Too harsh?

I have a new client, a small website job that I was already selected for after they liked the professional proposal I put together. My contact in the organization had already outlined with me all the elements of the project, but he is out of town for a month so he passed me on to the president of the organization.

She decided we needed to meet in person and go over all the details again. I was hesitant. It’s a $300 little job, but I agreed to meet her last night at the lounge in a hotel.

I waited there for 25 minutes. She didn’t show. Including my travel time and preparation, that was an hour of my time wasted.

I emailed her politely later in the evening and asked if we crossed paths or signals and that I had waited for her. She emailed back that something came up at home and she couldn’t make it. She didn’t apologize. She wants to get together later this month.

I emailed back that I would prefer to do this by phone or by email, and that I don’t take it lightly when people waste my time.

Too harsh? I argue not, I’ve been walked all over by far too many people in my life and I’m sick of it. My time is very valuable to me. I could have been playing with my puppy, wrapping gifts, packing, cleaning up my house, but no, I was standing in the lobby of a hotel for 25 minutes looking like an idiot. She didn’t email first, apologize, try to catch me by calling the hotel, nothing. She’s lucky I’m not sending her an invoice for my time.

**

On a lighter note, there are new picture of Monty up:
http://www.CanadianGoldens.com/monty/

My Christmas shopping is almost done. Just a few more little things I need to pick up. One of my supervisors is taking his team (including me) out for lunch today, so I’m looking forward to that. Monty is just going to have to hold it for a bit longer until after lunch so I can go home and let him out. He has slept through the night for the last 3 nights! Woo hoo! Such a good boy.

I think poor Zeus is going to have to spend Christmas by himself. I hate to do it because I love him and I’ll miss him, but he gets SO car sick. Before we even get across town he will have puked and pooped in his cat carrier. Then he drools and meows all the way home. I’ve put him through that for 4 Christmas’s now and he didn’t get any better. I’ll be gone for 5 nights so I’ll have to leave lots of food and water for him. I’ve left him that long before and he was fine, it just is so hard leave him on Christmas. I wish I had someone who could stop by and check on him but I can’t think of anyone who will want to do that for me.