a variety of annoyances

[wendyzski]

While I'm proud of the work I've done for Windycon, my primary argument against doing it again (and I'm being actively courted) is one of patience. I don't take on a job if I don't think I can do it well, and I get things done well and on time. But when I am forced to deal with people who are chronically late and uncommunicative I get very cranky. Windycon in particular has a board composed of people who have been doing this for yeeeeears and the level of intertia is staggering. It's like a company composed entirely of managers with two of us who were promoted from the warehouse. I also have a huge issue with the ISFIC policy of everyone must pay in advance and maybe get reimbursed. This not only shows a lack of respect for programming panelists but also encourages people to get caught up in thinking of talent in terms of some kind of imaginary accounting system. Also not everyone (especially now) can AFFORD to do that. I can get issued a check just for asking for it but I can't get a badge? That makes no sense to me.

The building's heat apparently went out on Thursday. I noticed it Friday and we stried a couple of things that didn't work so we called the heating guys who were already scheduled to come and service it this week. They needed a couple of parts that they couldn't get until Monday, so we spent the weekend without heat. I got things up to the high 60s with a space heater. Then I got home last night to STILL find no heat. I spent about 2 hours on the phone being walked through checking various things that didn't work, and they had to come out again this morning.

I stayed home from work today - I've been coughing goo for about 2 weeks now (which seems to be my "new" standard pattern now that I'm on a daily anti-inflammatory inhaler) and it wasn't getting better and actually slightly worse. Combining illness with cold and I napped most of Sunday. So today I was home when the heat finally came on between 12 and 1, and it got up to 80 in here which was nice for a change. I've got the radiators refigured again so it's comfy again. My doc called in a round of cefdinir for me so I'm hopeful that I can start to kick this stupid infection. Between the infection and the related asthma flare-up, Ive been waking up every few hours all night with wheezing.

I'm going on a CheezMeet this weekend - some of the people from the YahooGroup that spun off from ICanHasCheezburger are gathering near Cincinnatti. We;ve got people from IL, IN, OH, MI, and SC gathering. I'm heading home from work on Friday to pick up Pepper and her stuff (She needs twice as much stuff as I do and she doesn't even wear clothes!) and then take the South Shore line to Michigan City IN. Spending the night there with some of the folks and then we leave early for OH. We've got a gathering and dinner at one woman's house and then I'm sharing a suite at the Drury with three of the other women (which makes it cheaper than a regular room). Pepper and I get the living room with foldycouch. As usual, everyone is more excited to meet Pepper than to meet me.

So in preparation (and because I was going to take a long hot shower anyway) Pepper got a good brushing and a nail trim and even got her scent glands cleaned out. There was flailing and now I am thoroughly disapproved of.

Finally - proving that Facebook is not just for being stalked by ex-boyfriends, I have discovered that one of my old D&D buddies from high school is now John Barleymash of the Crimson Pirates. The world is the size of a grapefruit.

Comments

[ladyariyana.livejournal.com]

{{{{hugs}}}}

[fuzzyscribble.livejournal.com]

It's like a company composed entirely of managers

Had a hard time with the rest of your post...because I was like..."OMG...THIS...IS...MY...WORST....NIGHTMARE!!" ;-)

If you don't already neti pot...or nasal lavage...it really helps me with my sinus infection goo. Also keeps a chest infection from creeping up into my face.

I can't do anything on a committee...which is why I'm a terrible volunteer. Either I have full responsibility...or I can't be involved. My interpersonal skills are just not good enough for endless debate, negotiations...having to babysit other people. At least I recognize it...I suppose I can give myself a pat on the back for that. I know some people who have the talent...and...well...I think I have the anti-talent for it.

So...I guess I'll never be management. ;-)

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I freely admit that I have all the interpersonal skills of a charging rhino. I can be very effective in getting the job done but you really want to get out of my way. This time at least people knew this going in, and with one exception have worked with this.

The one exception was someone who had "been told" that they could do something that I was planning on doing and had already worked out. We went to the person they said told them this, and this person told us to go to someone else. THAT person sent us back to the first person. I got them both together and said "Look, it makes more sense for me to do this because 1) it's a costume thing and 2) I've already made arrangements to handle it". This is the problem when you are working with your "friends" - everyone becomes allergic to anything that might look like conflict when sometimes what you really need is someone to make an actual DECISION.

(And I'm sorry if this makes no sense but trying to write it so that no one is identifiable is really difficult - there are only so many pronouns available)

I'm actually pretty good in "management" within limited confines. If you work for me, I'm apparently awesome because I'm clear about what my expectations are for my people and I keep them in the loop if things change. I prefer to pick/hire really good people, find out what they need from me to get the job done, and then get the hell out of their way. This often does not endear me to upper management who would usually rather I just shut up and do what I'm told.

I can think of two separate occasions when my cast thought I was the best thing since tempered steel and the PowersThatBe wanted me fired. In one case (Fright Fest) they succeeded, only to be met with my virtually my entire cast at the end of the day threatening to walk off the job if I wasn't brought back. "She's the only one who hasn't tried to feed us a line of bullshit since day one". That's still one of the best memories I have of directing.