I wrote this post last night because today, I’m working with a team from 10-6.
It’s for a project I’m really excited about (The Copy Cure, coming Spring 2015!) but I’m not excited about working 10-6. I get anxiety the night before. How will I get up early enough to have the morning I want, which takes at least 3 hours?
I hate rushing.
I hate going places I’m supposed to go.
I hate worrying about when I’m going to get some exercise.
I hate not having the luxury to spend hours not reading the paper.
Not reading the paper, but thinking I still will, is my favorite part of the morning.
Every time I do this, I wonder, how do office people do it?
Am I missing a special work-all-day chip?
How did I ever hold down a job?
And then I remember, oh yeah – I didn’t. I always let my starting time creep from 9 to 10 to 11:30 to “So-and-so wants to see you in her office.”
So that’s all for today.
Because I have to go to bed, and because there’s a horrible anti-smoking ad on that I’m so done with, featuring a lady who has one of those plastic things jutting out of her neck, the troll voice, and a messed up face. Her face looks like a favorite cardigan I had the summer I stayed with a family in Spain. It was just like Wally’s letterman sweater on Leave It To Beaver, except it had moth holes in it.
My host mother thought it looked like a poor person’s sweater and brought shame on the town, so while I was off making out with cute Spanish boys (and truly bringing shame on the town), she sewed the sweater holes up, so it was all puckered and uneven.
That’s what the lady’s face looks like in the smoking ad, in case you were about to enjoy a cigarette.
See how I get off track and rattled when I have to get up early?
Pray for me.
Now you.
Can you handle a full-day work schedule, or does it torture you?
TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS.
Night night. I mean have a great day.
When I read this post 11 days ago, I thought, “I’ve got to respond to this.” But I didn’t have the time. It’s the 9:30-5:30 job that prevented me from writing sooner. I often don’t get there until 10, but I also rarely leave at 5:30. The hardest part about a full time job is how much time and energy it takes. And with two people in a household working full time, it’s hard to get all of the other stuff done that one needs to do. Even the bare minimum – shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry. Never mind the other stuff – reading the paper, exercise, connecting with one’s spouse, family and friends, etc. etc. And then there is shopping for clothes – I have no idea how people find the time. People who work fulltime and get it all done are a mystery to me. I have to believe that they don’t have any need for down time and/or a full night of sleep every night.
And then there is facebook. I realized a while ago that I didn’t have the time and energy to go on facebook very often.
Don’t get me wrong – I like working and I like my job. I just think working part-time would be way more sane.
I think this post might go under the category of rant!
Hello Witty, Talented Copywriting Goddess,
That’s you Laura. It’s official.
I am so sorry I have been away. I missed you! Lest you think I have abandoned you for another artist…I thought I better chime in.
First, forgive me, I was in Oscar worthy sleepless anxiety mode for the last two weeks, because…surely the week before is not enough angst let alone the night before for my website photo shoot.
My photographer, a friend of yours Laura, the brilliant and darling Christa Meola and her team–Jerry, Griselle and Erica were taking up all my mind space and email energy. Unbeknownst to Christa, in my mind she is now MY Photographer for when my biz tops the charts rendering it essential for me to have an entourage team round me to make me look and sound brilliant. You are there too. Marie will have to share. Besides, I need you more than her.
The shoot went really well, I believe, and if not Mr. Photoshop can help me, I pray. (See you are not the only one praying). He is a constant companion too in my future fantasy. You’ll like him. He’s very popular these days.
Now for the good stuff….this post is newly one of my favorites. You keep writing new ones that knock off my last favorite.
I completely relate to this post, so much so, I wondered are you secretly me?
Oh wait, that is me secretly wanting to be you…brilliantly writing gem posts even when knackered and anxious about 10-6PM teamwork.
I can’t handle the time thing either. I get there a half hour early or late. I can’t seem to do the ‘just right’ thing when it comes to time.
Same with 9-5. I couldn’t do it. It’s against my religion. So I worked 8AM – 7:30PM because once the 9-5er’s came into the office, I couldn’t get anything done unless they were not there to interrupt me. Constantly.
You make me laugh even when I have no clue about your 80’s childhood references. Now that is talent! I don’t even have to Google, I just find them hilarious.
