From: J Date: 19 August 2002 11:47 To: S Subject: Now what do I do here.
Sorry, I got cut off yesterday. So I’ll keep blathering on about myself. My job is going great. I’ve got the backlog down to a week and hope to get it back to 3 days by next week and I’m gradually finding my way around Toorak for lunch breaks. It’s a bit weird, there are lots of second-rate TV personalities (saw one today, she used to be on Neighbours. She was the school principal who couldn’t accept that her own son was dyslexic. She had a rather severe black hairdo and thin face.) and HEAPS of OAP’s, but that’s OK. It’s different to my last job. There, lunchtime was always “who am I gonna go with?” Here, it’s more “where shall I go?” There’s lots of lovely shopping around here too, not that I’m buying anything. Saving like Jesus, I am.
This job really is quite good. I missed editing, you know. And this is much more fun than CPD editing – that was all jargon. This is quite specific stuff, but it’s actually written to be read instead of referred to, so it’s much better to work on
Whadda I do? Well, the main part seems to be the Newsletter. It’s 28 pages, about 50% advertising, so around 7,000 words a month. The copy comes in from contributors, but you have to do a fair bit of chasing. I think I might be a bit more hard-arsed about it than me predecessors . I, oddly enough, get shitty when something is THREE WEEKS late. But I have to be diplomatic, these people ARE doing it for free.
But, there’s also the website. I have upload new text onto it. It’s in Lotus Notes (apparently they had no choice in the matter – the ISP demanded they use it) and Frank, the CEO, is gonna be showing me how it works today. Good Lord he works hard – he was at meeting of the Council Executive until 10.30 st night. Originally I was going to have to be at those meetings, but they changed the role around a bit. Good overtime, but I think I might go nuts.
And speaking of overtime, I’m getting some next weekend. They’re having this massive convention in Southbank and we’re all getting a go at sitting in some booth, directing traffic or something. The money’s good, and the Good Almighty knows I need it. I tell you Sis, I have CRAVING. I crave consumer goods. I’ve been very restrained so far, haven’t really bought anything, but by the weakness vested in me, I sure do want to. I keep making lists of things that I want, and the lists keep getting longer. Bah, what I need to do is read a good Commie book, make me feel bad for being a capitalist stooge.
Anyway, gotta get to work. Hope you’re well. Write me.
J
I often wonder what it was that brought about the consumerist/capitalistic society of todays world, where too much is somehow never enough.
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I know what you mean, I find consumerism, marketing, the ‘must have’ mentality fascinating and scary at the same time.
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