If you're not going to do something well, why do it at all?

[smeddley]

So you may remember that, recently, I worked on the committee that produced an employee cookbook. It was all don in-house, from the set-up (in Publisher - argh) to the printing, to the cutting (basically the book is half a letter-sized page, you print it out, cut it in half, and stick the two halves together), to the binding. The police department has an awesome paper cutter, it'll cut through a whole ream of paper at once (sadly, I priced these, and as nifty as it is, at $900 I can't justify it - ah well, when I win the lottery!). We have a crappy little paper cutter that skews to one side when you cut more than half a dozen sheets at once. Nevertheless, I did use that crappy little paper cutter to cut my personal copy, because I kept a blue-edged reject from when our printer went squirrel-y. I didn't add the cardstock section dividers, because I didn't care about that. Behold, my book:



Now, after we had a 'last call', the main committee decided that there were still people who didn't get their cookbooks, and wanted them (what part of 'last call' did they not understand?). I made it clear I was through with it. So another person on the committee took over and printed off 20 more of them. But instead of driving the two miles to the police department to use the wonderful paper cutter (like I did, when I was stuck doing all the 'last call' books on my own), she decided to just use ours. Which can be done, as I've shown, if you're slow and careful.

She said she was slow and careful.



....um, yeah. Now, I suppose I shouldn't complain, because I didn't have to do any work, but to have my name associated with a product this shoddy bothers me. And it was sold for $10 - I thought that was pushing it when it was done nicely, but for something like this? Chaps my hide.

But whatever, let it go, I am a hollow reed....

In other (less irritated) news, if anyone would like a copy of the recipes, in Publisher or PDF format, I have my personal copy (much thinner and prettier!) I made (which you can print yourself or send to Kinko's) OR a set of 3x5 recipe cards (Publisher or PDF) which you can print off on cardstock or regular paper and laminate.

Comments

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

One of those is quite sexy.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Dare I ask which one?

Honestly, I do like the ragged-edge look for journals, but they also have to have cloth/leather covers and real binding. It looks stupid on a comb-bound book with clear plastic covers.

[http://users.livejournal.com/anam_cara_/]

Wow. Yeah, I think I'd pretty much freak out over that- of course, it is much healthier to just let it go, but man, I'd have a hell of a time doing it. I think I'd pretty much have a lifelong grudge against the person, as petty as it is. May I ask what it is that they do in their actual work position? Are they this shoddy in their career too?

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

She's a receptionist/secretary, and the funny part is she describes herself as very picky and detail-oriented. I would describe myself as lazy and laid back, but... I'm starting to realize that's probably not true. I can be pretty picky about a lot of things!

[icecat.livejournal.com]

Sure, I'd like a copy please! Recipes that people consider good enough to contribute to a cookbook can't be all that bad, right? :) By the way, what did you contribute, if anything?

I guess the full page version, either format is OK. Well how about Publisher if I want to make any tweaks? Hee.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I contributed many, they have my name on them.

Tweaking is why I said I'd send out the Publisher version - you can always delete recipes (and shorten the book!). Or add some! The Table of Contents and cover are separate files, I should have put it all together but I never did...

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that is stupid.

I'll take a copy!

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Cookbook version or recipe card version? :D

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Um.

Cookbook version, I guess :)

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

PDF or Publisher version? I know, I know, decisions, decisions...

(I also am not sure I have your e-mail address, so if you just wanna e-mail your answer to me... smeddley - comcast - net)