Still the same sweat kid I always was.
Uh. Sweet. I mean sweet kid.
I got this note from the Jayday editor. “I thought you could post an entry that began 'The editor of jayday berated me into posting a brief recap of what I've been doing since I left Chiat/Day. Tell the whole story of your book, your move to Seattle and Charlotte, your drug addiction, your marriage to the Ecuadorian banana magnet ...'"
I do happen to be among my favorite subjects and since I’d like to hear from some of you, I thought I’d start.
After running away from CD, I messed around awhile, drove across country, landed in Seattle and sponged off my family for awhile. As one did in Seattle in the 1990’s I went to work for a start-up high tech firm as the HR goddess. In fact, during my career I’ve been called personnel, Human Resources, People Development and my favorite Chief Knowledge Officer. That’s the one where I would look earnest and say “I know, I know” when ever anyone said anything to me. I was good at it. Eventually I added “Phew, don’t I know it” and “duh Sherlock” to my CKO tool kit.
I had been working on a book my last few months in NY called “Rules for the Road: Surviving Your First Job Out Of School.” The book is a guide to how not to get fired after you’ve worked so hard to get a job. Not long after I arrived in Seattle, I found a publisher (Perigee/Puntman). .The book came out to almost no reviews whatsoever, but did respectably. This lead to many book readings on campuses and free t-shirts. If you were ever an admin while I was in HR, I encourage you to read it. Some of it might seem familiar. I’m not naming names but….
As one did in Seattle in the later 1990’s I over saw the death of a dot.com or two. In between mass layoffs I wrote and published articles on the workplace, saw the entire presidential impeachment hearings gavel to gavel and created poor watercolor paintings. Don’t tell my current employer, but it is now my policy to work for a couple of years then just mess around for a year and go back to work when I run out of money. There are lots of us doing it…you’ll see us having long lunches on Tuesday afternoons.
Somehow during one of my “oops, out of money better find a job” phases, I sent an application to a Landscape Architecture, Urban Planning and Civil Engineering firm in Charlotte North Carolina. They hired me. Since they’ve never had HR here, I always tell them that any of the nasty stuff I don’t like to do is really part of Finance and not HR. It’s going very well. I moved here about a year ago. I don’t say ya’ll yet, but I am starting to dig the sweet tea.
Comments
You left out the whole part about your affair with George Clooney! And what about your training for the Olympic gold medal on the luge team? But then again, perhaps that's best left for your next book.
Posted by: Stevan Alburty | June 4, 2003 12:25 AM
did you have a ghost writer for this fabulous update? Do all new employees get a copy of your book? You set a high standard...so I am working up the nerve to post mine. Should it just be mine, or does Sunshine get included?
Posted by: steve mitgang | June 9, 2003 10:21 PM
Mr. Steve...the ghost of my former self wrote this.
You must write your bio.
And Sunshine should write her's too. Hillary did and it's a hit.
Posted by: Eve | June 10, 2003 08:50 AM
Just a little hurt that your lost and found posting got 2 comments and mine received none. Maybe I need to write a book?
Posted by: richard oconnell | June 10, 2003 03:13 PM
Richard..you SHOULD write a book! Just think of the stories you could tell!
Posted by: Eve | June 10, 2003 03:24 PM
Eve,
I enjoyed your update which was forwarded to me by Betsy Lynch. The thought of you living in Charlotte strikes me as funny. I lived there for three years. My favorite thing about Charlotte is how all of the streets are named the same thing. I think it is to deter outsiders from finding their way around. On my next trip to the book store and check out your book.
Posted by: Amy Bening | June 11, 2003 10:38 AM