A job that I want

I'm starting to think that the higher up the TV ladder you get the more you get paid but the less you actually do.

Take for example our show that we are making right now.

Episode 1 was in the edit for 4 weeks. The Edit Producer and the Editor put in many hours and even worked weekends and eventually came out with a fantastic end product.

The Commissioner came in, viewed the show and said "I don't like it".

He decided that he wants something different.

So for him we have to push the edits back. Spend more money on the Editor and the Edit Producer and generally all be at panic stations as the schedule and the budget have to be reworked.

Basically that tosser spent 48 minutes watching the show and then has turned out lives completely upside down.

It is the poor Editor who now has to work many more hours to get the show into the state that he wants it. The Editor has to work his butt off and desperately try and make it perfect for some man to come in - spend 48 minutes yet again watching and then nod or shake his head.

And he gets paid thousands for that.

Damn I want that job.

Out of hiding

Sorry I've been AWOL for a couple of days. We had a bank holiday here on Monday so no work and then yesterday I spent almost 4 hours at the Accident and Emergency clinic due to a climbing injury I incurred over the weekend.

Not worry - all is fine. I just managed to strain my calf muscle and can't walk properly. Jailbait is extremely worried as we were supposed to go away again this weekend and keeps phoning me in panic regarding this.

Personally I think my ability to walk is more important than him missing a climbing trip.

What you think?

My boss isn't too keen on the idea of me climbing at all.

Miss M: It isn't that bad, I just can't walk properly.

Gay Manager: Miss M you are banned from climbing for the next two months, I don't think I could survive without you!

I suppose that is quite a compliment isn't it? However it won't stop me from climbing! As soon as this leg is better and I'm back up and running I will conquer that 30 metre wall that eluded me this weekend.

Yes I know, I'm insane.

I almost throttled a Director today.

He kicked up a fuss about having to stop by the office to collect a piece of camera kit on his way back to the location up north this afternoon.

Director: Snide tone I just really love doing your job on my day off Miss M

Miss M: Very slowly What do you mean "doing my job?"

Director: Having to collect and deliver things

Miss M: Pissed off tone Well I'm not going to (location) and you are so we thought we'd save ourselves £85 by getting you to quickly stop by here before getting on your train. Is there a problem?

Director: Sulky tone I just don't like being made to feel like a lackey.

A LACKEY? IS THAT WHAT HE THINKS I AM?

I don't understand why so many Directors act like spoilt children.

And are way too full of themselves for their own good.

So busy I might explode

My day has been absurd.

I think that I average between 60-80 emails a day and these are not random spam or entertainment emails (those would push it up well over 100) but emails asking my for my assistance or informing me of a change in something.

At the moment I am juggling 4 different edits and let me tell you the multi tasking is going to be the death of me.

They all are demanding my attention. I don't know who to prioritise. I get to my desk in the mornings and there are already about 10 emails from all 4 edits urgently needing something. The first 2 hours of my day were spent sorting that out whilst a 100 other things piled up to be done. I get on top of one thing and it is just another thing that they need.

Hot Edit Producer and I had a minor falling out today. Well in my head.

He is one of those people who needs their hand held for everything and I was not having the day to do so.

I mean seriously.

He emails me to find out if certain rushes are in his Avid.

In order to find out I have to

1) Call the post production co-ordinator
2) Who then calls the Machine Room
3) Who then have to speak to the person who did the transfer
4) Who then has to call up the post production co-ordinator to tell her if they have been done
5) Who then has to call me
6) Who then has to call Hot Editor Producer

We could avoid all of this if HE JUST LOOKED IN HIS AVID RUSHES BIN IN THE FIRST PLACE!

But for some reason he is not capable of doing so and needs 4 million other people to assist him with this.

Seriously.

He is NOT my favourite person at the moment considering that this has happen about 5 times today.

Anyone for a pastry?

Well I'm not too sure how things are progressing with Hot Edit Producer but today seemed fairly productive along those lines.

