Takin' Care of Business

So, for reasons I've yet to fully grasp, I'm getting requests from the masses to hear about my actual work life here. I've gone out of my way NOT to, simply because I thought that I'd be crossing the line of indifference. In other words, it'd be too boring for even my most die-hard reader. But apparently I'm wrong, and remarkably people care. I'm an entertainer at the end of the day, and harkening back to my class in Showmanship 101, the lesson was, "Give the People What They Want."

Here's what I'm going to do. I REFUSE to believe that people have the slightest interest in the actual particulars of my job. Like all jobs that aren't in a coal mine, or an assembly line, my job has semi-interesting aspects, and horribly mundane aspects. Yes, I work in the "high-flying" world of cosmetics, my staggeringly THIRD traditionally femine industry that I've just happened upon (after fashion and upscale woman's bras and underwear), but as with anything, the day to day reality tends to not be nearly as exciting as one might guess. So I'll spare you descriptions of retail sales spreadsheets, product launches, and mass sample mailings.

For the uninitiated, I work for Prescriptives cosmetics, one of the smaller brands within the Estee Lauder umbrella. I worked in New York for them for three years. Upon deciding to make the move out here, I was fortunate enough to have established a good working and personal relationship with our west coast regional, Holly. She made an enthusiastic effort to keep me in the fold when I got out here, and I now work for her, directly out of her house. So, the net result is that I now am commuting to Redondo Beach every day, helping Holly keep the west coast thriving.

The stylistic contrast between my current and previous enviornments is staggering. (I feel like I'm about to embark on starting another east coast/west coast feud like the rap world unfortunately saw). And this point was driven home this past week, when the top brass from the east had their annual sales meeting out here. A sort of corporate pep rally if you will. I got to reconnect to maybe 10 people I used to work with back east to varying degrees. I heard tale of woe after tale of woe. Work days stretching into the a.m. Weekends. Constant stress. All I could do was nod and smile politely. Most of all I had to keep my trap shut, rather than regale them with my new tales of sockless days and actual peace at work. Oh yeah. They were also fresh from single-digit weather, while I've been "forced" to deal with a "nippy" 65 degrees every day.

When I was in New York, I'd consider myself one of the more laid back people in that office (this isn't just the Estee Lauder office really, but any corporate office I've worked in). I tried to always keep things in perspective. But even I, had trouble with little things. Like, taking an hour lunch felt like a crime to me. How could I, when everyone else was chained to their desk? Hell, I felt guilty just going out to GET lunch to bring back to my desk! Now, I go to lunch down by the beach. There's like 4 cars in the street. It almost feels like a siesta in town. Maybe I stay out. Maybe I come back and come back on my e-mails while I nosh. The point is, it's civil.

Here's the thing though. It's not like they're ineffective out here. The job gets done and done well. Holly for example, is a pit bull. But she's a pit bull able to maintain her sanity, and live a balanced life. She works hard, and plays hard. And her people LOVE her. And THAT seems to be the key to success. Balance. In no way am I dissing the folks back east. I was in that cauldron for 3 years myself. I have nothing but respect for the effort and energy they all expend. But I also wish they could figure out a way to strike the balance I speak of. 3000 miles removed from the daily spectre of the TOP brass, demanding results every day, I understand that it's a little bit easier to loose the chains out here. Still, something is wrong in the equation.

Ironically, the best way I can illuminate the California way, is via a life lesson I experienced in New York, but am only really starting to LEARN 10 years removed out here. A friend of mine had two young British blokes (Chris and John I think) staying with her while they had a summer internship at an architecture firm. I'd hung with them a few times before their jobs started. Their firm was located in the same part of mid-town as I was working, right off of Times Square. By chance, on their FIRST Monday, I happened to be running late (getting to work around 9:30), and who do I run into on the street, but them, strolling up Broadway. I'm literally running up the street when I see them. I say, "Fellas, aren't you supposed to be at work already???" Chris looks to me and says, "What's the rush, then?" "Well, weren't supposed to be there by like, 9?" "Well, we had to 'ave a lit'le breakfast, 'ave some tea, smoke a few fags. The woooork'll get done then, won't it?" At the time, I thought they were nuts. Now, I see that they got it.