I have been way too busy to even think about blogging the past couple of days.  Yesterday and today especially I almost lost my mind.  Yesterday I went down (unnecessarily) to the printer which is FAR away from me and is at the end of a road full of strip clubs…  The proof that they showed me was so bad and I was so mad that they made me come down to see a proof that clearly wasn’t acceptable instead of just calling and telling me it wasn’t working that after I dropped Mary Beth off at her car, I got on the phone venting to Michal and drove down the Tollway going the wrong way for about 10 miles before I even noticed!  THEN when I turned around I was then sitting in the traffic trying to get home.  Boy was I mad!

Today I was trying to fix each and every individual page that wasn’t right (over 20 pages) while also trying to finish editing Kacie & Aaron’s engagements AND trying to take care of Shep who was feeling really sad that his Mommy wasn’t playing with him.  I worked till about 7 and then went over to my mom’s house and had a cupcake before dinner.  I’m telling you, chocolate always helps your feelings.

Tomorrow we’re doing a model photo shoot so that should be fun!  

We’re going on vacation on Tuesday!!!  We haven’t been on vacation since our honeymoon two years ago.  This is my happy face =)

As you may or may not know, I am currently working on my first issue of Bride & Groom.  When I first came on, I was told that the issue should go to print by  the first of May.  With that in mind, the deadline I gave to the advertising clients for new or updated material was April 21st.  That didn’t happen.  I was warned though so I wasn’t too surprised.  Then we extended the deadline to the 9th.  Well here we are at the 13th and while we’re getting much closer, we aren’t there yet.

Now before I signed on, the advertising photographer that had contracted to have his photo on our cover (our cover – remember that) sent my boss a photo to be considered.  It was a perfect cover photo, we loved it!  I emailed and asked him to send me a high-res version by April 21st.  Well April 21st came and went and nothing came from Mr. Photographer.  I emailed several times and extended deadlines for him.  Finally I get an email saying, ‘Here is your cover photo,’ with a completely different photo attached.  This photo while very cute was t was quirky, artsy and not at all cover material for this magazine.  They usually go for very classic, conservative types of images.  

Let me interject here and say that Mr. Photographer’s work is incredible, amazing even.  I would love to be so talented and knowledgeable.  I love his work.  I just don’t like him now…  Keep reading.

I emailed Mr. Photographer back and said that while I loved the new photograph, wasn’t the kind we use on our covers and could he please send me the original photo that he sent in hi-res asap.  A few days later (not asap)…he writes back and tells me that - 

“We really feel that this new image that we sent to you is more professional looking for a cover of a magazine.  I think it would only help the magazine.  To be honest with you, we have been disappointed with the cover options chosen in the past when it has not been our cover.  We know you are new to this with Bride & Groom but it is very disheartening to go into a store and see an image (like the current & past covers) that is amatuer looking.  Could you resubmit this to your committee for approval?  We would really aprecaite the consideration for this image.  We need a little quality control in our business as I am sure you understand and we do not want the {image that HE sent to us in the first place} background image on a cover.  Thank you for your understanding!”

Moment of silence.

I sent it in, and as I suspected it was hands down rejected.  I emailed and told Mr. Photographer very nicely suggesting that he use it for his ad instead and could he please send me that original image or something else today and gave some criteria.  This was eight days ago.  Two days later he sent me an email again but forgot to attach the file and went out of town.  After several phone calls and emails from both Mary Beth and I, his assistant being no help whatsoever, and Mr. Photographer himself telling me he’d send it to me yesterday – he finally sent me a new image today.  When Mary Beth spoke with him, she said that the editor didn’t think the image was appropriate for her cover.  He got all offended and said that she shouldn’t criticize her clients.  Criticize?  What part of that is criticism?  He then proceeded to badmouth the magazine to her.  Mature.  

When we finally saw the new image it was only slightly more conservative than the last.

The way he’s acting, you’d think I was a bill collector.  I’m trying to advertise for him for Pete’s sake!  I just have parameters!  Why is that so hard to understand?  And why is it so hard to send an email?  Or for an assistant to send it for you?  If you are ‘sooo busy’ that you can’t send an email, then perhaps you don’t need to advertise!

I am tired.  It’s been a while since I’ve worked late into the night for several consecutive days.  For that matter, it’s been a while since I’ve stayed awake past like 12…  Since Shepherd has been sleeping through the night for the past four months I have been quite used to getting a good night’s sleep thank you very much.  

This week however I’ve been working all day and through the evening till 12 or 1 trying to get finished with this issue of Bride & Groom.  I’m getting pretty frustrated with advertisers who after repeated phone calls and emails from both me and the advertising exec still haven’t gotten me their material.  Grrrrr.  It’s also frustrating, though inevitable, when the layout of three pages changes which starts this domino effect of page shuffling and page numbering headachiness.  Yeah, I said headachiness.  Since I’ve been working long hours, Shep has either been with someone else (thanks Mom and Rachel!) or in his little ~ahem~ playpen that I rigged out of chairs and pillows…  I set him inside of it only to look over a few minutes later and see him stuck underneath a chair trying to escape!