The not-really-a-resolution of the Ugly Newsletter Saga is as follows:
We had our group's monthly meeting last night. Committee Chairman wasn't there -- because he's never able to be there, because he lives in Florida, and don't get me started on *why* the fuck someone who lives in Florida is given the responsibility of running a committee in Ohio. Believe me, the whack-assery of that has already been covered in detail.
Anyway. I asked Group President when the Board might approve a design for the newsletter, because it's a lot of work for me to come up with new designs that are totally scrapped.
Group President tells me that he wants something "contemporary," "exciting," and "cutting-edge," not a boring traditional design like the the one I did. And I swear to you that's what he said. Ouch.
First of all, I loathe "contemporary" design, because it usually turns into "messy and chaotic just for the sake of being kooky!", and I just don't swing that way.
Second, maybe if you had actually TOLD ME WHAT YOU WANTED before I spent HOURS designing the "boring" newsletter, I could have attempted something "contemporary" (or my version thereof).
Third, insulting, much?
Fourth, I charge my clients a lot of money to do what I did for you gratis, because I did in fact volunteer. But my volunteering is limited by the amount of free time I have and the amount of bullshit I'm willing to tolerate.
So, I sent an e-mail last night to Committee Chairman and Group President saying (1) I thought my design was good, and other people in the group told me they liked it -- don't our actual members' opinions count for anything?, (2) I'm frustrated and disappointed that I spent so much time on something that's going to be scrapped, (3) if someone had TOLD ME what they wanted BEFORE I spent hours working on it, maybe I could have gone in the direction that they wanted, and (4) you have no respect for me or the job I perform you don't value my creative input -- I really feel like I'm being used strictly for labor, in the sense of you tell me exactly what you want, and I will do the labor necessary to provide that. It wasn't my understanding when I joined the committee that I was going to just provide mindless labor -- I thought that my input was wanted, given that I'm THE ONLY PERSON ON THE COMMITTEE (or Board) WHO DOES THIS SHIT FOR A LIVING.
I haven't gotten any reply yet today, but I strongly suspect that it's going to be a "suck it up and deal" kind of response. At which point I am SO off that committee.
Why on earth anyone would be a dick to someone who is volunteering to do something she's very good at -- indeed, why they would be SUCH a dick that she would quit -- is beyond me. They clearly don't see how that's shooting themselves in the foot.
And at this point, I don't care.
At the meeting last night, The Boy spoke up and said that he liked my design, and thought that simple was good. Group President said, "You HAVE to say that -- she's your girlfriend." The Boy said, "That's really uncalled for, [President] -- I can have an opinion without it being colored by our relationship."
The Boy reiterated that he thinks a clean, simple design is effective, and Group President said to The Boy, "Yeah, but -- what do YOU know about marketing? I mean, look at the way you dress!"
This is the kind of rude asshattery I'm dealing with. And, you know, I ain't getting paid for this, so I don't have to put up with it. I mean, you insult my work, you treat me like a chimp who knows how to type, you insult my boyfriend in front of other people -- you're kidding, right? Kiss my big fat white ass.
I'll wait until I get some sort of e-mail reply from Committee Chair and Group President, but if the replies are just more in this same vein, I'm quitting the damn committee.
I am in SUCH a foul mood today.