ABANDON SHIP!!!

More news from the advertising world...

It looks like the "computer team" (I use the term loosely) from my old advertising agency is jumping before it's too late. Probably a good idea since the agency has cut their 401K plan, and health insurance is soon to follow. Before you know it they will convince some poor saps out of college to pay the company to work there!

You know, I remember Monday Morning Meetings when I would make suggestions - like diversifying account types or pushing internet marketing - would get me laughed at. Heaven forbid that any company spread their talent to ensure they can keep their doors open. I should have said, "Hey - why don't we put all of our eggs into one basket and live on the idea that it's sort-of worked the last 28 years..." Hell - I would have been promoted for that kind of forward thinking!

My heart aches for my friends who are still there - hanging on to their employment as much as they can with the hope that their loyalty will be rewarded if things turn around. For their sake I hope the incompetent jerks in upper-management (yeah, you - that master's degree means jack shit right about now) get their act together and really do some creative collective thinking.

Okay here's an idea (since I know some of the managers still read my blog)... Why not give the employees who are still there a share in the company? Give them ownership in the success of the business. ALL business. When things turn around - let them be part of the success (PROFITS TOO). Fuck that $50 cash at the Holiday Party - let them have potential to earn a REAL bonus (like $500 *gasp*). If they leave while things are still bad - they simply lose their shares (which are re-distributed to their replacement or to remaining employees). If they hang in there for a turn-around, track profits and give them the option to cash out a portion every year. To keep employees motivated - STOP giving bonuses to the managers only. You see, minions at the bottom of the "feeding pond" lose motivation when they are told about managers bonuses (which The Boss and The Biscuit shared amount info with me when I was there). Employees see their hard work being rewarded to managers (who go golfing on work days and spend more time gossiping than being productive).

Emptiness

My family isn't big into superstition - but there are a few quirks that I picked up honestly via traditions. The one that has come to mind recently is that things happen in 3's.

My grandmother had 2 sets of plates. One formal wear that we used a LOT, and a crappy cheap set that collected dust at the back of a China hutch. On the rare occasion that a nice piece of dinnerware was dropped and broken - she would open up the hutch and grab 2 of the crummy plates and break them right away. The idea was that things happen in 3's and the best way to complete the cycle was to be proactive... and not bother ruining 3 nice dinner plates to fate but simply follow up the first broken one with 2 of the cheap ones.

It kind of makes some sense to me, but that was dinnerware and I don't know how to stop bad things from happening in 3's when they are bigger.

Tuesday last week we found out my niece has cancer. Wednesday night a dear friend of ours was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Friday my husband got bad news about work and may have to tell people their jobs are no-more.

I cried a LOT last week. By the weekend I was exhausted. Today I'm just trying to get my head straight so I don't forget to pay some bills/feed some pets/tell someone "I Love You". I know this emptiness will eventually pass... but this feeling is still difficult to deal with.