Things that make you go...

Grrrrrrr!

You know what I'm talking about -- annoyances -- the things that really test your ability to "let it go."

I'm of the mind that it's okay to express those annoyances sometimes, that it's actually okay to be annoyed with stupid or unnecessary situations. When you stuff those feelings, you know you're just asking for a trip to go nuts.

Besides, no one walks around with a smile on the face all the time -- not even me.

Just ask the person who shall remain unknown by you but should, by now, know that she's annoyed me to no end. Not her fault. She's just doing her job. But, can I say? It's a STUPID ONE! Or the policy is stupid. Whatever the case, here's the backstory:

I am considering taking on a new client. Sort of. Maybe I'll get assignments. Maybe I won't. It's all conjecture, in my opinion. Nothing's set in stone. But first, the client requires a lot of paperwork. They send it to me. It's A LOT of paperwork -- something like 15 documents. I get in half a dozen different emails that are from a name I'm not yet familiar with, as in, not the person I expect to be dealing with directly. At least, not that I know of (Silly me).

Okay, fine. I'm in the middle of other work, I have projects on my desk and trips to plan. Yet, this client wants me to sign all of these documents. Now. Um, I don't have time to read all of those documents and sign them, yet. I have other clients. Actual clients. I tell this person who keeps sending me this stuff that I have to put this paperwork on the to-do list and get through other projects first, and that I'm going out of the country in between. I see no need to rush this. Remember, it's all conjecture. I may or may not get assignments. I just don't feel the need to rush when I need to focus my attention on other things.

This person does not understand or get that and keeps sending more emails -- reminders to fill out all of this said paperwork -- remember, something like 15 documents. She keeps mentioning a position. But there is no position. This is all in case I land an assignment. There is clearly some misscommunication between this person and the person I'd actually be working with, because there is no position. I am not sensing the need to rush this. And I have other work to complete first. Just reading these documents is going to take an entire day. I don't have it right then, and I tell said client that I will do this, that I am reviewing it.

But I get more emails and more emails and still more emails, week after week. I'm getting annoyed, but I'm having to set it aside. I'm out of the country now, and there's no way for me to print this stuff out and send it back. I have no start date. I have no position that I'm trying to fill. There's no assignment! It's all pre- whatever might come next.

But, finally, I return home, I have some time, and I take it when I find a break in my schedule, I take time to print out all of the documentation, review it, decide how I want to proceed, wait a day to think about it, review it again, sign it, find the EXTRA information I didn't know was necessary until I reviewed the documents, and turn it in.

Guess what?

I'm not done yet! There's more. Somehow I've missed something, and have to sign still more or do something else. I do it, according to their request. That works out but is followed up by more questions, which I answer.

But guess what?

There's still more. OMG! I do that also, according to their request.

And, wouldn't you know it?

That gets rejected.  

And...said client wants me to clarify why that is.

Guess what?

OH MY EFFING YOU-KNOW-WHAT...I don't KNOW why that is!

Yeah, by now, I'm starting to get real over it. And, yes, right now, I'm venting. But you know what? Sometimes, you have to be able to express frustration, or you'd go nuts. THIS just happens to be one of those times. This just happens to be one of those things that make you go...

Grrrrrrr!

How about you? Do you have anything that you'd like to vent about? Do it here. Do it now. Before you go nuts, too.