Wow, its been a long time Señor Blog, where did we leave off? I’m not even going to explain my absence. I was spelunking in Altimira, cliff diving in East Orange, spear hunting in Bolivia, oh how the list goes on. But on this rare occasion, I swoop in, back to the land of the blog to discuss an important topic, one near and dear to all of our hearts: COMPLAINING. Now, obviously, I’m as guilty as anyone. Who among us has not complained recently? But I feel there are some cases where it gets excessive. Case in point: the workplace. Now, it has been discussed several times my never ending dream of working in a corporate mail room, delivering correspondence to corporate higherups with such ease and determination that those bigwigs will have no chance but to say ” That Weiss is a real go-getter!” But alas, it is not to be. I work in a small environment, in a profession which I enjoy, having nothing to do with mail. But on occasion, and that occasion recently seems to be the coming of each new day, certain people at the office complain incessantly. Here’s a hint, I work in a 2 person studio including myself, one person pays me. Now, this has taught me many a valuable life lesson. The most important being, consider those you are complaining to before you let loose the tides of Kveching.
Lets assume something about most employees; they get stressed. When someone else is telling you what to do, it’s gonna stress you out at times. I’m not going to go through the hardships I experience at my job, because do you want to hear it? Probably not, you got yo own problems. So incessantly, on top of the everyday work stress, I get complained to, and really homes, this shit has gotta stop, I can only handle so much. Involved in this complaining is a production this person is working on, and has been for a long time, it has the potential to be big and popular,and it just might….now it migggght…be going to this persons head.
I’m a tolerant person, I really am, but I am reaching my breaking point. Lets devise a little dialog, as an example. UP2 will be unidentified person 2.
Steve (walks in): Hello
UP2: (makes whiny noise) I got 2 hrs of sleep last night
Steve: Up Late watching The Hills?
UP2: this big project has me so stressed out. I only have 3 interns and an assistant to help me do a job most people do on their own. meeeeeehhhhhhhhh (this noise may or may not have actually occurred)
Steve: Well, that must be really tough, you know, working on creative projects and all, putting in extra hours, I don’t at all know what that’s like
UP2: I’m telling you Steve, working on a project of this stature, which let me tell you, is SO IMPORTANT, is really bad for your health. If you want to stay healthy, don’t work on THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT EVER FOR WHICH I AM SOLELY RESPONSIBLE
Steve: ok, I’ll make note of that, do you want to get lunch soon?
UP2: Well, considering I had 2 HOURS OF SLEEP LAST NIGHT, in addition to the fact that I’m working on THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT EVER….then yes, I would like to get lunch.
Steve: deli?
UP2: Well, at this deli, do they serve extremely elaborate dishes not listed on their menu with substitutions for every ingredient possible?
Steve: you’ll have to call and check
UP2: Well, in that case, i’ll have the 2 HRS OF SLEEP with a side of I’M WORKING ON AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PRODUCTION THE LIKES OF WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE
Steve: Dude, I don’t think that’s an actual dish.
UP2: MAKE IT SO!
Steve: Want a turkey sandwich?
UP2: I guess that will have to do.
This is really not that far off from the truth. Completely unrelated emails come in about invoices or something and he responds with “sorry about the late payment I HAVE HAD 2 HRS OF SLEEP AND AM WORKING ON THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PROJECT THE LIKES OF WHICH WILL BLOW YOU AWAAAAAAAYYYY” and the response is “so do you think you could submit payment?”
Now, granted, this thing he’s working on has great potential, but do you have to constantly complain in that way where you’re only complaining to let others know how important you are? I think that makes sense. Like when someone goes “OH MAN, I’M WORKING SO HARD, ITS NOT EVEN WORTH THE MILLIONS I’M MAKING” you know? and you just want to put something foul in their drink?
In my life, I’ve been fortunate to meet and work with some people who I have greatly admired. These are people who could shit on the collective work of myself and everyone I know creatively. Yet you don’t get that vibe from them, they’re extremely professional. I was in Pat Metheny’s studio once and was floored by it, this place was beyond beautiful, which i told him, and he responded “yeah man, you know, its just like, the result of playing 30 years of one nighters, no big thing, just stick to it.” Then we had an awesome talk. there was no “OH GOD I WORKED SO HARD LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT IT” I’m sure he got no sleep for many of those nights.
If you choose a creative profession, you’re going to have to work your ass off no matter what it is. In fact, in a non creative profession you’re going to have to work your ass off to be successful. It seems you have to work as hard as possible for just a CHANCE at success. So, from the collective me, to the collective you, please, stop bitching. No one cares how hard you work if they’re working hard themselves. We all do it. so please, shush.