That's All for 2007, Folks!

Well, my work for this year is done. Today's my last day at work for 2007. I'll be back on Jan. 7, 2008.

Manu paid a visit today to touch base with us. When I got a chance to talk to him and discuss copywriting matters (I was writing a fulfillment letter for Belinda's client), he admonished me to grab the opportunities and fill the vacuum left behind by both copywriters (Barry's last day in Toronto is tomorrow). He said that I needed to discuss these with Jim.

Now, I have something to think about during my Christmas break.

When It Rains, It Pours

When Belinda and I left work yesterday, she was talking about me writing a fulfillment letter for her client today. I was looking forward to project because nothing was happening in the office for the last two days. Well, it didn't happen.

Today, right after our last WIP meeting for the year, I got an e-mail from Allison requesting me to proofread 55 online banners. This took me five hours to finish! I wasn't expecting so many errors in them.

Then there were these Chinese ads I had to proof in a hurry. I guess I have to talk to Belinda tomorrow about her project.

Random Thoughts

It's so quiet in here, I don't know what to write. So, here are random thoughts:

• Yesterday, I worked for ¾-hour only; today, probably an hour.
• Amanda was right about the constant playing of Christmas music; it will drive you nuts. (Belinda's radio is set at a station that plays Yule tunes all day long.)
• I'm off on Friday and won't be coming back until Jan. 7, 2008.
• The weather outside is frightful. In fact, it sucks.
• I broke my trusty umbrella just when I got home last Friday. It was the best full-sized, folding and automatic brolly I've had in years.
  

What Am I Doing Here?

Last week, I planned to take the Monday off as a personal day. However, when I read the office manual on Friday, I realized that I only had a half-day left only. So, I had to report for work today.

Then I got this e-mail from Julita clarifying if my Friday off was a personal or vacation day. I said that it was a personal one, but she said that we were not allowed to take them as bonus days off (which I found strange because I remember Doug taking his two remaining personal days on a Friday and Monday; however, he didn't give a reason like I did: Christmas shopping).

However, she said that it was okay for now and wouldn't allow it next year. So, I get to take the Friday off this week because if Julita hadn't approved of my personal day off last Friday, I would have swapped it with this Friday's vacation day, leaving me with no choice but to report for work on that day.

And speaking of work, it's crazy-quiet in here.

The Aftermath

I forgot to mention that before we had dinner last Thursday, we had a secret Santa of the stealing kind. I think the mechanics of this game is to pick a gift of your liking, then someone gets to steal it from you if he or she chooses to.

I chose a nicely wrapped gift, which was stolen from me, unfortunately. In turn, I stole Belinda's chosen gift. I regretted this because it turned out to be a yellow Banana Guard. (When I opened the box, I thought it was a yellow dildo!)

Needless to say, I was very much disappointed with what I got at first. But I thought of the practicality and design of this product and I began to like it. The Banana Guard turned out to be a cool and useful gift after all. Thanks, Tom (or whoever you are)!

Dinner was at Joe Fortes. Only nine of us made it there: Rob, Brooke, Tom, Nina, Amanda, Charlene, Julita, Ryan and me. Everyone got a small token (a Christmas ball) and a $25 gift card. I had ahi tuna steak, which was surprisingly good. I didn't know what the others ordered, but I remember Tom having the 20-oz. Porterhouse steak priced at a whopping $55! That's a lot of meat and he would need a lot of roughage to get that digested.

But everyone had a good time and left with a full tummy.

Office Christmas Dinner

Tonight is our office's Christmas dinner. It's not a party, but a sit-down dinner at a nice restaurant downtown. Julita originally planned to have the celebration at Wendy's place and hire caterers, but there was a change of plans (which was a good thing, especially with the current snowy/rainy weather).

Concerning work, there's not much happening. However, I managed to sneak a half-hour's work updating copy decks of the sales sheets.

And since I have 2½ personal days left, I'm taking them tomorrow, Monday and half of Thursday.

I Wasn't That Busy Yesterday

Unlike Monday, I wasn't that busy yesterday. However, with all that time in my hands, I forgot to write how Tuesday was like. Most of the 3½-hour client chargeables were spent proofing French and Chinese versions of a brochure. Next was for a new project: sales sheets (which took up most of today's chargeables).

We also got an e-mail from Jim regarding Barry, our copywriter in Toronto. He's leaving the company, effective Dec. 21. His departure would leave a creative vacuum at work again. I would love to jump at the opportunity, but somehow I wasn't quite sure if I was ready for this kind of copywriting work.

I'll play it by ear.