Renovations

I recieved a phone call during my Thanksgiving vacation from my apartment manager. The units above me and directly next to me have been having problems with their water. (We've all been there.) My manager notifies me, as always that workers will be entering the apartment to work on the pipes. I say OK and think nothing of it.

So, I came home from Thanksgiving Vacation and this is what I find:

Yes, that's my bathroom. Yes, the wall is being covered by construction paper. Yes, that's a garbage bag covering the shower side of the wall. Yes, it looks like a 3rd grade class decided to do an art project on my bathroom wall.

You know what's funny....I guess being so stressed out about work, my bathroom almost feels like an after thought. I mean, everyday, there's more than three companies announcing layoffs. All the functions of the bathroom work - toilet, sink, shower, etc. It's more like an eyesore if anything. I followed up with my apt. manager this morning and she's waiting on the Apt. company to give the go ahead to fix the bathroom. With all the uncertainty out there in the working world, I haven't had even had time to worry about the bathroom that works, but is not so cute to look at. That'll just wait on the back burner. For, now.

I'm really behind...

So, I had no idea you could email blogs. I'm so five years behind everyone else. I was just telling my mother during Thanksgiving that she would feel less weary about the internet if she took some classes on just basic usage. My library offers classes like that. But, now thinking about it, maybe I should take an application course. Either that, or I am not on the internet long enough.

Courtesy Calls

Like most people......I have a cell phone with call ID. And "like some people" when a call comes in from a number I don't recognize, I usually don't answer it thinking that it's proabably a telemarketer, someone with the wrong number or even just someone I don't want to speak to. A few nights ago at approximately 930pm, my cell phone rings. I find this particularly pecular becuase I'm not expecting a phone call after 9pm. I don't currently have a boyfriend, and usually my friends would give me a heads up if they could speak or email me until late. Immediately, I think it's an emergency involving my parents or family. I check the number. It's an area code I don't recoginize. I decide to let the call go to voicemail. No message is left.

5 minutes later, another phone call. I check the number and this time the call ID is blocked. I think about answering, but I let it go to voicemail. I think to myself (and maybe this isn't right), but whoever this is, if they want to hear from me, they'll leave a voicemail. No message left.

10 minutes later, another phone call, and it's almost 10pm. Now, I'm starting to get annoyed. If it were the police it would be a 310 or a 213 or a 323 area code. Or even a 916 area code for my parents in Sacramento. But this time, it's a friend named Marty. It's almost 10pm, and if Marty wants to talk to me, he can call at a reasonable hour and leave a voice message. This is not an appropriate time to call. It's a school night for crying out loud! No message left.

10 minutes later, another phone call. I've had it! It's past 10pm, and this is cutting into the Season Finale of South Park. The person on the other end of this phone better be happy that I have a DVR. I pick up the phone and here's the conversation:

Me: Hello?
Random Girl: Hi, is this Kathy?
Me: yes.
RG: Are you and Marty dating?
Me: excuse me? No, Marty and I are not dating.
RG: oh, well I saw your phone number in his cell phone and I thought you guys were dating.
Me: oh, I'm sorry, who is this?
RG: oh, this is his ex-wife.

(End Call - 1 minute)

Marty called two minutes later (and yes I picked up), and explained that the woman on the phone was not his ex-wife, it was his current girlfriend and she get's jealous. She went through his cell phone and started calling random girls in his phone.

So let me get this straight, based on nothing more than my phone number being in your boyfriend's cell phone, you assume we're dating. Nice work Sherlock Holmes.

Next time you want to pretend you are a 14 year old jealous little high school girl, could you at least call me between the hours of 9am and 5pm to accuse me of dating your boyfriend. It's not so much the content of the conversation that makes me pissed. I don't ask for much and maybe I'm just prudent. But, when did people with all this vast technology (email, cell phones, etc.) forget that other people have lives and deserve just a little courtesy. Is a little courtesy just so much to ask for?

Motherly Advice

While my company experienced it's fourth round of layoffs and restructuring on Friday, I did what most people would do. I went to my parent for wisdom and advice. My dad has been very fortunate to work for the state government in a division that has not experienced layoffs and still enjoys his work. I wonder how many people right now can really say that they have stability and really enjoy their job still. My mom works at a Ross stores near their home in Sacramento and she mainly does this just to have something to do. I call my parents every Sunday to catch up with them.

I catch my dad up to the fourth restructuring. He isn't surprised, we've gone through it three other times. And not to mention, he is educated, watches the news and reads the newspaper (not so much internet, he's old fashioned.) My dad's advice, is to keep chipping away, and if I have a job, just do what I can to hang on to it. "It's going to get worst before it get's any better," is his exact words.

I catch my mom up to the fourth restructuring. She isn't surprised either. In the past, her advise has been to keep just doing my best and good things will come to me. However, this time she our conversation is different:

"I know you don't do this very often, but I think you should pray," she says.
"OK mom, we've gone through this like eighteen times, I'm not religious, and I'm not sure people being laid off are going to turn me to the church again," I say.
"No," she says, "On your way to work every day I think you should just say a few words to God, no one will hear you. Ask God to help you meet a man that can help guide you. Just a few words."
"uh, is that somewhere in the Old Testament?" I say. My mom never really got my sarcasm.
"You know, just a few words to God. Ask Him, to help you meet a man to love you and help you through this time."

I end the call with a "I'll consider that." My mom has given me some "interesting" (to say the least) advice over the almost 30 years that I have been her daughter. So in honor of my mom's and her colorful advice, maybe I will ask God to give me the strength to be more attractive to men.

Maybe I'll just stick to my dad's advice. I sounds less crazy.

-Kathy

Layoffs, perhaps....

It's been a tough year for in advertising for spot television. I walked into 2008 with a positive outlook. This year was supposed to have been better than 2007 and even stronger than 2006. Even with the promise of Olympics and political dollars, consumer confidence is not where it was this time last year. Advertisers are not spending money on television. Forecasting projections are that television advertising will fall 10-15% in 2009. All of which has left us with massive downsizing and much like the rest of the country, layoffs have become eminent. Yesterday, my manager and one of our sales assistant's were laid off. The economics of it, is that we already have one manager and because the Los Angeles office has down sized so much, that there is no need for another. We are essentially eliminated dualism. But on the other token, she was a great manager, I learn much from her, and she will be missed. I'm not sure why the sales assistant was laid off. That is a mystery to make that doesn't make sense. Nevertheless, they will both be missed.


With 2009's advertising forecast looking so grim, I wonder if this layoff will prevent other layoffs. Perhaps yes. Unfortunately, the operative word is "perhaps." There is no sure thing anymore. Which sadly, I have heard too much in 2008. No definite answers until the decision had already been made. Too many half truths, and weak strategy. Loss of employee confidence and loss of client confidence.


I try and look at the bright side. It's easy to be miserable especially in Los Angeles. Everyone is so over the top and dramatic. A product of the industry. I'm sad to admit that it sometimes rubs off on you. I have a job when so many do not. I consider myself fortunate that I have my health and I'm not living on the street. We should all be so lucky. (Especially since the wildfires in Yorba Linda and Sylmar have burned down hundreds of homes as I type right now).

-Kathy