Another one bites the dust

On Friday the department received an email from our fearless leader regarding our need to attend the monthly team meeting because the head of division would be in attendance.

Uh-oh, not that I am overly suspicious or anything, but an unexpected appearance by our divisional head who never shows up to these things? That could only spell trouble right?

Speculation was rife among the few of us that were in the office for the half day Friday prior to the Holiday weekend, but once I was out of the office I didn't give it a moment's thought, however...

...I was right to be suspicious, our head of department - my immediate manager - resigned to take a position at another advertising agency. This is the 13th resignation the division has seen since February and the 6th from our department alone.

"I wasn't looking for something new, but I got an offer I couldn't refuse," claimed the department head beaming - no doubt at the thought at all the extra cash he'll be earning. I couldn't tell you how often I've heard the "I wasn't looking, but..." comment this year. Actually I take that back, I can tell you exactly how many people went looking for a new job and how many had an opportunity fall in there lap. It seems the job market for advertising and marketing personnel is really picking up.

Oh well, it is what it is and to be honest he was a very hands off manager, so I don't see much of a change in the day to day running of my immediate team, however myself and the other direct reports will have to step it up until a replacement can be found. Ahhh management, isn't it FUN!!

I'm going on vacation on Friday, it can't come soon enough!!

Just when you feel you've got a handle on things....

...life bops you one in the nose.

Ohhhh 2011, how unimpressed I am by you so far!!

So far this year has been full of management shite, rejection, broken relationships - including one canceled wedding - and office resignations, the latest being my junior team member from my small team of 4 who handed in her notice yesterday having been wooed by a cool sounding job with stock options at a startup. To be honest I can't say I blame her, it sounds like she has been handed an amazing opportunity, but I shall miss her immensely it's a huge loss for the team, the department and the company, but hey ho, so goes life, so I've quickly put the wheels in motion to drum up candidates for her replacement although that's meant a lot of annoying wrangling with the finance department who need to provide me with approval to hire.

Ugh, more management shite I don't need!!

Seriously how is it that I can be in possession of signed scopes across our clients proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have committed to funding 75% of my junior team member's time for the year and finance will still argue that only 10% of her time is covered.

Hmmmm!! How on Earth could that be????

It's a mystery eh!!

Do you think Mr. Finance Director that it could possibly be that your spreadsheets are out of date??

Y'know it's a good job that all the back and forth ogling I enjoyed with geeky hot finance guy Greg - he's kind of Clark Kent-ish - last year never amounted to anything, because if we were a couple I could see that this would drive a significant wedge between us.

Phew dodged a bullet not pursuing that relationship.

On the bright side...today I discovered the joys of Sprinkles cupcakes. Now I'm not normally a cupcake person, I really don't get the fascination with Magnolia Bakery, their cupcakes taste stale to me, but today a colleague brought a batch of Sprinkles in for the monthly team meeting and oh good Lord, the peanut butter chocolate cupcake!!! Divine!!! These babies wipe the floor with the competition. Seriously I think I'm in love and sadly for my waistline their store is on my walk home from the gym!!

P.S. Uh-oh I found the recipe, there's no help now. Bring on the elasticated trousers!!!