Email Conversations

Hi Miss M

Hope alls well up on the 9th. Are you missing me? Do you know where ... (yadda yadda blah blah work stuff)

Hi Hot Edit Producer

Oh yes – missing you lots. The 9th floor is empty without you. Lunch sometime? Hows the edit going? I’m on the case – give me 20

Miss M

Edits going okay, just lots to do and not enough time! Lunch sometime would be good.

So hopefully we'll be having a hot lunch date soon.

Conversation at a further point in the day

Miss M pops round to his edit with the pretense of checking everything is fine

Hot Edit Producer: Aah Miss M, you just missed the pastries!

Miss M: Oh no I didn't, Married Producer next door always keeps them for me and I get them when I come visit. He takes care of me you see. Naughty grin

Hot Edit Producer: Is that so? Well tomorrow I promise I'll keep some aside for you - you'll have to come and get them

Oh there is a lot more I'd like to come and get other than pastries!

So dear readers, 1 x lunch date and he's saving me pastries. That sounds like progress right?

On the negative side I might start getting really fat if everyone is saving me pastries ...

I'm tired just thinking about it

I swear that I have the most hard working Series Producer in Television but also the most insane.

Don't get me wrong, she is an absolutely lovely woman and I do adore working for her but she makes me feel as if I slack like there is no tomorrow. (Well to be totally honest with you I do do the bare minimum at times ...)

I left the office 15 minutes earlier than usual yesterday because I was literally falling asleep at my desk from exhaustion due to my climbing weekend. I got in this morning at 0958am and had 22 emails in my inbox! About 90% are from her and were all sent between the hours of 1750pm and 1207am.

Yes ladies and gentleman my crazy Series Producer was still sending emails at 1207am.

At 1001am this morning she calls my mobile

Miss M: Hello Workaholic, I hope you're feeling better today. (She lost her voice yesterday - perhaps that was the reason for the masses of emails?)

Workaholic: A bit better thanks. I'm just on my way in, running a bit late. Can I please talk you through who is coming to the viewings next week?

She then proceeded to go through the stories from the show and who was coming with her to the viewings which aren't happen for another week for 10 minutes.

Miss M: Great (total pointless conversation) I'll see you when I get in

Miss M heads off to make some coffee.

Now people I swear she wandered in 3 minutes later.

The woman phoned me up to tell me she was running 14 minutes late and proceeded to talk me through things that could wait like 5 DAYS AT LEAST!

I do love the woman but she is a total workaholic.

I hope I never turn into her.

Update and some plugging

This is a shameless plug but I like to do my bit for new and entertaining blogs.

I don't know if you all remember my friend Miss P and her entertaining story about working in Sudan.

Well she has been bitten by the blog bug and has decided to start her own one. I do hope that you all go and check it out - I promise she is great fun!

5th World Adventures

So it is Friday and I am bouncing off the walls with a lovely sugar rush from some absolutely delicious Carrot cake that Edit Producer made me get at lunch time.

Yes ladies and gentleman I managed to go and get lunch with him. Granted I did ask if I could take a wander with him but he didn't say no and we had a fantastic conversation throughout the 30 minutes.

Some more light hearted flirting has been going on but I must admit that I am in agreement with Kyknoord's comment and would rather he asked me out.

I wonder if that is going to happen?

Well he is moving down into our Edit on the 1st floor on Monday morning so might have to continue this flirting on an email basis but I promise that by the end of the 3 weeks I will have gone out for a drink with him even if it kills me!

After he actually made me do some work for him

Miss M: Aaawww Edit Producer you're no fun I swear.

Edit Producer: Oh Miss M I promise I am! Just not when I have so much work to do! But I promise I can be fun!

Miss M: Well when will that be then?

Edit Producer: Well we'll see how the first week of the edit goes shall we?

I should take lunch more often ..

Miss M walks back into the office after her extended lunch break (A girl has to get her legs waxed SOMETIME you know!)

Edit Producer: Takes off his headphones and looks up from the computer Oh Miss M you're back! Where've you been?

Miss M: I actually took lunch today. Smiles coyly Why did you miss me?

