Relief. Role Models. Randomness.

1. Relief:

Yesterday, at work, I got an email from my contact at our mailing house, letting me know that an order of envelopes I had ordered had arrived. In a communication style that lacked all emotion, she simply stated the facts:

We just received the 5.875x9.5 envelopes, and these had the addressed admail permit printed on them. The packing slip scan is attached. These packages are to be using live stamps, and we have proceeded with the first class sortation. How would you like us to proceed?

In other words, the order was totally NOT what it should have been. And what was I going to do about it. My whole body slumped when I read her email. I put my head down on my desk and fought despair. Some days all I do is put out little fires/deal with problems. But this wasn't a 'little fire'.  I sent back this reply:

Arrrgh.

I said a bad word in my head.

Will get back to you.
 

 She responded:

I understand. I saw the envelopes and if there was a way to teleport items electronically, I would have sent you some chocolates or ice cream along with my last email.

Hahaha. I work with some of the best reps in the industry.

My next email was to my 'client' (the VP) to let her know we'd hit a snag with the campaign mailing, and to present her with some options.  I let her know that the envelopes were wrong. I owned it. It's my job to order these things and I was JUST SICK wondering how in the world I screwed up. WE HAVE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE so that this sort of thing doesn't happen. It's called the proofing process. NOTHING GETS PRINTED until 4 of us sign off. Yes, it labourous, (is that a word?), but the client, an editor, the designer and myself ALL SIGN OFF before we approve printing.

HOW did the wrong envelopes get printed?

I probably can't copy and paste the contents of our email exchange, but know this. She was gracious. How it happened didn't matter as much as problem solving our next move.

And that's what I love about my job.
The professionalism.

But still.

I was hired because of my attention to details. And wow. That was a detail that got no attention.
Am I slipping?
Am I not as alert as I was a year ago?
Do I spend too much time daydreaming?

I checked my files for the proof to see who all signed off, and I couldn't find it.
Anywhere.

Oh my goodness.
Do I have Alzheimers?
How many places can a person file a proof?

After searching exhaustively for an hour, I emailed our envelope vendor and inquired if they even had sent over a proof.

She said yes. And gave me the date and time.
I had no record of it.
I asked her to resend it.
She did.

The proofs were wrong.
Had I sent in incorrect art files originally?
Oh my goodness.
What a mess.
I should voluntarily quit.

I felt like a loser when I left the office.

(So I went to the Mall, spent 90 seconds and $75 in Sephora, walked up and down a few hills then planned a vacation, so the entire day wasn't a total write off...)

Are you bored with this story yet?
What should I add to make it interesting?
Dancing bears? Car chase? Cute single man? Winning lottery ticket?

Anyway, today was a new day. And we (VP and I) sat together in my office to look at our options.
She was owning the problem too, by the way. We went back to the original project files to see if we didn't clearly communicate the details to the designer.

We had.
And the designer had designed exactly what we needed.
And everyone had signed off on the designs.

And looking back, I had uploaded the correct files to the envelope printing company.
I had sent in the correct files!

But then it all went sideways. They added design elements to our files, randomly. And then printed them without getting approved proofs. And when I discovered that? Relief surged through my blood vessels at such an alarming rate, it tickled. I giggled.

Best feeling ever.
Truly.

It wasn't my fault.
I hadn't been asleep on the job.

Giddy.
With happiness.


It's a beautiful thing not to be at fault.

I floated the rest of the day.

And that? Is relief.

(I'm guessing it's probably about the same level of pure joy as finding out, via a stick you'd just peed on, that you're not unexpectedly pregnant.)

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2. Role Models.

These gals.
Both 72.
Both up for a brand new adventure.
In their case, it was 'going for an airplane ride'.

I was smirking through the first part of it, and then I just started to cry.
Something about this is just too awesome.
I was so happy for them. Their worlds just got bigger. They took a huge chance. Not only going on an airplane, but agreeing to share the experience with a stranger.

I hope I'm up for new adventures when I'm 72.
Will rocket travel be an option then?






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3. Randomness

It was supposed to rain today.
My phone said so.
So did the guys on the radio who woke me up this morning.

So as I was uploading some large print files to an ftp site, I made a list of things to do this evening. I had no plans. I was not seeing anyone for coffee. Was not going to watch a movie. Was not going for a walk. I was going to:

• open my mail. Last time I did this was back in November.
• Hill walking has shrunk a few body parts so I've got clothes, namely anything made of demin, that look awful on me now. I was going to pack those clothes up. And never look at them again.
• Plus I was going to FINALLY learn how to make a play list on Youtube.
• And pay some bills.
• And email some people. About stuff.
• And plan Easter dinner.
• And do some sit ups. 

But that rain?

Never happened. 

Instead, as I sat in the kitchen eating supper at the island, the sun streamed though the window above the sink:

so I went out to the deck and looked north. And there were big fluffy billowing clouds:

Which were pretty, so I decided to go for a walk after all. The tree in front of mom's house:

On the road at the top of the hill. A reward for climbing that slope? (At Christmas time there was a Tuxedo Cake on the side of the road...) Oh the things you see when you look down:

(I didn't take it.)
(I'm sure we have it already.)
I kept walking.


Oh the things you see when you look up:

I was in the process of taking this pic, when my phone buzzed:

Hahaha. 

How random is that?

I am on the overpass taking pics at the exact same time someone I know is driving underneath. 

And that person looks up.

And sees me. 

So. That was fun.

I turned around and headed west and the sky was all cottoncandy-ish:

I felt like I was walking through the inside of great big 3D painting. The colours were just wild. 

Wow. 

Is this the most boring post ever or what?

Know what else is random?

The three songs I've been listening to on repeat all day are:

(Frozen) Let It Go

(Passenger) Let Her Go

(Ross Copperman) Holding On and Letting Go

Haha. 

I had a theme going and just realized it now.

What does it meaaaaan?

Am I supposed to let go of something?

Just kidding. I'm not going to explore that.

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I think that's enough for today.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. September delurked again. Yay. Thanks. And Deb delurked too. Apparently she's been reading since 2007. WHOA. You've been with me through all the shit. And Connie officially delurked. Thanks all of you. Sorry about tonight's rambly, pointless post. :)

2. Beef stew waiting for me when I got home. 

3. I am thankful for the surprisingly fun ways that God answers some of my more outrageous prayers. 

Shalom,

xo