Writing Privacy

Exercising my inner-Marvellian, writing exhausted missives in the dark.

At work, we’ve just launched a new course – the Global MBA. It’s probably the most ambitious we’ve ever attempted in our illustrious history.

As the institution’s copywriter, it’s made life challenging for several months. It’s one of many courses and priorities, but the intensity level for this has escalated during October.

Our course pages, a new microsite, and the course prospectus were all due on the same day – 1^st November. That’s been my evenings and weekends for most of the past month.

Short sitedness

At 18 pages, the microsite is a hearty effort. I wrote it. I’ve rewritten lots of it, as things changed or as initiative took hold. Our Web Manager designed and shaped it.

There’s been some feedback here and there. But it’s been jointly credited to six teams in the organisation, plus the university providing academic content for the programme.

I think that’s a little unfair. I’m not after a name-check. But for the nights I’ve stayed long after everyone else has gone, I had hoped not to feel so empty from it all. That’s disappointing.

Small world, big hearts

A few nights ago, I bumped into a colleague on my way home – about 8:30pm. She was off to the cinema with her partner. “Where’ve you been?” she asked.

I’m not even sure what I said in reply. If someone assumes you’ve been out for drinks or dinner, it’s quite shameful to admit that you’ve just left work.

That moment epitomises much about human priority. Ordinary, decent people have balance – their partners, their dates, their holidays, their spa retreats, their lives, their moments. They work to live.

Me? I guess I live to work. I even call it my marriage. Whether I’m in love with it or at war with it, I am bound by oath to ensure that it’s done.

The crumbs of comfort

The job I’m in is expanding. It now has me stretched just about as far as I will go.

In many respects, I cannot complain. It’s been my choice to make that my life priority. It’s not always what I’ve dreamt about, but at least it’s making the best out of what I have to offer.

I don’t expect people to share that priority, nor to understand it. I can only hope that I find the levels of accomplishment or the crumbs of reward for that ‘marriage’ that everybody else finds from the way they choose to live their lives.

People need goals in life – great or small. If they don’t, it’s because they’re past caring.

I’m writing today because the opportunity to get something back for the last few months has gone begging, which means for now I’m still looking…