Edit Producer: Of course, it was completely silent here. I didn't know what to do!

Miss M: Are you saying I talk a lot?

Edit Producer: Yup.

Miss M: Gasps

Edit Producer: Hey, it's a compliment. Smiles at me

Aaah we love this boy.

Seriously. Can I please keep him?

Beep Miss M doesn't work here anymore

Do you know what frustrates me about being at the same company for long periods of time? It is the fact that nothing ever fully disappears and it is constantly coming back to bite you in the arse.

The show that I was working on last year between August and December has been hassling me for the past couple of days. But I mean it isn't even for anything serious, it is for stupid small things that other people messed up and now are bringing back to blame on me.

Phone rings

Miss M: Hello Miss M speaking

New Person: Hi Miss M, (Line Producer) told me to give you a shout. She was just wondering if you could remember the people you sent out the DVD box set to last year?

Miss M: Panicked pause - I'm supposed to remember this shit?? Hi, I'm not 100% certain I'll take a look to see if I made a list

New Person: That would be fab!

Yes because I definitely made a list of something that I did in December last year!!! I'm not THAT organised people!

Next favourite mission

Email pings into my mailbox

Hey hey hey Miss M

Boring work question - do you know where the key to the wardrobe cupboard for (name of last years show) is? (Line Manager) is asking for it


hey hey hey hey hey Fellow Co-ordinator

You've got to be kidding right? Last time I saw that was last year in December when I finished working and handed everything over to you and (other colleague). Perhaps we could break in?

Gar this show is going to drive me mental. I think that I get bothered about once a week regarding things I have no recollection of.

I mean I can barely remember last week let alone 5/6 months ago??!?!?!!?

See if I moved on to another company I wouldn't have to deal with this. They wouldn't track me down.

P.s: He has really pretty lips. I keep watching them when he talks. This could get dangerous. He's promised to find me apple lucozade before he moves down into the Edit on Monday because I am obsessed with the stuff.

Why aren't you a cutie!

I'm such a perve.

There is a new delicious new Edit Producer who started working with us yesterday sitting opposite me. I have taken to staring at him with a puppy dog expression on my face and I think he might bust me soon.

That'll be embarrassing.

I've been doing the usual information hunt about him - you know casually drop things into the conversation to find out whether or not he has a girlfriend, where he lives, how old he is etc. I feel slightly stalkerish but hey it's all in good fun.

I've also made it clear that I don't have a boyfriend.

Miss M: I also can't wait to see the new Sex and the City Film

Amazingly Hot Edit Producer: Oh man I can't stand that show!

Miss M: Oh come on, that is an excellent show! I think I've watched every single episode!

Amazingly Hot Edit Producer: I suppose you also subject your boyfriend to it don't you?

Miss M: Oh I don't have a boyfriend. But if I did I definitely wouldn't make him watch that!

See what I did there? Not only did I inform him I was single BUT I also informed him that I wouldn't force him to watch Sex and the City with me.

I'm so clever.

But seriously. He is absolutely delicious.

Can I have him?

Someone forgot their happy pills ...

I do love catching a Development junkie when they are having an off day.

Usually our conversations go along the line of this:

Miss M: Hey dude, hows work?

Development Junkie: Said in the most upbeat voice you can imagine Absolutely brilliant. We're working on some amazing new shows!

Miss M: Oh really? Good to hear

Development Junkie: They are going to WONDERFUL on TV, the commissioners are going to get their socks knocked off!

This gone on for some time whilst they blow their own horn about how brilliant they are.

Friday was different.

I think I encountered one when he was just having the worst day possible. Or he was disillusioned with his own brilliance

Miss M: Hey dude, how you doing today?

Development Junkie: Monotone voice I'm ok

Miss M: Hows development going? Got any good new shows on the go?

Development Junkie: Some good shit, some bad shit - basically just shit.

Well I wasn't expected THAT!

Good to have someone be honest for a change though isn't it?

Dr. Pepper and Meme's

The awful, mean and gorgeous Blonde Blogshell tagged me in a meme today.

