Belinda Says Hay: “Abigail Update”

Hello. It’s Belinda.

Wednesday was Abigail’s two-month anniversary on the job.

I hope you have been getting the latest chapters of her novel every Wednesday. If not, be sure to sign up for her emails. She is a super storyteller.

And also a “five-star” employee. She makes it easy to be a manager.

Which is good news because if you remember how this all went down, I never planned to supervise anyone. While my coworkers were sneaking around arranging my surprise birthday party, I thought I was getting fired. So I hired Abigail to replace me.

Everyone got a big surprise, if you know what I mean.

It’s two months later and not much has changed at work. Every few weeks, Abigail sends me drafts to review. I settle next to the hay manger and start reading. Next thing you know I’ve “plowed through” three chapters and I’m itching to know what happens next.

You might wonder if I add comments or edit Abigail’s work. Not my job. Plus they are perfect as is.

My roommate says I shouldn’t micro-manage. She also tells me not to start “turf wars” and she’s right. It’s hard enough to work as a team, especially when our offices are all over the country.

Mr. Gordon and his family are in Washington state. “Home of the best hay in the world.” That’s a slogan I came up with and I don’t see it on the boxes yet. Anyway, Washington is headquarters and the main warehouse.

Josh works with the Kentucky warehouse team. My agent and I are in Pittsburgh. The customer service folks and others are in Colorado, Florida and California.  

Abigail’s also in California, which is six hours by plane and three hours by clock. Which makes scheduling our “Zoom” video meetings hit or miss.

Sometimes I log in and I expect to see her looking back at me through her webcam.

Instead all I see is this:

Not sure if I have the time zone wrong. Or if something is hinky in the video meeting software.

Sometimes I sit there for 45 minutes before I log off.

When we do connect I always start by asking Abigail about her family. Dale Carnegie said it and it’s still true. Show them you care. She always has a few stories that are “off the record.”

Then I tell a few about my boyfriend’s companion and the others. She always remembers to ask about my elbow and that eats up another 10 minutes if not more.

By the time we’re ready to talk business one of us is usually nodding off. So to be polite the other will say “Well I have a hard stop at 3:30” and that’s the end of the meeting.

I can’t blame Abigail for getting off track. I think it’s me.

I wake up in the morning with a big to-do list and next thing you know it’s five o’clock and I have nothing done.

Turns out that managing myself is the hardest job of all.

Sincerely,

Belinda

Spokesrabbit, Small Pet Select