Flopdag.

This week was a hectic one. Too much work, too little time. Yesterday I was asked to translate the word flopdag. Easy peasy: off-day, I was having one, so I knew exactly what it meant… Both ears hurting, headache and 3,000 words to translate. Joy oh joy!

If you’re a translator, you know you can’t move your deadline simply because you’re feeling under the weather. You have to suck it up and finish what you’ve started. And to me, that’s one of the most underestimated aspects of my job. What do you mean, you can’t ask clients whether you can deliver your texts later? It’s not like their life depends on it. Well, apparently the launch of the latest curl-shaping shampoo can’t wait a few minutes. Just like that press release about the € 1,500 bracelet. Customers are already lining up on 5th Avenue!

I shouldn’t be saying this, but sometimes I really wonder why companies write two-page stories (yes, literally stories, starting with Once upon a time) to promote their latest line of luxury ready-to-wear women’s clothing. Excuse me, prêt-à-porter. I’m not a marketing guru, but when you can afford to buy a dress that costs as much as a car, I doubt whether you’re going to take the time to read the press release. Why would you? Most of those purchases are impulse buys.

Or worse even… there are so many brands that invest serious money in high-tech applications (think interactive websites, viral videos reminiscent of Hollywood blockbuster trailers and weirder-than-weird smartphone apps), but don’t care about content. Can you believe some companies actually translate their texts with Google Translate? One word at a time. And I’m left picking up the pieces.

My programme for the day: bury my head in the sand. The beach is just a few minutes away… shouldn’t be too hard.