Whether at home or at my office I have very definite ideas on how I should work. I can't deal with last minute requests, so one of them is that I need plenty of time for a deadline. I had a boss once who would never give me my assignments the day before or even that morning of a deadline. He would always wait until midafternoon and then expect me to pound out original material by six that evening. Now there was a refreshing challenge! Then, if that weren't bad enough, if he gave me a real rush job, he would run in, hover behind me, advise me at every keystroke and interrupt me every 10 minutes to inquire how it's going. How he figured that would help me along was beyond me. I have a sign on my locked door now that advises everyone to stay away or there would be dangerous consequences for all those who dared to enter.

I have a pet peeve about my colleague's awareness of each other. I have seen them ignore me when my arms were full of papers, boxes, books, or supplies. No one will jump up to help relieve my load or even open the door for me. I need to learn how to function as a paraplegic and opening doors with no arms is good training in case I should ever injure or lose all use of my limbs.

Then there was my first boss who did his best to keep me late. He was the type who believed that, 'Me officina es su officina'. He expected me to adore the office as he did and he seemed to assume that I really had nowhere to go or anything to do and that I had no life beyond work. Even though he might have been at my wedding, my having a family and responsibilities escaped him. Now, at six every day, whether I am working at home or my office, I quit my keyboard at the stroke of six. Work is history then.

Then the question of recognition arises, and I assume that comes into play whether you write for a living, as I do, or do something else. I hate secret admirerers. If a job I do pleases you, don't keep it hush-hush. Spill out the kodoos. Don't feel if it gets out that my head will swell. Recognition is the fuel than t keeps my fire going. My father once said, "Recognition? Hell, I'd crawl on my stomach ten miles for a morsel of recognition." On the other hand, if you don't like my work, I would strongly resent anyone close to me telling everyone. Those are the circumstances where I don't like my name to be popular in conversations. I wasn't born to be able to take punishment easily.

Oh, I have a lot of work and ethics gripes. So many that I'm surprised I'm able to work at all. As I have to get back to pounding the keys on my board, I can't linger here quoting them all to you. We can save them for the next session.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Jerry is true to his work ethics. He can't be reached during his writing hiatuses except by e-mail. He can be contacted on site; http://www.4pointspress.com or direct your email to the Editor.