Friday, January 05, 2007

Grumpy Day

Certain orchestras should replace their personnel managers. The lack of professionalism of some orchestras just shocks me. Excuse me for the vague details; I don't really enjoy bad-mouthing. I was 'hired' (loosely put, as apparently I wasn't afterall) to play an extra part in an expanded symphony (you can guess a composer) several months ago. It's happening this month. I was told by the principal oboist (who was the one to ask me a while back) in December that they're "not sure if they'll be able to afford the extra players after all" and that this person had passed my contact info along to the personnel manager. I'm waiting. No word from the p.m. and no music for this concert. I contact principal oboist today, who, professionally, unlike the orchestra, calls me right back. The orchestra's going through financial difficulties (what orchestra isn't?!), and so they're not doing any expanded winds or brass. OK, I'm understanding of financial difficulties, whatever. I'm furious that this p.m. completely dropped all responsibility onto the principal oboist, both to hire extra players and to subsequently de-hire them. Plus, why program a major work like this if you're not going to follow the orchestration? Like I told the oboist today, I can see why some orchestras might not follow the doubling of Brahms' symphonies, but individual parts being cut? 4 instead of 8 horns? Ridiculous. I also realize that decision wasn't the p.m's to make, but come on! Have the decency to pick up a phone.

Maybe this incident explains my grumpiness at the grocery store. Our HyVee grocery store in Indianola is maddening sometimes. No goat cheese--you have to drive to Des Moines. Very poor selection of fresh herbs. Bad produce (not always, but of course today). I was so grumpy that when I'd unloaded my cart and the cashier and bagger started bagging things into plastic without asking me if I'd prefer paper, I waited for a couple of bags to be packed until I said, "actually, I'd like paper bags, please." Confession: I only did that because they didn't ask me. I usually get plastic.

It took me 2+ hours to de-cat-fur our main floor today. Currently, the cats are happily snoozing on two corners of the same couch, which I'd just used 8 sheets of a lint roller to clean. I'm sure they appreciated it.

I think I need a vacation.

3 comments:

Patty said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Patty said...

Yep ... I know about personnel manage "issues". (But I'd never want to be one, either!) Sorry about what you've had to deal with. It's certainly no fun.

(I was the "removed post" person, btw; I had logged in under and old name and when I saw that I'd done that I wanted to change it ... the site was one about my dad which I began and never did anything with over a year ago. Don't want to go there again ....)

Patty said...

Oops ... manager ... I know how to spell! ;-)