Hello Stress

I started this week thinking that it would be an easy week. I caught up on most of my projects last week and everything seemed to be running smoothly. Then I opened my email.

I found multiple irate emails from an author who was upset about the process of his book. He ranted about how there were all kinds of incorrect answers, that the accuracy checker was a joke, and that he couldn't understand how everything had gone wrong when everyone had assured him that all was right. I wanted to write back "Calm down drama queen" but of course that is neither professional nor cordial.

This is not the first irate email I've received from this author. It's probably the fourth or fifth, but I was able to deflect those emails and forward them to my manager. Unfortunately, she's out of state until Tuesday, and the last few days, his ranting has become my burden to bear. That's always great. Some quick thinking and effective problem solving? No problem.

Luckily, the problem has been resolved, for the moment. I definitely felt like the lion in the comic and wanted to choke the living daylights out of him, or a quick, hard smack across the face. I think what stressed me out the most was the fact that if conscious steps were taken from the get-go, a lot of these headaches could have been avoided. But alas, such is life, and as my manager tells me, "What's happened, happened. Let's figure out a solution." It's hard not to dwell on things gone awry, but issues need to be solved regardless of personal feelings towards the situation. I'm glad that I have such a good and much improved support system at work.

No more bellyaching for me.


*Comic courtesy of jwolfe.clara.net/humour/favorites.htm