The past week at work

Tuesday

Returning after the weekend I had no inclination to do any work. It was a very quiet day, and I spent most of the time in my office. Andrea (my immediate boss) spent most of the day in her office, occasionally emerging to ask why things had not been done (admin assistants Louise and Denise are getting very slack as the time nears for them to leave). Duncan's behaviour is becoming obnoxious in a juvenile sort of way, and Andrea cannot stand having him in the same room. Neil (graphic designer) doesn't seem to be doing any work at all. Chris (our part-time Accounts person) came in and we talked a little about the Expenses Scandal ("how can they get away with these things?" she asked, bemused at the sums of money involved).

In the afternoon the ad for the architectural practice was finalised - when it came down from the studio I thought it was not as creative as it could have been, but at such speed the client can hardly complain. Andrea must have complained about the admin assistants as Terry (our MD) came down on the war-path and intended to ask Denise to leave at 5 o'clock, although he later relented. When I went to Terry's office later he talked candidly about the agency and asked my advice about the "heavyweight" he plans to bring in (I hate being implicated in all this).

Wednesday

As a team we processed ads without enthusiasm (the usual retail stuff).

Andrea came in with sandwiches and chocolate and asked me to share her lunch.

"You've never bought me anything" she said with mock accusation.

"If I did I would just be added to your list of gullible men" I told her (but I made her a cup of tea).

Thursday

When I arrived this morning I found that Terry had dismissed Louise and Denise at five o'clock yesterday (apparently they had been called up to his office then escorted from the building).

A crisis with an ad that has gone wrong - we offered to run it again at our expense, so the rest of the day was spent calling in favours to minimise the cost.

Terry told me he had appointed a "Head" of the agency, and had informed Andrea. I am to report directly to this new Head instead of to Andrea. When I talked to Andrea about this she was subdued (it must be humiliating for her).

Lots of interviews for the new admin assistant. We have had over a hundred applications for the post. I interviewed a young woman called Carol, but mostly the interviews were carried out by Andrea and Patricia (Terry's PA).

In the afternoon we thought a client was going to call and hurriedly tidied the place up, but it was a false alarm.

Friday

I had to get up at an outlandish hour so I could be at the agency by 8am for a meeting with a potential new client. The meeting went well and we were given some trial ads to do. Afterwards I felt very down - possibly because I was so tired.

Terry told me the new Head of the agency would be visiting next week on Wednesday and formally starting on Friday.