Common Kibitzing

"As you know, the accreditation focused visit is coming up shortly. This is a web-based visit taking place April 17-18 but the website itself is expected to be ready by March 18th. SueAnn and I met for the first time about this visit on January 18th (it wasn’t a surprise, I did know it was coming up). At that time I took a few notes about what she expected the basic outline to be. I had already made contact with Central Web Services to create new websites for the Accreditation site and for Western Center back in November. After the meeting on the 18th I contacted Carol Andrews to discuss how we could create a password protected website that could hold the content for this year’s visit. It took some time to sort out because the level of security depended on the content and SueAnn was wavering a bit on what needed to be confidential. We finally figured it out and CWS created a new site for this visit on February 1st. While we were waiting for this new site, I transferred the data from the old Accreditation site over to the new site. SueAnn and I met again on the 7th but she was not able at that time to give me exact information on which to build a site beyond what had been discussed at the first meeting. You can imagine that I was getting a bit concerned about the timeline but SueAnn assured me we had plenty of time.

I began setting up the outline for the new site as soon as I could after it became accessible and by February 9th I had a rough outline for the website and as much of the content that could be transferred over from the old site transferred. SueAnn had directed me to a folder on the shared drive and indicated everything was in it. However, I do not have the knowledge to sort out exactly what she wants under which heading based on what is in this folder. What was obvious to me, I added. I updated syllabi and the forms I recognized. Then I waited for SueAnn to return from vacation. It was my goal to have the regular accreditation site go live this week but after consulting with Carol Andrews (I’ve never done this before in Drupal) I realized that it takes a week for them to process my request, which means the request submitted today will be processed on the 23rd (they only move sites Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday after 3:00 pm). Once it moves I will need to evaluate the site for broken links because that frequently occurs.

But it has caused me much consternation about this new site. In order to have the new site ready by the 18th and give myself time to make sure there are no broken links, I need to be able to make the request to CWS by March 2nd. I could push it until the 7th but that would only give me 3 days to check for errors. However, SueAnn doesn’t expect to have the content to me until the 28th, even knowing that we have this deadline. She may be able to give me some of it on Friday the 18th and Monday the 21st but she’s not 100% certain. Nor did she seem certain she would have the entire content by the 28th (she only indicated she would have standard 1 done by then). Even if I spent 48 hours straight working on the website, I am not sure I could get it ready in 2 days (and I’m really not physically capable of spending 48 hours straight on it). I understand she is doing her best and that other things have pushed her right to the deadline but I really don’t want to be held responsible for something over which I have had no control. I will do my best, as always, to get it done. I just don’t know if it is possible."


I have received quite a bit of content and guidance today so we might make it...I'm just still holding my breath. I was having nightmares and panic attacks but I'm trying to remember that I can only do my best if it is beyond my capability, so be it. I DID MY BEST!

It is fully 100 degrees under my desk! Now you may be asking me why I'm measuring temperature under my desk and the answer is two fold. 1. Fully half of my body is under my desk. 2. My computer is under my desk and struggling to function in the heat. That's just WAY too hot!

I am ready for cooler weather!!!

We are making progress on the office move. Only... this is the first 4 offices we have 52 left to go. Ugh! Anyway- Here are a few pictures.

I at least have my work space set up:

Just a quick update and then it's back to the roller coaster.

Egils has come and gone. There were some people who made some really foolish decisions that stressed Ceridwen out. In fact there were a lot more incidences than usual but that happens every once in a while. We made it through the event mostly intact and not mad at each other. I got my feelings hurt once but I may have been a bit sensitive and overly tired. I'm ready for bed at 11:00 pm but the parties didn't wind down until 3:00 or 4:00 am. That meant I didn't sleep very long because the birds started their wake up call at 5:30. I think I did my job well-- that is I protected Ceridwen from things that didn't need to go to her and I kept her fed, watered and otherwise mostly sane. I think their Excellencies Summits got a little miffed at me when they were asking where Ceridwen was and I suggested if they had official business it should wait until the morning, since drinking had already commenced (It was Ceridwen's night off after all). I don't know if they didn't ever find her or if they decided to take my advice, but they didn't talk to her until the next day. I don't think her Excellency likes me but I'm not sure why. It's not the end of the world either way but it's really too bad because, when she isn't snapping at me, I like her well enough. My one memento of Egils is the poison oak all over my feet and calves. Ick! I could do without that.


Coming back to work was not at all fun. There are piles and piles of things to do. My office moves on Monday and there is much packing to do. We can't really pack the office itself until tomorrow afternoon since we need to be able to function. So we aren't making obvious head way and that's stressful. After the move I have to manage the second wave from afar--I'm not sure how well that will work but it's the best we've got. I also scheduled student worker interviews for next Friday. We just need to get them done. The sad part is that I still haven't had a chance to look at the applications. I asked my student worker to do a preliminary review, recommend 5 or 6 and schedule interviews. She'll be training and working with them very closely so it's important that they can work with her as well as me. I'm really avoiding thinking about the fact that she graduates next year and I'll have to do all the things I currently pass off to her. She and my graduating senior are working with me tomorrow until we get things done, even if that means having to work late. I so appreciate their help.


Yesterday in my haste, I missed a stair and fell down to the landing (2-3 steps). I caught myself enough to collapse gently but wretched everything. I'm a little sore but not as bad as I could be. There are no percussive wounds, just sore muscles.

