So. I've been working for over 8 months now.
I was hired as a designer, and so I designed.
And well, lately, a hiccup seems to be surfacing.
In the beginning, it was all a few simple careless mistakes.
1. Typo Error
Re-reading a whole menu or poster or whatever seemed tedious, and I chose to trust that I had typed whatever I needed to type correctly. I type all the time. I shouldn't make a typo mistake, agreed? (Wise men would shake their heads) And in the occasion where I just needed to copy-paste what my superior wrote, then it would be her fault and not mine. I am not to blame.
Then I learned that it doesn't work that way. It was selfish and as an employee, I should take interest in my employer's well being. A typo error will reflect towards the whole company, and I am part of that company. And I make more mistakes than her anyway so eventually I'll get blamed for something else if not the typo. My superior is an almost spotless employee.
And so I learned to take the time to proof-read. Read and reread and reread. And it seems that typo errors are getting lesser so that's good.
2. Details
Now. EDms, posters, flyers, FB posts, menus, and whatever collaterals has different needs. Who reads it, where it will be placed, and other considerations plays a part in what details need to be included. For example, if a poster is placed in the outlet itself, no address is required while the website, email, FB, and a few other details are still needed. If it's an FB post, then the FB link is not needed, whereas the other details are still necessary.
This takes common sense and a little getting used to. I've wrote it down in my notebook, but sometimes work just floods in and mistakes are still made. But with experience, I think I'm getting the hang of this too.
Well actually, I just mentioned the core of the problem right there.
3. Common Sense
I don't know if common sense and experience are related, but if they are, then I am not learning fast enough. If they are not then God be gracious, I need some brains.
I don't often question why things are the way they are, and just do what I'm told to do. And lately that has been causing problems. Things that could get done in one go in the end took two or three goes just because it 'slipped my mind' in the first go. It's just not efficient, and it's showing a slow improvement.
It's not a matter of checking and rechecking. It just didn't occur to me that I need to check that particular stuff. Or about ticking a to-do list. It wasn't in the to-do list in the first place. I thought I've done it all when in fact I haven't. I can't do what I don't think needs to be done.
A way simplified example to the kind of carelessness I perform:
I'm doing a 2 part math test. Question reads:
i. ( 2 + 3 ) x 5= (a)____.
[the second part of the test is in the other side of the paper.]
ii. (a) : 5 + 6 = (b)____.
I fill in (a) with a "25" and (b) with a "11".
Now, the teacher realizes that she had made changes on the master copy and forgot to reflect it on the student's copy, and so in the middle of the test, she announces to the students that they need to change the number "2" in the first question to the number "4". And so the question becomes:
i. ( 4 + 3 ) x 5= (a)____.
[the second part of the test still in the other side.]
ii. (a) : 5 + 6 = (b)____.
So I made my changes, and therefore change (a) to 35. But because question (ii) was on the other side of the paper, I don't see it and I simply forget that question (ii) exists and therefore do not make any changes to answer (b). It just slipped my mind.
Now, forgetting that (ii) existed, I thought I've finished my test perfectly, when in fact I didn't at all. And no matter how many times I've checked my answers, it was still correct in my perception because I was only checking question (i), completely neglecting question (ii) which was invisible in the other side.
You might be thinking, "but that's such a simple mistake it's stupid!".
Well, come give me a high-5. We share the same thought. The difference is that I think that of
myself.
There are other cases but they are all basically of the same cause. It's almost like my brain is not sharp enough. I've taken notes and stuck post-its on my imac and whatever, but I still hear my superior saying, "I've told you before...."
I'm just disappointed in myself.
***
Now, this is the perfect time for me to practice looking to The Lord instead of myself. Being God-conscious instead of self-occupied.
Thank God I've lost all hope in myself a long time ago, so it's fairly easy for me to accept the idea of "not striving" and letting God. It's not that I'm trying to escape from what seems to be my responsibility to be better. It's just that I've learnt that my effort can only take me so far, and after 23 years of living, I often disappoint myself, while God doesn't.
I want to be better, and my way of achieving that is "‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ saith the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6)
The Bible's solutions are often illogical.
When I confided in Ci Joan, her answer was, "bless your brain!" and yes, I'm at that point in my Christian walk where I can accept that fully as the best solution.
1 Corinthians 2:16 states that "
we have the mind of Christ," and I believe it. So, I'll keep on proclaiming that promise until I see results. I believe Christ's mind is as sharp as Cyclop's laser, and as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog (is this an insult?). Well, even a fraction of that will help me now.
This will be a journey for me, and I'm inviting you readers into it. I'll post updates on my journey to becoming.. smarter. Hope tomorrow will be a better day in the office.
Good night! My pillows are being very seductive and they need them cuddles.
Bye!
