As my second co-worker quits today I begin to wonder if my friend in the Classified section is right. Maybe it is me.

I began working in this department last year in June when the trouble started. The other writer, who would become my co-worker for 5 months, was a middle-aged woman with a penchant for storytelling and putting herself into every story she wrote. I remember one story she wrote for a Christmas supplement before I started, which consisted of 40inches of her rambling on about taking her annual Christmas walk with her dog. Now, I have a soft spot for dogs but that was a bit much.
She ended up quitting when the company tried to suspend her after she took one of the photographer's cameras and attempted to take her own pictures for a catalogue we were preparing. It was a blessing in disguise that she was finally gone. Neither our coordinator or I could take anymore ramblings.

Less than a week later the company hired a writer who seemed too good to be true. She was, as we found out only 3 months later. Missing deadlines and just being all around unproductive. Like when she'd take off on 3 hour lunch breaks the day of a deadline and not produce any of her copy that day. She left after 5 months with us of her own volition today after the company tried to give her another try but she'll be better off. And hopefully so will we. I'm leaning on hope that Miss S from the newsroom is right: third time's a charm!