With Murphy’s-Law perfect predictability, work has chosen this moment to go into time-critical crunch mode. Which means that my four days of chocolate-making bliss is apt to turn into one simple question:
Can Our Heroine rescue a project in crisis and negotiate urgently needed software development process reforms while up to her elbows in chocolate, making 80 pounds of chocolates in four days?
(and if so, why hasn’t anyone issued me my Spandex and cape yet???)
Actually the work stuff would be a fun challenge if I weren’t trying to take time off. I enjoy complicated, difficult projects (can you tell? 😉 ), and I love documenting, analyzing, and improving processes throughout the organization. I’m also good at relationship-building and political negotiations, so it’s a great match. This is exactly the kind of work I love…but trying to manage two projects from home while engaging in 12-14-hours-a-day intensive chocolatiering is more than a little nuts!
But oh well, I knew this job was dangerous when I signed up for it. I’ll get in to work early and see what I can get done tomorrow. Unfortunately, since I’m a project manager, most of my work is not stuff I am doing personally, but stuff I do to facilitate other people’s work. Which means I can’t just work harder the day before or the day after – I need to be there to help my team get the information and direction they need. I guess I’ll have to juggle email with chocolate-making.
Anyway, that’s the bad news. The good news is that I have finished the second dark panel and am about 25% done weaving the third dark panel. I’m pretty certain I can finish it over the next few days, even amidst Chocopalooza and work craziness.
(That probably sounds even more nuts, but weaving is what keeps me sane! The rhythm of the shuttle is wonderfully relaxing, a great stress antidote.)