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So I haven�t run off on y�all. It goes like this:
Once upon a time, Donna (my boss) gave me a project. I took on responsibility for the PINNACLE, our department�s monthly summary report on phone statistics, report turn around time, modality volumes, all sorts of very dry information. It was an ugly project, created in a Word document that had charts publishing from Excel document, most of which only worked correctly every other time I tried to use them, with no apparent rhyme or reason to their messed up-ness. I called in IS, who tried unsuccessfully to fix the problem. I called the Word/Excel expert in our department. No one could fix it.
Finally, in February 2000, I created a new document entirely. I found a way to make the document much easier to navigate without linking it to anything outside Word. I cleaned up the messy parts of it. I published February, March and April.
Then, the meeting we presented the data at, our monthly department meeting, was cancelled indefinitely. My time pressure was off. The head of our department left. My boss got busy with other things. I stopped publishing the PINNACLE. No one noticed.
Several months went by without any mention of the PINNACLE at all. I ignored it. Then Donna asked about it. I casually let her question slide without ever answering her. My computer got swapped out, a PC for my Mac, and I decided to wait until after the swap to try and play with it, just in case the swap destroyed the files. I came in on a weekend to print out the reports I needed and the printer was broken. I found a million reasons to not have to touch the PINNACLE.
Last week, Donna called me into her office. The head of our department (the same man who left had come back) was reinstating our monthly meetings and wants a PINNACLE to present. Our next meeting is June 4. Donna needs the PINNACLE brought current and in her hands in time to review before the meeting.
Thursday, I left at 7:30. Friday, I left at 7:30. All my reports were printed and in order.
Today (yes, Memorial Day, the holiday), after spending my weekend moving the Boyfriend, I have been at my desk since 8:30 this morning, inputting all my data.
The PINNACLE is almost done.
If I hadn�t finished it, the suggestion was made that I might not have a job any more.
I hate the PINNACLE.
SO�Anyway�
As I type this, the Boyfriend is cleaning the old condo. At least, I hope that�s what he�s doing. Saturday was set to be the big move. He signed the P&S on his condo (as the seller) over two months ago. The fact that he�s moving shouldn�t have been a surprise to him. Nonetheless, I spent Saturday packing up his bathroom, bedroom, desk area and living room while the boys moved the furniture. Just when I thought I was done, I opened the closet. He�d touched nothing in there--clothes, files, seventeen boxes of CRAP!!!
I told him he�d better not move again for a long time. I need to forget what a disaster this time was before I can face doing it again.
Betsy came and helped on Saturday, too, if by �helped� you mean �moved one box and then complained about how unorganized the Boyfriend is.� Funny, I think some of that is hereditary.
Yesterday, we went to Providence to celebrate Betsy�s birthday. The Boyfriend and I met his sister Amy and Amy�s friend Natalie, Betsy and six of Betsy�s friends for dinner at D�Avio�s, and then we walked along the river for waterfire.
It was worth the aggravation I felt at the beginning of the night to experience the water fire. What an incredibly wonderful thing to witness.
When I was younger, we ended every day at camp with a campfire. Everyone from the camp community would gather around the fire to reflect on and discuss the day�s events, plan the next day, socialize, and sometimes eat and sing. Last night, I watched an entire city do the same thing.
I want to go back.
Now, though, I need to finish my damn project. Wish me luck, Diaryland!
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