Monday's are for Sucka's

So needless to say this Monday sucked a big one. If you are friends with me on facebook you may have gotten a chuckle from my status update. Chuck Norris would be proud. A swift roundhouse to the face will shut anyone up! Normally I don't talk shop on here, but I can't help it today. I'm kinda having a Jerry Maguire "Mission Statement" kind of day. I will apologize before hand for giving you a one way ticket to negative town with this posting.

It was my department's first day with out our fearless leader, and as the stars and planets align, and as the forces that be, I'm the only person in the PR and MKT department with seniority (mind you, I've only been at my current job for a year and eight months, at least that is what linkedin.com tells me based on my profile). I honestly can't believe I've lasted in Cleveland that long. I've always wanted to move to a different city in a Whitney from "The City" type of way and make it big and become a bad ass designer. Well in some way I guess I have made a design dent in this so called thing called work and well, I guess I can go on the record and say I'm kinda a big deal ... at least in Painesville, Ohio. I find it amazing how much can change in a year, especially with in a organization. I often wonder how long it takes an established organization to realize that the decisions that they make create a domino effect that has lasting impressions on it, not only with the people that work for it, but the people it serves, it's identity, and mission.

I had a meeting today, ok like five meetings today, but my last one of the day really put a sour taste in my mouth ... an no I wasn't eating sour patch kids during it so we can rule that out as a factor. So, I'm in this meeting, go over the project at hand, changes, concerns, time lines, blah, blah, blah. Well to make a long story short, I have tomorrow off, and the lady heading up the project was concerned I wasn't going to be checking my email and forwarding the proper information on to the outside designer if she got it to me by tomorrow, which I will be on the road most of the day. She said she would be checking her email through the holiday because she checks her email all the time. My question is ... when do people stop working? I tried to convey to the lady that I can't guarantee that the printer will even be in service over the holiday ... and why you ask ... BECAUSE IT'S A HOLIDAY AND PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO TIME OFF FROM WORKING ON OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK! I love how everyone thinks their project is more important than the next, and that I should sacrifice time with my family and friends, who I sacrificed for a job that is 4.5 hours away from them and only get to see every so often, to do more work for them. Um hello, the last time I checked that is what vacation days and floating holidays are for ... vacation from projects, deadlines, e-mails, questions....

Now I know what it is like to work over the holidays. I'm a veteran of the Broadcasting world and have worked Thanksgiving, New Years and New Years Eve, July 4, Labor Day, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Columbus Day, Grandparent's Day, Mother's Day, Father's day, Flag Day, Pirate Day...the list is endless. I'm no stranger to hard work, putting in a little extra time when needed along with a side of elbow grease, to go above the call of duty with the tasks at hand, but I'm only one person, two hands and eight hours a day. My "concern" with all this is when is enough, enough. When do people step back and look at their life and realize that this thing called work, isn't what life is about.

I will say by far, this year has been a trying year for me. Between finding out my Grandma had breast cancer (and is now in remission), starting up my side business (Emilie Nerl Graphic Design - launches in December 2009), love life woes, work drama, new additions to the family, new friends and reconnecting with old ones, developing a vintageish jewelry line ... I will say there is never a dull moment, and I must commend myself on still standing after all this with a smile on my face (ok maybe one of my eyebrows is raised and I have the "oh no you didn't" head tilt going on).

So this crappy day not only blew out any positivity that I had going this morning but it always reflected in my poor choices of meal options, well at least for dinner it did.

Breakfast

Bowl of honey nut cheerios

Lunch

Everything Bagel with light butter and the remaining pasta from last night's dinner and a glass of Crystal Light ice tea

Snacks

nada

Dinner

Here's the heart attack waiting to happen ... Chicken McNuggets (6 piece) and a medium fry with a coke. Yeah not proud of it, but hey at least they love to see me smile.

Workout

Nada...I worked out Monday thru Sunday (anywhere between an hour and 1.5 hours), and plan on getting up at the ass crack tomorrow to work out before hitting the road. I'm entitled to my off day!