Horror of Horrors: My Work-At-Home Nightmare!
Oh NO!! I still can't believe it. I've done something horrible and now I'm in a major quandry.
I'm not the most organized person in the first place, but I've always been extremely careful with my clients' materials and never had a problem before.
However, now that all five kids are out of school, there's a lot more chaos and chances for error. Especially with my stepdaughter, who likes to help "clean" by stashing anything ANYWHERE, and I do mean anywhere. There is no telling where things might end up when she cleans (for example, I once found a tomato in the tupperware cabinet, my bible in a laundry basket underneath folded clothes, and recently I discovered a watermelon rotting in the spare bedroom, ugh!). I might mentioned that at 16 years old, she is way too old to be doing this, but then again, who listens to their mom at 16?
Anyway, since she's been home from school this summer, I got my latest projects from one of my clients, including a brochure I'm supposed to be recreating. It is NOWHERE to be found. I have looked everywhere I could possibly think of, in every room, and I can't find it. Granted, we have a fairly big house with lots of closets and lots of stuff, so I haven't looked in every last inch of space, but I've looked everywhere I could think of where papers might be.
I kept thinking I would find it eventually, but now, my deadline is looming (July 1) and I'm in full-blown panic mode!
What do I do??!?!?!?!?! I'm too embarrassed to tell my client, especially considering I've had a whole month to complete this, but I really can't wait any longer if I'm going to make my deadline. I'm just praying he has another copy of the brochure because he's the kind of client who would give me the original and not keep a copy! Ack!
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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And your stepdaughter won't fess up?
You can't get her to tell you what she did with it or help you look? If you can't find it I can't see how you can do anything but tell the truth. What choice do you really have?
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Brenna
Blog at Writing UP!
Brenna Fender's Blog
I know
I know, I will probably send an email tomorrow, but I'm still praying I find it before then.
My stepdaughter will never admit to anything, and I doubt she really even knows herself. No, I've asked her several times, but she'll look for about 2 seconds (literally) and then say she doesn't know.
I just can't believe this happened. I'm always so careful with this stuff. I think part of the problem is that I didn't hunt it down right away, because I assumed it would turn up, since I had so much time before my deadline. Never again!
:(
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You need a locked cabinet!
Keep us posted about what happens.
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Brenna
Blog at Writing UP!
Brenna Fender's Blog
No kidding!
Actually, I've said that about quite a few things.
Well, I did it. (Gulp) I just sent my client an email 'fessing up.
I am hoping and PRAYING he has another copy of his notes and the brochure!! I am also feeling really embarrassed!
If he has that stuff, I can still make his deadline. But I'm a little afraid he may not want to work with me again (although he did forget a meeting once himself...), and I'm more afraid that he won't have another copy of these things and that I've really screwed him up.
If any of y'all are prayin' folks, please pray for me on this one!!
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Good luck!
I hope that the client will be reasonable and has copies. Meanwhile, keep looking, lol!
I just had to fess up to losing a check stub because now I can't make the payment match my "books." The editor was pissy about it because she thinks that I should know what I'm being paid for things and that I shouldn't worry about matching them up, but quite frankly, when I'm getting paid for 2 months worth of work (like six or seven articles), I want to make sure that I'm getting paid for all of them. And despite what she seems to remember, I've got emails that indicate that she's paying me different amounts than she does. Now, many times she pays me more than she said, and I have no complaints about that, but I just want to be able to close out my own accounting. Sigh. This magazine is my biggest employer to date, and I like working for them, so I am just from now on going to take what they pay me and do the best I can at making sure they don't miss something. I don't want to be replaced... Sigh again.
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Brenna
Blog at Writing UP!
Brenna Fender's Blog
It all worked out
Turns out, he did have an extra copy, although we did have to meet again to go over the notes of changes/edits he wanted me to make. I felt bad about taking up his time - but then again, he did stand me up for one meeting and had to delay payment to me for my last project.
He was really nice, though, and said "we're all human." As I was leaving today's meeting, he said this time he planned to write me a check as soon as I gave him the project. I laughed and said, and this time, I plan to not lose your stuff! Then we agreed we made a good team.
Now I just have to get busy making my deadline!
Hey, I didn't know you worked with a magazine. What do you do with them? I haven't gotten so far as to have a regular working relationship with any magazines - although I do have a meeting with a publisher/editor in a couple weeks.
Get paid (upfront!) to publish online at Associated Content
Come to my new website, findjoytoday.com for blogging and inspiration.
Yay, good for you!
I'm so glad it worked out. Now go make a copy of the brochure and your notes!!!! :)
I am a freelance writer and write for lots of dog magazines. I now have working relationships (I pitch stuff, they assign me stuff) with several: Clean Run, DogSport, FETCH the Paper, Performance Sighthound Journal... those are the main ones right now. I used to write for an online agility magazine called Agility Action, but I had to end that relationship because a bigger employer considered it a conflict of interest. I do a few things on a volunteer basis for various reasons (I only break my don't write for free rule for two places).
I just recently got a job as editor for a dog agility organization called USDAA (visit them on the web at usdaa.com). I'm putting up web content now and will be doing a paper newsletter soon.
I do other things here and there but that's the main stuff.
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Brenna
Blog at Writing UP!
Brenna Fender's Blog