Mixing Business with Pleasure 2

The first time I wrote an entry on the above topic was on 16 Aug 2008 (in my old blog). It was the day I was introduced to Mr Designer. However, the entry was about another guy, yeah, one of the many who have gone with the wind. LOL!

I used to draw a thick clear line between business and pleasure. My initial plan was to have my new staff deal with Mr Designer. I didn’t think it was wise for me to deal with him at work, when we’re personally involved. Unfortunately, my so-called new staff has yet to come on board, long story on the management decision. And I’m not confident with my existing staffs dealing with him, also another long story that I should not bore you with.

Hence, here we are, juggling between the two worlds. Guess what? It is much easier than I thought it would be and it benefits both of us too.

Professionally… for a start, it gives me a pretty good in-depth understanding of behind-the-scene happenings – how much time a creative advertising work takes. I have exposure in the field but until I see the everyday life of a creative director myself, I really had no idea. Secondly, Mr Designer’s wide experience of having been both a front liner (account servicing person) and back-ender (designer) makes him quite resourceful. He shares with me ideas on different ways to work with suppliers and utilise them fully. On his side, when the key decision makers are not around, I would extend deadlines for him. The proposal couldn’t move anyway, no harm in letting him have more time to work on the designs. Also, this client doesn’t yell at him when he’s slightly late with his design, quotation, etc. She keeps track of the timeline herself and reminds him nicely. LOL!

Personally… with him juggling away 2 jobs and working day and night, we spend most quality time together when we combine work and personal meetings. Only that on several occasions, when he rushed to see me at odd hours because of work, it became a personal outing only. One time, it was too late for him to go home and get his laptop to present a design to me. And last night, the revised design he wanted to show me wasn’t ready yet. It did feel like a waste of his time to be rushing to meet me all the way late at night and then return to work without settling any work matter. But he said it is a good break for him and he finds it kind of relaxing, us talking and going through my stories and all. It's also easier for us to unload about the unpleasantness of our work life onto each other, since we are both up to date and well aware of the toxid characters around us.

Anyway, these frequent odd hours’ outings have started to make me feel like an owl, hehe… I don't feel guilty about going out with him as apart from a parting salam, there is absolutely zero physical contact between us. That is pretty impressive, considering his Westernise ways and all. Funnily though, when we first met, I didn’t even find him attractive, physically or otherwise, but now I have to stop myself from staring at him all the time whenever we’re together. LOL!