Thursday, November 10, 2005

SLAMMED

I'm getting slammed for not updating...Errr. But the title is metaphoric for it's how I've been feeling for the last several weeks. I'm getting slammed with wedding plans. My dress came in and I tried it on and picked out a head piece and all this jewelry last weekend. But then I left my parents house with a mile long list of "To Dos" including scheduling PreCana, determining the priest, talking to the hotel about a block booking rate, and many other items.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Vince and I squabble probably once a week over wedding plans - many of which were made months ago and either he forgot or he wasn't involved in because of everything going on with his mom. Either way, I'm yelled at over something he doesn't like or isn't comfortable with. Case in point - I'd like my friend Jill to sing at the wedding ceremony. Vince stood up and with a very red face said there was no way there would be a Mass and he never agreed to that and blah blah blah. He nearly stormed the 'rents house to tell them he wasn't putting up with that. We're only getting married in the church. I mean, I guess if you know nothing about it, you'd assume no Mass? I don't know.

It's a battle not worth fighting. Especially since I really wanted the ceremony there. Singers and all.

So I'm slammed on that front. I'm also getting slammed at work. I'm so talented, and know so much about marketing products and creating plans and all these great things...and there have been some small successes, but I'm not receiving any ackowledgement for them. In fact, it's the opposite. I'm getting scolded over things at least once a day and none of it makes sense. I was hired to be the marketing manager. In my JD it lays out that I am to create a marketing plan, a SWOT anyalsis, work on maintaining positive customer retention. Weeks ago, I approached my boss about this - how it hadn't been started, I needed to do it, needed her input. Nothing. So instead for the last 4 weeks I've been bogged down with advertising. Two weeks before that I was working with customers to nail down $20,000 in sales for October. The result? I'm told how advertising isn't marketing (um, it's a component), how my boss isn't pleased with the ads (but she has to sign off on them, so she sees them), how my most recent poster for the window was bad (again, something she saw before it went to the printer) and how I hadn't given enough attention to this big event we're having this weekend (Um, I asked my boss on 3 occasions what was going on with the show - how it was managed in the past, what was done, what merchadise was ordered, where the images were...Nothing. And again, the advertising and the sales that have been taking up my time).

But mind you, there are appointments made, people coming, listings and ads on gophila.com and other places and people have said they've seen the ads...

I'm so frustrated. I communicate with her and nothing comes back. I ask for info and nothing. I chase her down and that eats my time and I do the best I can for only being there 3 months and I'm getting put downs left and right. All from a person who knows she doesn't know how to do my job, but sure spends a lot of time micromanaging me and telling me I'm not marketing. So really, my marketing position is being redefined as New Business Developement.

Marc was a pain in my butt, but I could at least scream at him. And Marc wouldn't communicate the whys, but he sure would tell you what he thought. And in a timely manner. That is unless he was emotionally involved and it was personal. Like it usually was with me.

So yes, I'm slammed on every front. Not sure what will work out, if anything will work out, where I am supposed to be.