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Aug. 23rd, 2005 10:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stitchwhichTired. I figure I got foot-sore and tired around the 4th and never made it to "rested" after that. Next year is going to be SO much better! One town run a day, a trailer to store things in so I can stock up rather than buy in bits and drabs, and best of all, Adrianna and Johanna are both coming back to be my deputies again. I promise, promise, promise that Johanna and I will not be spending 10+ hours a day shopping in Butler and New Castle for the first week. I have all year to browse Internet suppliers and put orders in to have stock delivered onsite. My goal is to have my deputies spend the War with their feet on our (not built yet) desk, the air conditioner (well - big fan, but an airconditioner if I can swing the price since the office IS in a great big aluminum oven) pumping out dry cool air and a sewing basket, or book, at their elbow during their "watch" in the Quartermaster office.
That's my goal.
Starting a new department and changing the working conditions of a whole staff, many of whom have been doing it "their way" for years, has been a fun challenge. The last two Wars I have been focussing on becoming known as an enabler (in the good sense) and gaining acceptance as a resource they can count on. That goal is achieved. And now, when I have a lockable storage area to use "for my very own", I can start saving the event money in a way that has only been hinted at so far. I'm looking forward to it. It'll take a couple of years to show on the books, but show it will. I'm looking forward to working less than 12 hours a day and then trudging home to camp in the late evening for only an hour or less of cameraderie. (It did get better in the last week. I was doing 13 1/2 hours a day for the first 9 days...) Next year, with a reduced need for travel and a better defined SOP, the work load will be much lighter. It was lighter this year than the work was last Pennsic, yet we purchased for more departments this War than the last one. And we developed a faster tracking and purchasing system this itme. So next year would have been better even if I'd not been given a sturdy brand-new trailer to use as a "Staff store" for supplies. Soon, there won't be much left to do in organising and only a minor amount to do in grunt-work. Which is good because at some point, I need to convince someone that they want to be my replacement. Isn't that the first consideration of any office-holder? To do the job well and to NOT make oneself irreplaceable?
Now back to the book that my sweet husband bought for me at Pennsic. And an appointment with my lovely, lovely waterbed...
That's my goal.
Starting a new department and changing the working conditions of a whole staff, many of whom have been doing it "their way" for years, has been a fun challenge. The last two Wars I have been focussing on becoming known as an enabler (in the good sense) and gaining acceptance as a resource they can count on. That goal is achieved. And now, when I have a lockable storage area to use "for my very own", I can start saving the event money in a way that has only been hinted at so far. I'm looking forward to it. It'll take a couple of years to show on the books, but show it will. I'm looking forward to working less than 12 hours a day and then trudging home to camp in the late evening for only an hour or less of cameraderie. (It did get better in the last week. I was doing 13 1/2 hours a day for the first 9 days...) Next year, with a reduced need for travel and a better defined SOP, the work load will be much lighter. It was lighter this year than the work was last Pennsic, yet we purchased for more departments this War than the last one. And we developed a faster tracking and purchasing system this itme. So next year would have been better even if I'd not been given a sturdy brand-new trailer to use as a "Staff store" for supplies. Soon, there won't be much left to do in organising and only a minor amount to do in grunt-work. Which is good because at some point, I need to convince someone that they want to be my replacement. Isn't that the first consideration of any office-holder? To do the job well and to NOT make oneself irreplaceable?
Now back to the book that my sweet husband bought for me at Pennsic. And an appointment with my lovely, lovely waterbed...
