Tuesday, September 29, 2009

In the words of Colonel Kurtz, "The horror, the horror."

After close to two months, the worst project (a book on W's defense program) I've had for my nonfiction book editing job is complete.

Now the question is, What would be a fitting end for the hard copy?


I'm thinking of going to a local park that has BBQ grills, getting naked, and then dancing around the flames as they rise to appease the Goddess of Fire.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

An author in search of syntax, among other things

I just edited an article (for my online editing gig) written by someone who, according to his brief bio, "enjoyed a liberal arts education at Miami University."

Based on the barely acceptable quality of his writing, I'd hazard a guess that he indeed enjoyed his time at Miami. Whether he actually graduated is an open question.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Is it just me?

Or do you, too, find this headline somewhat judgmental?

From today's New York Times: "Pittsburgh Is Calm After Day of Raucous Protests"

I had to double-check the definition: disagreeably harsh or strident; boisterously disorderly

I guess TPTB would be happier if the protests were agreeably less harsh, boisterously orderly, agreeably orderly, agreeably strident, or didn't f***ing take place at all.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

This cloud has no silver lining.

Editing of the Bush book (see entry below) continues apace toward the deadline a week from today. Nothing further needs to be said about the horrific task of moving and renumbering the nearly 600 notes. This is one of those tasks that befalls all of us from time to time—the necessary-evil aspect of an otherwise tolerable project.

It is the rare occasion when we can figure a way out of or around these kinds of responsibilities.

I did just that when I lived in DC. I got sick and tired of spending hours in line, at the city-run inspection stations, waiting to get my cars and motorcycles inspected every year. So I paid a guy $40 each year to do it for me. (VA is a relative joy: car inspection at most gas stations.)

I wonder if Mr. Inspection does book notes. I'd hire him in a NY minute!

Sunday, September 6, 2009

HTML = Hell Toucheth My Life

I have about a week and half to finish editing a book on Bush II's defense program. It's been a tough project.

The manuscript is about 425 pages, by ten writers in addition to the book's editor. Most problematic for me is that, as is too often the case, the manuscript did not conform to submission requirements. For example, all graphics embedded in text need to be moved to separate file, and all footnotes need to converted to endnotes with the accompanying renumbering.

I thought I'd take an editing break today to do some HTML coding. But . . .

Prepping the MS
HTML time
Mind numbing horrific task
The editor's bane

Thursday, September 3, 2009

If paper shredders could speak

I received a gift from the gods on Monday. Given that there's absolutely no work going on in the proposal center, and my MoronManager wants me out of her hair ASAP, she told me I needn't come into the office through my scheduled final day, 9/11.

So Monday was my last day at the worst job I've ever had (extensively documented on this blog). The very last thing I did as I headed for the exit was surprisingly more satisfying than I had anticipated.

I took two of my friends and walked them over to the paper shredder. I gave one my 1/08 offer letter for this job and the other a letter informing me, earlier this year, that I was going to receive a bonus (insultingly puny) for all of my hard work. They proceeded in turn to feed one and then the other document to the shredder.


As the second document was nearly ingested, the shredder stopped. The paper had to be jiggled back and forth, the on-off switch was hit again, and the shredder finished its job.

I like to think that the shredder was choking on my personal as well as the collective negative energy of the staff.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Persona non grata (yet one more last time)

Ten days to go before I leave my hellish FT job, so perhaps there will be another similar entry. But for today, we have this little, telling story.

In the weekly staff meeting, my MoronManager announced that today is the last day for one of our proposal coordinators. LR came in as a temp-to-perm, has done a bang-up job, and is yet another competent professional driven out by, among other things, the gross incompetence of my IdiotManager.

I am leaving next week, but my MentallyChallengedManager said nary a word about my imminent departure.

Oh, how I'd love to be around when the first big proposal blows up in her face. A proposal center without a FT editor; makes perfect sense in her world, wherever that might be.