My computer gave me a nice surprise today. It blue screened irretrievably. The tech narrowed it down to the power supply, motherboard or memory. At least I know I didn't do anything to cause it. Still it means I don't have my computer and I have to use the loaner which has none of my apps and bookmarks. I can't find the link to the university database anywhere since they changed the website and I find that rather irksome.

Anyway, life goes on. I'll be glad to have the move behind me.

Moving details are exhausting!

I know I'm tired when the thought of not having brought my lunch today brought me to the verge of tears!

I've been taking down all the art work and bulletin boards in the halls, hauling boxes of questionable content up to be sorted through, cleaning out book cases, cabinets, and pulping confidential coursework and files. I have set a student to work erasing video and cassette tapes and 3 inch floppies with an electromagnet.

That's on top of trying to keep everyone moving forward with packing, managing the phone and data port additions and moves, processing licensure requests, ordering furniture and other necessary equipment, determining what moves and what goes, finding ways to make some stuff "disappear", and doing my regular job.

I still have to meet with the key shop but since the contractor has the wrong type of lock in all the doors I'm not sure that will be helpful. The project manager in Waldo hasn't followed through on the additional walls he promised us which is going to be problematic. The moving company needs extra time to move because they are going to have to haul everything up 4 flights of stairs (I'm sooooo glad that isn't me!). I moved the date up by two days but we may end up working the weekend too.

The project manager for Education Hall seems to think that we will be moving back in in Sept of 2011. But, this is the same person who thought we could move 56 rooms in 3 days, up four flights of stairs. Applying the same margin of error, we'll move back in in about 24 months as I originally calculated.

The departmental faculty have not chosen which of the 300+ work samples are going with us- I said we'd take 30. My student and I pulled apart about 3 dozen old ones today and it took us 1.5 hours. I can't imagine the amount of hours it's going to take to do 240+ of them. So...they'd better get a move on or we're just going to get started without them.

I'm trying to figure out how to move 20 rooms of storage into 3. And how to fit all of my desk stuff onto a much smaller desk with fewer drawers.

Add to that we have a rebellion going on about a merger that is resulting in much complaining and backbiting. One of the people I love working with is threatening to quit if she has to continue working with another, who is rather a bully. And of course I can't do anything right and everyone has to yell at me because I'm moving too fast and they aren't ready for things to be taken down or thrown away or, or, or...

I'm so overwhelmed it's not funny.

This is ridiculous!

Today I started the day by dealing with grumpy faculty who don't like their room assignments. It continued through out the day. "Why is my office smaller than hers? Why don't we have shades on our windows? My room is too hot I want a different room. I don't want to share an office with him!" Oh dear, people, please make the best of it. We are moving from 25,000 square feet to 12,000. I'm going to have an 8' x 8' office in which my current furniture won't even fit. The new furniture has much less work space and no drawers yet. It's going to be just as hot as any place else on the floor and I have one window which is not accessible to view. Be adults and suck it up!

The Pepsi company seems confused about what they are supposed to do with our soda dispenser and our water dispenser...Apparently, they think they are removing both but we want water service in the new building. I hadn't called about the water dispenser yet.

I had to notify the furniture rep that of the 56 chairs we purchased 6 years ago that have a 7 year warranty, 56 of them have develop cracks or breaks at one specific stress point. We just ordered 48 more so I hope that they stand behind the warranty. Four of the 12 tables have damaged corners that need to be repaired. The rep requested that I take pictures to represent the damage. Taking and uploading the pictures took a bit of time.

Community network was late for the 11 am meeting. I have amassed my own little army of computers to be surplussed. They were supposed to come over and start wiping the hard drive so that they can be reused by other-I said they are wiping the memories so they can be good little soldiers in another army. The tech showed up at about 11:30 and promptly started setting up a massive work station of computers deconstructing--which conveniently blocks the entrance to my desk. I've got about a foot of space to use as an entry.

Before lunch I had to send an email to the project manager requesting that he find a contracter to do some painting in specific offices and telling him to which account to charge it. I reminded him of unfinished construction and that since the contractors made an error in the kinds of locks they purchased and installed, I expect they would replace them at no cost to us.

In between I scheduled meetings for the dean and dealt with other scheduling issues.

Late afternoon I had a consult with a grant funded center housed with us about their phone needs in the new building and finalized the data and phone port drops (adds). I meant to finalize all the Telecom and data moves but we had a big batch of data due this afternoon which I'd assigned a student to collect and organize. When I went to send it to the person writing the actual report, I discovered the data wasn't even close to what was needed. My students are usually so very good. I don't double check them often but we must have really miscommunicated about this data. When I opened that spreadsheet I just wanted to cry. So from 2:30-5:00 (with interruptions, I assure you) I was trying to reconstruct the data myself and begging for some time to finish it up. There was no way I could complete the collation of the data but I did manage to gather all the raw data and I received a little extra time. We'll try to finish it up by Tuesday evening.

The project manager has been assuring me that the packing boxes and labels would arrive today and so we'd notified faculty that they could pick up from our office on Monday. When I went to collect something out of our marketing closet about 4:30 I discovered a pile of boxes and packing tape leaning against the corner of the elevator. The Associate Dean found that they'd been distributed on every floor that way. This would be fine if we had an unlimited supply but we don't and human nature being what it is, we figured one person would take the entire stack and pack one box at a time but not let anyone else have boxes. So he collected them all and brought them into the office where we will distribute them fairly. There are, unfortunately, no labels.

Even lunch wasn't a break because people whined at me the whole time.

Oh I'm so tired. And it only gets worse from here.