Designs By Le Sheep.

You need to be aware of a few things in order to fully appreciate the absurdity. I'll do my most bestest to clarify.

First, the agency that provides my second paycheck and fills in those spare moments of my life is quite small. We are the single satellite orbiting a larger entity which provides multiple services in the northern region of the state. They are a "presence." They have hordes of staff, including a person who does the techie stuff and designed our website. They provide free in-house massage therapy services to their hard-working employees. There are multiple working coffee makers. Birds sing, flowers sway rhythmically in the breezes and scantily clad cabana boys deliver tropical drinks promptly at 3:15 each day.

Our branch shares space with another agency. We are comprised of exactly five staff members and have no clerical or technical people whatsoever. Sometimes the coffeemaker works.

With the recent loss of the state contracts for Supervised Visitation, we have been working with the main offices to try and expand our client base through the development of new services. One of our parenting specialists, who happens to also be a very talented photographer, volunteered to work on a postcard that could be used as a mailing to various agencies and attorneys in the area. However, she found herself recently inundated with senior photo requests and was unable to follow through. That resulted in a phone call to The Sheep and a request to make this mailing happen.

Once, a long time ago, I "fixed" the computers by turning them off and turning them back on. I have been considered the "tech. person" ever since. As I am paid by the hour and it takes me a ridiculous amount of time to work through the messes created by my colleagues on our ancient computer systems, I have yet to disabuse them of this notion. I just cash the check.

The other thing you might need to know is that I am sometimes accused of being a wee bit self-deprecating. Poor CamMad's mom has had to restrain herself on numerous occasions from just smacking me upside my Sheepie head and screaming, "Oh for crying out loud, just take credit, willya??!!" She's good that way.

This is not one of those times. I'm telling you, in all seriousness here, this is a sad commentary on the state of affairs in the social services field.

I rushed into the office a couple of weeks ago to try and rescue this postcard mess. It was due to the main offices in 24 hours and there was a great deal of garment rending and teeth gnashing going on when I arrived. Here's what I did:

I lifted jpgs from the main website of various inspirational photos showing wide-eyed children and smiling families.

I pasted them into a Word document.

I chose a cool looking font.

I typed up what we do.

I saved and printed.


That's it.

I got the email today. The main office has sent some minor revisions and will then adopt this postcard as the entire agency's mailing. Posters are being printed in order that this masterpiece can be appreciated in the larger view. There is talk of The Sheep being carried aloft through the streets while the populace sings anthems in praise of her very existence.

????????

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm all for taking credit. And I'm gonna. But the question remains: why is it that the office held together by paperclips and spit was responsible for creating this mailing? And for that matter, how is it that a self-proclaimed non-tech. person was the only one who could figure out how to create this fine piece of literature?

It's a mystery.

Knitting content will follow after I spend some quality time bonking my head against the wall.

SA