And I’m not talking about politics. So, I’ve been working this second shift since mid January. One minute I’m told I’m doing great . . . next thing, I’m pulled off the wire brushing job and placed in another department–molydagging. Same thing. I’m told I’m doing great. Some workers who “inspect” my pieces and have to prepare them for shipping have even come over to say, “Thanks for doing such a great job–we’re always hoping I’ll get your work rather than that of the other new people.” And then? One of the bosses comes over and plops a rack of my work down with a big fat erasor. “You need to know what the inspectors have to do if you don’t do a job well.” Huh? And then three people come rushing over to say that EVERY newbie gets this treatment. “Okay. Thanks,” I say. Hmmmm. Kind of like the literary world. You can place in the top ten. You can get compliments up the wazzzzooooo. And then a slew of agents and editors say, “No thanks, not good enough.”
But wait, what’s all this have to do with the title, “the left is right” . . . ? Well, on the job we suddenly realized that I’m left handed. So, we changed the angle of the platform I’m mollydagging on, and low and behold, I’m doing even better. No more contortions. For a leftie, you must place your platform on the right. And the wire brushing I was pulled off from? Huh! I’m now told, ” . . . but that needs to be adjusted for lefties, too. You should have had it coming in from the right.” Live and learn.
So, also, goes it in the literary world. A few adjustments here. A little change there, and poof! It’s acceptable. So, the trick is . . . do your homework. Before you start a new job that requires eye/hand coordination, find out if it’s different for lefties and righties! And, before you submit your article, or your idea to a magazine, get a few issues and study what they’ve already published. Duh. Before you submit a query to an agent, check out their successes. Does your work really fit? Can you make it fit? Life is all about compromises, except in the rare instances where you find the right fit at the start. In the meantime, a couple of exciting doors have been opened for me and my work. I have to wait, though, and be sure it’s the right “fit.” Man! I hate waiting. Makes me want to have a fit!!#!