We all know how much I love those.

I'm debating whether or not to actually do it. My one half says "DO NOT SUCCUMB TO IT MISS M" and my other half is going "Well it isn't as if you had anything interesting to write about today so why not just do it? What's the worst that can happen?"

Aah that reminds me of the truly terrible Dr. Pepper advert that is on English TV. The catchphrase is "Doctor Pepper, what's the worst that can happen?" Seriously? What's worst that can happen when I drink your brand? Do you REALLY want me to be thinking that when I'm looking for a drink? I'm sure that is dragging your sales right up there!

Yes, yes, yes I know The Meme.

1.) Answer the Question.

2.) Tag people.

If a Genie arrived one day and told you: "You have 3 wishes..use them wisely."

What would you wish for?

Well that is quite a lot of pressure for a little girl like me! What would I wish for?

1) I'd wish for a million wishes.

After that it would be fair game.

I mean I'd wish for the usual: cure for cancer, cure for AIDS, end of world poverty, blah blah - you know the usual.

But I'm sure I'd throw in some curve balls like

1) For all the hair on my old boss's (whom I dislike intensely) body to fall out
2) For the bugger who stole my seat on the tube last night to develop piles so he can't sit down for a week
3) For the girl who sits around the corner from me who's voice is so loud that it reverberates through my skull when she is having a conversation to suddenly lose the ability to speak for months

What can I say, I'm going to be screwed with Karma.

P.s Blondie

I was going to tag people BUT YOU TOOK EVERYONE WHO'D DO IT!

The day after The Bank Holiday

Waking up this morning was a trial. My eyes were glued shut and did NOT want to open. The funny thing is that I woke up at 0730 yesterday morning quite easily even though I didn't have to be awake. This morning my alarm went off at 0800 and I just couldn't do it. Do you think it is a mental block towards going to work?

Luckily today is another gorgeous day in London and my view out onto the river Thames was just so enticing that I went and met The Queen of Melodrama for lunch on The South Bank in the sunshine. Beautiful.

Work is work. It plods on slowly. Today was exceptionally boring but lots of stuff to do.

I really do pity those people who think that my job is glamorous. Today is one of those days where it is just a tedious office job. Right now some builders are drilling something into the floor above me and I think that my head is going to explode.

The glamour.

I did find out one thing today that has upset me greatly.

The amazing show I was supposed to be working on this year but got held back as they didn't have a presenter has been brought back! But I can't work on it now as I am contracted to this horribly boring show that I'm working on at the moment.

THE TORTURE!

I so wanted to work on the other show.

It would have been glamorous!

There were famous names linked to it!

Oh well. I'm sure I am not on it for a reason.

Whatever that might be.

*sulks*

Happiness is

It's a bank holiday today in England. I haven't been at work since Thursday. It's wonderful.

I'm heading off to the park to go and play on a slackline with Jailbait in about an hour.

The sun is out.

London is pretty.

Aaah I love it.

Once upon a time ...

The day dawned grey and damp. I woke up, showered, dressed and ate my breakfast in silence. The trip into the office was it's usual slow self with hundreds of vacant faces staring into the oblivion that is our morning tube ride.

The rain was coming down in sheets around me as I finally managed to reach the office, my hair was plastered to my face and I thought to myself that this day should really already be over because it was not shaping up to be a fantastic one.

I managed to make it through the first half of the day hanging onto the scraps of my sanity but then I decided that it was time to take a moment to contemplate the horror of the day.

I walked down the stairs to the 1st floor, across the bridge to the far end of the building and stood in front of a white the door.

Contemplation Room said the small unassuming sign on the door. I opened it and slowly walked in.

Five mixed and matched couches were spread across the small room. The window had a view of the beautiful parking lot. Painted on the far white wall was a black arrow pointing up to a small black box.

The middle of the room sported a blue board covered in carpet.

I stood staring for a bit.

I sat down and contemplated the room.

It wasn't quite what I expected.

So I went to grab some lunch and have a drink.

Suddenly the day seem doable.