AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

**morea** · 03-24-2005, 06:12 AM

My boss thinks that starbursts and Comic Sans are a good idea. I will join you in the meds and straight jacket. [img]/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/cheers.gif[/img]

We are one, our cause us one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed. ~ Frederick Douglass

Ulysses · 03-24-2005, 06:40 AM

Straight Jackets ... must be a place where us creative folk can buy them? that'd scare annoying clients and staff when you run into the office, barking and foaming at the mouth. You could then ensure the place is evacuated, to give you some peace and quiet to get on with things.

BigNameClient · 03-24-2005, 07:59 AM

OMG! All that and no Ipod!?!? Why don't you just get the f' out of there?!

Post Edited (BigNameClient) : 3/24/2005 4:02:00 AM GMT

reuber1 · 03-24-2005, 08:10 AM

Ulysses said...
Straight Jackets ... must be a place where us creative folk can buy them? that'd scare annoying clients and staff when you run into the office, barking and foaming at the mouth. You could then ensure the place is evacuated, to give you some peace and quiet to get on with things.

Man that would rule. Ever notice how much more you can get done when you aren't constantly monitored?

"Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, Marijuana, Ecstasy and Alcohol..."
"Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, Marijuana, Ecstasy and Alcohol..."

D-Zine · 03-24-2005, 08:32 AM

Thats actually too many freakin forms, and you can't check your email whenever?? That truly is messed up!! I couldn't work there. Nope. I feel ya on the publications...I know what thats like but they are screwed up. You could have a real website and link a PDF of the magazine too, thats what we do. I don't get bosses sometimes.

Good luck and get the hell outta there

'No more yanky my wanky! The donga need food!!' - heh

Bob · 03-24-2005, 09:16 AM

I've got a boss who routinely looks to forms and job documentation/tracking as the solution to any production problem. Including overloading the designers. If I filled out everything I was supposed to fill out in order to get something out the door on time... I'd probably never get anything out the door on time.

But this new style of management isn't restricted to graphic work. It's becoming epidemic as more and more places replace clerical and administrative staff with 'helpful' software surrogates like project management software, and billing/docket systems that are 90% overkill. I find it very difficult to balance increasing clerical demands with increasing production demands and maintain any sort of room for creative. I for one always made a point of showing my appreciation for the clerical admin staff (when we had some). I admire the skill and organizational temperament that it takes to do that stuff-- especially as it frees me up to do what I am trained to do best.

Maybe it's because I started when the whole field was full of specialists-- camera operators, sep houses, camera operators, typesetters, filmstrippers, rendering artists----and that's just the pure production side! Over the years, the technology has replaced or rolled those specialities into basically one person, or tried to. And now they want us to be our own production managers and accountants (we lost those just this last year).

I think a lot of this is a result of the kind of management we're seeing today. Compare the young MBA grads with the 'worked their way up from the shop floor' types of the past. I believe that there is more emphasis on theory than practice these days. And theory is where generalists generally thrive. But the trouble with general ideas is that they result in generally mediocre performance and low innovation. That and a general disconnection from the reality of production. Which might be what's behind their over-reliance on 'empowering' the staff with solving the problems on their own. Right. That translate into more administrative overhead like more reports, more memos, more forms. Or as someone here said, 'Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!!!'

Ever wonder where it'll be 10 years from now?

Post Edited (Broacher) : 3/24/2005 5:20:09 AM GMT

Ulysses · 03-24-2005, 09:42 AM

Broacher said...
...I believe that there is more emphasis on theory than practice these days...But the trouble with general ideas is that they result in ... disconnection from the reality of production. Which might be what's behind their over-reliance on 'empowering' the staff with solving the problems on their own.

Brochure ... very good points there. I'm always trying to get more people to realise that, there are many business's out there today, that are plain and simply ... ill-run. Many people seem to think that business's know what they're doing simply because they're a business, but I suspect (as you pointed out broacher) ... that they're run on new and unproven (in the real world) theories to attract investment, and not much else.

The result; a poorly realised product and/or service. The only thing I can't work out, is how growing consumer rights, doesn't help the situation any!?

Jay McLaughlin · 03-24-2005, 12:26 PM

The main issue with all the forms is that my boss is overly paranoid about being sued and doesn't trust ANYONE! If a fax comes in with a text change, I have to put it in her tray and wait until she's seen it before I can action it, just so that she knows exactly what's going on. All post gets opened by her whether it's addressed to her or not.... even (as I found out this week) if it's marked 'strictly private and confidential'!!!

I guess it's just the way that society has changed. We live in an age where people won't hesitate to sue someone for even the smallest mistake.

One of the funniest things is that I'm not supposed to fiddle with any images that come in. If my boss knew that on 99% of the photos I get sent I at least adjust the levels, I'd be straight out the door!

Ulysses · 03-24-2005, 12:31 PM

Jay McLaughlin said...
All post gets opened by her whether it's addressed to her or not

That, is plain and simply ... illegal.

Jay McLaughlin · 03-24-2005, 12:37 PM

Her argument is that it's her company and therefore she can do it. The funny thing is that she actually blamed me as I didn't tell her I was expecting some post.

defjoe · 03-24-2005, 06:15 PM

do you work for florida Magazine cause I swearthis sounds familiar

'I will become the most powerful Jedi ever!'
'I'm the damn designer, bitches!'

Check out my indie comic book!
www.assassinsguild.net/

Patrick Shannon · 03-24-2005, 06:28 PM

> I'm not allowed my ipod at work either

I've never got this obsession with work's problem with headphones, and to a lesser degree, music in general. Maybe I'd get it if you're working in the public eye (a Wal-Mart cashier probably shouldn't be listening to an iPod while working the register), but it makes absolutely no sense to not allow them when you're not in the public eye.

In my first year here after the original 5GB iPod came out, I brought it to work all the time. Then mein fuhrer said I couldn't listen to it anymore, because I wouldn't be able to hear them when they talked. (Funny, he was telling me this from my desk that sits about ten feet away from the printing press and other noisy folding machines and copiers). Right around this time was when I started to get fed up with his crap and started becoming defiant and standing up for myself. So I brought the iPod again and he said something to the effect that 'I thought I told you not to bring it.' My reply was something like 'I do your work, you can allow me this small liberty' (can't remember exactly). He hasn't bothered me about the iPod since, and on one or two occasions asked what kind of music I liked listening to. As a compromise, I wear only one of the earphones so I can hear them talk or the phones ring.

If I didn't have the music, then I wouldn't get as much done, not to mention I would go postal. Also I listen to the O&A show on XM radio a lot, and considering you can say/do whatever you want on that format, that kind of content is something you don't want to broadcast out loud.

Patrick Shannon

'Dear valued customer, go home and die. Signed, your friendly graphic artist.'

My War With Culture
Political incorrectness reinvented.

idaho · 03-24-2005, 09:25 PM

Jay,

Sounds like your boss is one seriously paranoid whack-job. That's way too much paperwork. Your productivity must be poo. Stand up to her and tell her what you think.

And it is illegal for her to open your mail whether she owns the business or not!

-Idaho
'You want it when? Ok, no problem. Excuse me while I pull the magic wand out of my ass!'

**Allen Harkleroad** · 03-24-2005, 09:35 PM

Let's see, Drug the boss with thorazine and he/she will nod and agree to everyting (put it in his coffee, the more the better) then have yourself a nice combo of lithium and prozac, that and a couple shots of tequila. At that point you won't care what happens. Man that sucks big time, forms, forms are only as good as the person that designed them.......... (think of the IRS after reading that).

Allen

Allen Harkleroad

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment