The Worst Day of the Month II - Live Journal

By popular request (ie two people), once again the most stressful (and yet often boring) day of the month will be documented herein, with regular updates.

Last month's journal has been archived, safely tucked away in a Swiss bank, in the interests of avoiding retrograde legal action.

9:30 a.m. - Word on the winds is that Manic Energy will soon be blowing through in full force. So far, we've been sitting around waiting to get corrections so our pages can move forward.

Let me be clear - here, "Corrections" do not fix mistakes. They merely ensure that each page contains a sufficient dose of Manic Energy. Sometimes our "corrections," in fact CREATE mistakes, but that's a side effect rather than a goal.

Funniest thing of the day so far? We are advertising a contest wherein the winner receives a free Mother's Day brunch at a local beanery.
Next step: Call said beanery and see if they want to donate a free brunch to our little contest.

Just so you know - I've had less than 10 hours sleep over the last two nights (baby with cold & reflux = no fun, less sleep) so patience/interest might not be at all time highs.

Still, Homeboy is spinning some Simon & Garfunkel, I've got some Zimmy going...let's try to be optimistic.

Please forward any amusing headlines about South American wines to this address.

9:45 a.m. - It's important to occasionally laugh at your own jokes. I was just reminded of having shifted my name to "Heavy Early" and tittered, oh so slightly. See the "epic" post below about the rationale for this change.

FYI - Heavy Early walked into a wall and dropped his car keys but did NOT spill coffee on himself this morning. No congrats necessary.

10:05 a.m. -
What you say about his company
Is what you say about society
Catch the mist
Catch the myth
Catch the mystery
Catch the drift
M-m-manic Energy is h-h-here.

10:25 a.m. - One pretty easy "correction." Pshaw.
It's important to love your work - even if you're an intern who isn't getting paid.
Even if you are calling 10 different people to fact check their cheesecake prices.

11:40 a.m. - Finally, something has happened. And something entertaining!
As I mentioned last month, we are in a Faustian deal that basically results in us getting free lunches (think pizza, subs) because we're supposed to say at our desks and work, work work.

Someone must be behind or something because we were just told we could actually leave our desks for HALF AN HOUR (let's not into provincial labour law minimums) to get our own lunch. Of course you don't need a degree in theoretical mathetmatics to deduce that this saves The Powers That Be some money with no real downside, so long as work is where it needs to be.

You also don't need a degree in advanced logic to deduce that since, for the last five years, we have been chained to our desks with lunch provided, no one brings lunch and since we would suddenly have to buy our own, that FREE half hour (which we legally have coming to us if we want fresh air or a smoke anyway) ain't such a bargain.

Yeah, you can tell spring is back if you close your eyes and listen to the birds chirping.
"Cheep, cheep, cheap...."

NOON - Here is an editorial lesson I just gleaned.
Do you know what a pull quote is? It's when you're reading an article and a quote is hilighted in bolder text in the middle of the page. As a quasi-journalist, I am authorized to select what I feel is a good pull-quote for a given article, subject to the whims of The Powers That Be.

I just had one changed. I was asked to instead use the last sentence in the article. Of course this sentence is a strong finish but it's also totally undermined by having it be one of the first things the reader sees.

It's a bit like running an investigative pieces on why chickens cross roads and having, in bold text in the middle of the page, "We think it's because they are attracted to the other side of the street."

"Well," you might just think, "I guess I don't need to read the rest of THAT."
And you'd be right.

The point: Not only does the end justify the means - it renders them entirely moot.

Oh, and Insano Girl is disappointed she hasn't appeared here yet (this paragraph does not count). Well, lady, give me some drama, I'll give you some ink.

12:45 p..m. - Pizza.
Gourmet toppings.
A coca cola.
Buuurrrrp.

1:30 p.m. - Nothing is happening. Really, nothing.

3:51 p.m. - The first correction! (Yeah, I know we already did corrections but just because The Powers That Be have already seen the paper, it doesn't mean it's perfect....yet).

Could an actual spasm of work lie in the near future? Time will tell.

4:26 p.m. - The answer? Nope. But soon, soon!

4:58 p.m. - Manic Energy is, um....how to be diplomatic? Let's say "otherwise engaged." And on important matters, no doubt.
In the meantime, we've downshifted from first gear back into neutral.

6:30 p.m. - I have been dismissed. I'm not sure precisely what I've accomplished today...but, man, I am bored. And tired.