I realize there are people and families in a far worse situation. Some people in the American workforce have taken pay cuts and restructured their benefit package while sadly some people have lost their jobs and in the end, their means. Truth is, it's not bad for my family because I am still employed and am able to pay the bills. All I have is the fear of losing my job. It's not the fear of losing my job due to bad performance but losing it because society in these new digital times has no use for my product anymore. Where I work, management is starting to take from us to try and meet or exceed budgeted numbers that they themselves presented to their bosses last year. Our six press operation is now a five press operation and 24 souls have been demoted or re-assigned to other areas. I understand. Management never saw this economic storm coming. I remain mostly untouched and feel very fortunate.
The nationwide printing scene is not too healthy right now. With the economy the way it is advertisers are just not investing in print media. Unfortunately, I am a printer. Some say printing is a dying trade. Fortunately, I don't think so. In my 19 years of printing, our industry has been through several rough economic periods and we have always come out on the other side with the sun blazing and our futures bright. Although we have never seen anything of this magnitude before I have no choice but to stay positive and do my part as a company man because the alternative scares last night's dinner out of me.
Something I'll never forget is a conversation I had with our company's VP of Operations 19 years ago concerning the future of the printed word and how long it will last. He told me about a similar conversation he had with a person ten years prior. The person told him that gas-burning engines will be obsolete by 1990. When the VP finished telling me his story he gave me one of those fake 'attaboy' punches to my shoulder, confidently flashed a smirky smile and walked away. I think he winked at me too. Well guess what? In 2008 ExxonMobil made more money than God herself. This, my friends, is my only source of comfort and inner peace. Ok, maybe your wondering what the hell I'm talking about. I suppose I'm trying to convey that there has to be a tomorrow and I must believe in it, whatever it holds. Great. I am now getting cloudy about what I'm trying to say. Hopefully I made my point. (Note: I am currently auditioning new inspirational thought patterns to deal with everyday anxiety. If you got 'em, let's hear 'em. All drugs, pharmaceutical or illegal will be returned to sender. Maybe.)
In the end, do my industry brothers and sisters and most importantly me a favor. Don't take your digital readers, laptops or cell phones into the bathroom when you know the stay will be longer than usual. Take a magazine, newspaper or book with you instead. It's more sanitary and a great save if you're out of toilet paper. Just don't loan me the book later.
*RIP Johannes Gutenberg 1398 - 1468
If anyone actually reads this:
The first one to decode the secret message I have in this post wins five McDonald's dollars. The answer involves how my family is managing day-to-day operations. The ideology of this code will be suspended in early May when I fly to Tampa to participate in a much needed although money igniting golf trip.
5 comments:
I met your challenge. The answer is one we've followed for years.
DON'T SPEND MONEY YOU DON'T HAVE..
Pass the McDonalds dollars on to the next reader.
This one made me sigh...
Good job Janet! Or should I call you double-o seven?
Please don't sigh. My intention of the post was to show that I refuse to mask reality. We'll all be fine. You just watch!
Cool :) I LOVE McDonalds ...thanks mom :)
...at first I thought those green letters were my old lady eyes playing tricks on me :) ... I promise I won't bring my laptop into the bathroom w/ me again ! LOL
Have to side with Ellynn on this one! I totally thought my eyes were wigging out on me. I kept blinking thinking my eyes would read black letters not green sporadic ones. I got used to it and was relieved by the end to read it was done on purpose ;). I, too, will stop taking my cell phone with me for ANY length of stay in the restroom just to check my email.
And maybe your insightful and wisely-worded writing should be sent to government entities responsible for our enormous deficit...don't spend money WE don't have.
Enjoyed the read. ty
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