Hey, the whole time thing is man made anyway right? I’m a woman…don’t box me in! I will get there when I get there, though I will kindly call to give you an ETA, which will be optimistically 5 minutes off. Okay 10…there’s traffic. Or the guy driving in front of me is going 20 mph in a 40mph (with clear speed signs every 10 feet) in CT. What Manhattan is now 25mph?
When you discover the all-day-work-chip please sign me up….I was born without that too. Here’e my new daily affirmation: “Life loves me and takes care of me.” So I’m letting Life handle it! Mayhap “Life” is my true husband’s nickname? He can do the 9-5, baby.
Still a raving fan, just may be quiet in the comments for sudden long periods here and there as I secretly devour your words and try to keep up with…Life.
I’m right there, Laura. Anything with an exact time on it like that totally messes up my week. First I get all stressed about it and can’t do anything or function at all, then the actual thing takes up the allotted time, and then I have to unwind and decompress. @_@
Right? So stressful. “Get here when you get here” are my favorite words to hear.
I was fine with office work until I realized I’d rather be writing full-time but since that doesn’t pay my bills (at least not yet) I have to work in an office. It’s nothing like the hours I worked when I was at the law firm (no place has hours like law firms), but I dread being in the office when I can be working on that endless collection of short stories.
I didn’t know you were a writer, Janet. You go! My hat (were I to wear one) is off to anyone who works a full-time office job and has anything left in them to write.
The best, and only cure that I’ve found for 10 – 6 (well, really it was 8 – 6…ok, maybe 7:30 – 6 because I liked to be the first in the office because I’m just one of those kinds of people) is RETIREMENT. I highly recommend it and now that I’ve taken the plunge, I never even get out of bed before 8…except this morning it was more like 7, and truthfully yesterday was 6:45 because I just couldn’t sleep and then there were the couple of mornings that I really wanted to get started on some stuff so I got up at 6 and then….well, you get the idea.
Trust me, I am SOLD on the retirement thing. Who are these people who never want to retire? I don’t get them.
I don’t get you either, getting up at 6. But the rest of it, I see you, Sam.
MONDAY MORNING: Wow, a whole week ahead, & lots to do.
TUESDAY MORNING: Whoops, what happened to Monday? Now to today.
WEDNESDAY MORNING: Wow, it’s Wednesday. Half a week shot, and nothing done yet.
That’s amazing, Dad! Who knew weeks were hereditary? I have the exact same one you do.
Oops I forgot to subscribe to replies 🙂
I replied!
Hello all and thanks for the post! I work the dreaded 8am to 5pm job plus I own 2 businesses on the side that my husband and I are working together. All in all I work over 215 hours per month…..probably much more given the time I spend marketing our other businesses. I too love to procrastinate!!!! I am looking forward to the copycure! I have been on the list for a few months now so go do your thing so I can learn a ton and lose this 8-5 bah humbug schedule 🙂
Later Gator!
You are so much more woman than I am! 8-5. How. And side jobs, too?
You’re going to make it happen. You’ve got that “do-er” gene.
10-6!!! I wish!!! I have such jealousy of “rush hour”. Whenever I leave work at that time which is almost never I am always surprised at all the people on the train. How do they get jobs that let them leave at the time???
On the issue of what the “chip” is — (1) not being talented enough not to have an office job; (2) needing to work in a group atmosphere including having a work husband and a work wife in order to be productive and not be depressed; (3) EVELYN, my life’s blessing of an assistant; (4) otherwise I would never shower; (5) not being near a refrigerator all day; and (6) being around people smarter than me who can help me think through issues.
Victoria I don’t know you but you’ve written the reply I was trying to phrase but wouldn’t have as well. What she said.
Victoria, you’re talented enough to do just about anything, unless it involves mail. Because you’re even worse at that than I am.
You do need that group atmosphere, though. I kinda miss it, but not enough to leave the house in the morning.
Best line ever:
“Not reading the paper, but thinking I still will, is my favorite part of the morning.”
Because only someone who truly enjoys the fine art of procrastination can really appreciate the depth of meaning in that statement.
Working with a creative team on a project is one of the best ways that I can think of to spend the day– 10-6, set hours, or not.
Enjoy! The Copy Cure sounds like it’s going to me amazing!
It is going to be amazing, Lane. You should sign up for the emails. I write them, and they’re excellent. You can spend the morning pretending you’re going to read them.
Wait. I did signed up in the very beginning. Are there regular emails going out that I’m not aware of???
*sign
You should’ve gotten 5 by now, I think. Did you get the fart sock email?