today. Lupe from India called again and is being irritating. He just doesn't want to take no for an answer, even though we're a company of 17 people with NO desire to outsource to another country. We don't even HAVE clients in another country. We barely have clients outside of the freakin' state!

*sigh*

And will people stop putting crap on my desk? No one wants to go to the free screening of Underworld Evolution. Why the hell does it need to stay up here?

(no subject)

American Idol

As we're gearing up for Greensboro next week (and you do all realize I'm insisting that everyone watch that one, just because it's my town and never gets on TV so show me some love, right? *g*), I was watching last night's episode at work (at lunch).

It made me realize something. Idol serves two segments of the population, which is why southerners (and I think midwesterners would benefit for the same reason) win this thing.

It serves folks that have talent but live in locations or for financial reasons can't get to the places where stars are made. Those folks can't necessarily make it to L.A. to live to try and make it when they're working hard to just survive in a cheaper location. Some have connections or people in the family that are talented, so they've cultivated their talent, but the opportunity to display it to the "right people" just isn't there. Atlanta is developing as a cultural center and is going a long way to providing an opportunity for artists in the South, but Nashville has proved that there's only so far one city can support an industry.

On another note, I think Idol also serves the portion who have raw talent but just don't have the opportunities for help developing the talent. They might not get as far, but they learn something from the process. Any of them can learn from the process, even those with tons of experience, but it's the really raw ones who have the most to learn if they listen. (I'm thinking of Garrett the Cowboy in this case. He was wee and cute and unlike others who have some basic talent but need work, you could tell he would be willing to listen and honestly would cherish the experience, no matter how far he got.)

(no subject)

I may scream.

1. We want to send a document to a client (something we do ALL THE TIME), so let's convert it to a PDF! WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT'S HOLY, WHY!

2. My PC does not convert to PDF. Must send to Mac. Mac promptly changes font. Also changes page breaks.

3. Spreadsheet must also go to client. PDF doesn't want to do page breaks right (why does the art director ask me these things?). Much gnashing of teeth.

4. Boss wants date on spreadsheet. Date IS on spreadsheet. It's called a footer! But we're emailing these, so the printable version can't BE the version that's pulled up. Because they can't see the footer on screen!

5. Boss gets emailed the documents, in original Word/Excel form. (I flatly stated we couldn't do what they wanted.) She has the bright idea to email the documents from her computer to the Mac woman. Because THAT will magically fix the font/page break issues.

6. All goes to hell in a handbasket.

7. Finally, boss settles on Word/Excel documents and goes to email them. Oh! But we must look at them first! Which promptly means, since she has a Mac, that they do wonky things and open funny and somehow it's a conspiracy I started so I must fix it.

The important thing to note here? If we had done it the way we always do it and she sent it without opening it (since the documents are fine as is), then this would have been a 15 minute process instead of one that took 2 hours.