This morning Direct Marketing Coordinator (DMC) n' I were chatting about a couple really stupid things Manager has done over the last two days. I suggested that we start recording them, and then when we approach CEO in 25 days (unless he actually does something about Manager before then), we'll have a list of issues to show him, as if to say, "Look! While we've been waiting for you to replace Manager, these are all the things he has mucked up over the last month." I then added, "We can point out that we've held ourselves to our end of the bargain by not quitting, so we're hoping that he'll still hold to his."

That's when DMC dropped da bomb. "Okay, the guilt is killing me," she said as she crouched down beside my desk. She then confided that she'll be giving her notice on Friday. Not because she's sick of the b.s. around here, but because she's going to be moving out to the island. Her boyfriend has enrolled in University there, so they'll be leaving in a month's time.

I can't tell you how excited I am for her. The island is absolutely beautiful. I would love to move there someday. Not to mention, DMC's such a super talented gal, I know that she'll have no problem finding herself a plum job. Even though I'll miss working with her, I wish her all the luck in the world.

The other thing that excites me -- but in a real sick sort of way -- is that without her, Marketing is completely and totally phucked! While her title is officially Direct Marketing Coordinator, she does SOOOO much more than that. She is truly the glue of this team. Put it this way... we have one graphic designer, one writer and DMC. We have not replaced anyone else who has left this team over the last 6 months -- not the projects coordinator, not the web developer... no one. This is the point where the job absorption comes to a glass shattering halt.

Neither GD nor I can do the work DMC does. Without DMC, how will we send out our marketing campaigns or weekly newsletters? Who will coordinate all the requests that come in to the marketing team every day? Who will coordinate all the work that needs to be done during our summer update season -- our busiest time of the year, as we refresh all our marketing materials and product resources for the fall? And that, my mybloggers friends, is merely the very tip of the iceberg. I can't even begin to describe the massive, massive impact of titanic size we are about to encounter... and frankly, I'm as giddy as a little school girl.

I shouldn't be so delirious with laughter... in fact, the reality is that I should probably be scared. But I'm not. I'm very calm... uplifted, even. I want to see if and how it will all come crashing down. I would love to see DMC quit without explaining her reason why, leaving everyone to assume that it's because of Manager. (And as far as that is concerned, it would have been only a matter of time before she ended up quitting because of him anyway...)

It's crazy... but I just can't help it. I'm excited for the frantic "sky is falling" buzz to whisper around the office on Friday afternoon. I'm dying to hear about Manager's reaction to DMC's news, the long pause, the desperate begging. I am curious to see if this will compel CEO to make it his top priority to live up to his commitment and find new leadership for us ASAP. I'm on the edge of my seat - and yet, for all I know, my own job could be in danger. The company could simply decide that since marketing is so completely messed up, they might as well outsource everything. Who knows?

I suppose at this point anything is possible... Perhaps I could get laid off? However, I honestly don't care. I'm pretty sure that my severance package would give me the flexibility to coast for a month or two. I'm sure I could find something else in that time... even if I went back to waitressing. I always loved waitressing. It wouldn't be so bad. And hey, maybe if the stars align, someone will want to make our movie, and I won't need to find another day job... I could just jump into preproduction this summer, or start working on the next script.

Anyhow... I guess time will tell, won't it?