We get the small company thing all the time too. But the bottom line is we end up doing all kinds of things that the big boys wouldn't consider without contracts for extras. The service level for the $ just doesn't compare.

My new business cards came! They look great! (Yes, I needed them for the trip I leave for tomorrow. But I got them in time! I'm totally organized!) Anyway, I figured here was a place I could be dorkily excited about new business cards.

I like them a lot better than the last round. They're simple, clean, they use my truncated name. They include my image, but it's a goofy fun memorable image. The whole thing is just much more consistent with my branding. There's less information on there, but I feel like in this day and age, less is ok. Nobody cares where I live, honestly. And this way if that changes in the next year or so, I won't have to change my cards.

Yay for shiny new cards! I left our address off the last time too. No one one needs to visit me.

I love new cards!

I dropped my physical address as well. These days, if it is required, I just use the name of my neighborhood.

Liese, I'd love to see a pdf, if ever you have one.

Congrats! May everyone of those beauties distributed bring back great results.

I once gave a blind man my card (which sounds like the beginning of a bad joke) and he kept it for two years before becoming a regular client for years and years.

You just never know where those little bits of pulp will lead you.

btw, that gentleman actually asked for my card. I'd never have thought to give him one.

Grrr, work grumpy, feel free to ignore. We have a project bringing up 10 locations. It is a lot of stuff to do all at once and we have a really good working relationship with the vendor doing the equipment side while we do the software side. If I am on site and he needs something hardware done, I do it for him. IF he is on site and I need something software done, he does it for me. They have a new project manager who seems devoted to having some one person to hold responsible, but really she wants us to engage in a blame game. There is no way I am going to throw the other side under the bus. We are both responsible for making it happen and we are working together to make it happen despite considerable obstacles.

After a number of emails I wrote the following to clarify -

"X and the staff of Y are all working closely together. We cover each other's backs. If I am on site and I can configure something for X I am happy to do so. If X is on site and he can configure something for us he does so. Both sides are completely avoiding any 'not my job' behaviors because we are on the same page, which is get all the centers up and fully functional as soon as possible.

Her response -

"Yes, that does explain why we are in situation we are in as a company."

I am not responding because I can no longer be politically correct. No, I am not going to point fingers and say it is his fault if some deadline isn't met, and he isn't playing that game either. Fortunately we both have the really head honcho's confidence.

Thank you for letting me vent. I just hate "who can I blame" people.

Ugh. Forgive my curmudgeonliness but this kind of immaturity seems epidemic these days. (offa my lawn y'all)

The sad bit is, people like that don't seem to understand that such behavior is the number one fastest way to ensure that no one will ever have HER back.

I support your choice to not engage because, honestly, that way lies madness. There is no way to win, except to not play the game. (#war games)

I'm just glad you have such a symbiotic relationship with X. That's a thing to cherish.

She really is not making any friends with the many people who are working crazy hours to solve problems together. No doubt she has fans in the 9-5, let me check my job description first, crowd.

Ha! Just got an email from other vendor who agrees completely to not engage. Fortunately we both have support from TPTB. We really don't have time for politics. We have actual work to do.

I can't even being to put words to the rage inducing client I've been dealing with for months now. I'd rant, but I don't even know where to begin. Right now I just want them to get our travel reimbursement done, it's currently close to $40,000 of travel that they are behind on paying.

We really don't have time for politics. We have actual work to do.

Amen.

It really has been working for me lately to not engage crazy. It's not quite as satisfying as dropping truth bombs, but it shortens the time between stimulus and peace significantly.

Oh god, ND. I totally get the rage and stress.

I pushed to get a gov't contract check paid for weeks, frantic over a couple of enormous tax checks in process.

The check arrived at midnight. The two tax checks? Cleared exactly NINETY minutes later.

I nearly threw up.

Inefficiency may be more incompetence than malice, but the outcome is the same!