Skip to main content

On Jimmy, Corn, and Careers

In the immortal words of Jimmy, the cracker of corn, "I don't care." #RandomThought
This is the sum total of how I'm feeling today. Let me tell you why...

When you work in radio, you get used to change. My current boss recently announced his resignation. That wasn't a complete shock. When he took the job six months ago, he made it very clear that his heart wasn't in the running of an out-of-control radio station. However, the chain of events that took place after were mind-boggling indeed.

The person they named to take his place has been with the company all of 20 days. Yes, that's less than a month. Even though New Guy was just named head of programming, his background is in sales. So how did he get the job, you ask? Well, according to the stories I heard, New Guy and the big boss have been friends for years. In fact, their wives are BFFs. It really goes to show that when it comes to getting ahead, it's not what you know, but WHO you know.

Even though I think it's absolutely horrid that they're not trying to hide the nepotism, I'm not particularly bothered by it. I've been in radio for almost twenty years, and I've seen people get used and abused, then kicked to the curb like they never mattered. I've had my heart crushed and my dreams derailed. And I haven't trusted a soul since my friend told me, "This business is full of cutthroats, liars, and thieves." When I asked which one she was, she told me that she'd been all three at one time or another.

My direct supervisor, however, is a different story. Producer Girl came from Corporate America, and this is her first foray into radio. From what I can understand, she started off as a segment producer, and eventually moved up to being an executive producer. Bless her heart, she thought that career advancement would follow hard work, and that the sky was the limit. When it was announced that New Guy would be taking over our department, she was crushed. She immediately dissolved into a river of tears. And when she finally was able to pull herself together, she decided that she could no longer work for a company that didn't value her.

I applaud Producer Girl's resolve. I really do. There was a time almost ten years ago when I was almost in the same position she's in. I was working overnights as an entertainment news writer, and my bosses had promised me a nine-to-five position dealing with music. I was working as hard as I could to prove that I was up to the task. In the end, they told me that the funding fell through. I was so hurt that my job performance started to suffer. Eventually, I was asked to either shape up or ship out. I chose the latter because I knew my heart was no longer in it.

So the question you're probably asking is what does that have to do with the Macklicious One. Well, if Producer Girl leaves, her position will be open. Since I currently assist her, I might be asked to step into her shoes. That's fine. What would hurt me is if that bump in responsibility didn't come with a bump in salary. I want to believe that this company would be fair, but trust is hard to come by these days.

Honestly, I'm tired of hoping for the best, but secretly expecting the worst. I'd love to believe in fairness, truth, and justice...but it's hard when your eyes have seen the things I've seen.

And that, people, is why I'm feeling like Jimmy...the cracker of corn.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

He's Gone...For Real

My uncle died. He actually ceased to live. I don't know how to handle this. Even though he was my mother's brother, he was so much more than that to me. He was the coolest cat on the block, He set the standard that every man had to meet. He was the one I compared every man in my life to. For all intents and purposes, he was my de facto dad. I am stunned. I feel like someone knocked the wind out of my body. I grew up watching him. If he sat up straight, I wanted to sit up straight. I once caught him standing up to pee. I thought I'd do that when I grew up, too. (You can just imagine that conversation). That's the thing...he never shied away from my craziness. When I discovered what a father was -- at the tender age of five -- I purposed in my heart to find one for myself. I asked every man I knew, including him, if they'd be my daddy. He said, "I can't be your dad. I'm your uncle." When I pressed, he gently explained that he already had a significan...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Middle Aged Rant

I am single. I’ve never had a husband. I’ve never given birth to a child. I’ve never lived with a man over six months. I am 54. I’m not classically pretty. I’m overweight. I’m not very tall. My brother says I’m a unicorn. My friends are kind enough not to make me feel small. My mother mentions in passing that she wants me to find a husband. I try not to be sad about my state. I’ve lived a life that some would find enviable. I had my dream job, met and interviewed great people, made great friends, and traveled all over the world. I have a new career that I find oddly fulfilling. Men don’t always like that. Some of them are jealous because I’m not easily impressed. Some are jealous because I’ve done things they haven’t. Some are jealous because I’ve lived on both coasts. I don’t know what to do. I can’t change my life – not that I want to. I can’t change my past – not that I want to. I can’t change myself –not that I want to. I just want someone to see me, not the image I present. I want...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Own My Tears

I own my tears. I used this as a hashtag on a Facebook post. I was talking about the movie, "The Fault in Our Stars." If you've seen it, you know what I mean, and I won't spoil it for you. Of course, you know me -- it's deeper than that. I need to say it out loud... I own my tears. New Boo meant the world to me. He really did. Our relationship meant the world to me. It really, really did. And now it's over and he's gone -- seemingly for good. That makes me cry more than I want to, and more than I have ever imagined I would. And while I hate it, I need to do this. I need to mourn this thing in its entirety because it has truly changed my life. I own my tears. I own the fact that I am hurt. I own the fact that I'm mourning a relationship that I wanted to work more than life itself. I wanted to be a part of a couple, and eventually a family. That may well happen for me one day. Today, though, it doesn't look likely. So yes, I cry. And you ...
1 comment
Read more