Control Issues...

...Or, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I love my job. I seriously do. I get to have an outlet for my creativity. I get to have my fingers all over a computer keyboard, err, as Bridget calls it, my mistress. And I just like what I do, even if I am grossly underpaid.
However, in everybody's life, a little rain must fall.

Recently, we hired a bunch of people who found themselves out of work when Advantage Publishing went under. The guy who was the operations manager there, Jim, is now the head of the art department and I seriously just cannot stand him. And I have a lot of reasons not to.
#1, he's from Boston. I'm from New York and people from New York hate people from New England. Especially if they're from Boston.
I get accused of being cocky, but Boston people are downright arrogant.
Secondly, he has this whole my way or no way attitude, and that just does not fly with me.
There are four basic things I cannot stand for.

1. Being talked down to
2. Being told something that I obviously already know
3. People who make my job harder
4. Playing the "superior boss/inferior subordinate employee."

This guy has to break all of those.
Before he showed up, I was in line to run the art department. And if Jim and my boss didn't go way back, I would be now. It would be different if I was a screwup, but the other two guys in the department have that covered.

Myself, I stay pretty quiet, do my job and do it well. I'm not behind on much of my work, and my filing system is a model for efficiency. I should qualify that the art department is always behind as a whole, because ads are coming in all day, every day, yet the projects themselves take time to layout. We divide all the states between the four of us. I get Alaska, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, New York and Utah. Anything we design in those states, is up to me. I also do all the Mixed Martials Arts programs and Pro Wrestling Programs. So, it's a hefty work load, but I'm on top of it.

Yesterday, we lost email access. See, if I make an ad, I email the client a proof and become that person's first contact for any issues they may have. Now, it goes through a receptionist that has to print and sort the email, manually, because the two kids who work in the department, can't stay on top of their own messages.
Now, if I have a problem, I wouldn't want to talk to a receptionist. I'd want the person that can directly help me. I cultivate a relationship with the people who's ads I design. Years in sales probably taught me that, and it's a good trait to build a working relationship with your clients so you can serve they're needs by knowing them better.

Normally, we start at 8, and finish never later than 4:30. Usually earlier. But now, thanks to Jim, we're going to stay until 5 everyday. Even when the rest of the building goes home at 3, we'll be there.
We take a break at 10 and 3, and have lunch at 12. It used to be that if you wanted a smoke in-between, you just go have one. Not anymore. Why? Because people took advantage of it, and Jim thinks that we're losing productivity.
Me? I rarely do that, but if I finish something and I'm waiting for a printer to que my project, I go have a smoke. Those days are over.

But the biggest reason, is because when I questioned our receptionist on something about the email policy today, he thought I was arguing and ran to tell my boss, instead of asking me directly. And this is the department head? Shouldn't being a boss require you not be a total pussy?
No, this is the guy that was running the ship when Advantage went down in flames, which tells me something.
My way of filing, too, is the most efficient and organized, and has been noted as such by the managers, yet Jim wants things done his way, which is a total mess.
I'll never conform. Actually, I am a total non-conformist, especially when it comes to stupidity.

Poor Jack. All work and no pay!