What a day

This week has been a total blur. I have a proposal due on Friday at 2, and of course we didn't make the decision to go for it until last week. We're collaborating with a firm from Boston, and have 7 consultants to choose and coordinate. AND, it's Rosh Hashana, so my boss was out Tuesday, and he is out of town tomorrow and Friday. Oh, and he had to got to the Phillies game this afternoon (I can grumble, but I sure hope some day I have an Oona to do things so I can go to the Phils). So this week has been hectic, but today took the cake. I agreed to meet El Jefe at the office at 6:30 to get a jump on the massive amount of work we have to do.  Thankfully he arrived with a huge, nasty Dunkin Donuts coffee and a glazed donut. I mean, if you're going to do it, you might as well do it, right? At around 11 our consulting architect arrived and we did some caffeine/sugar fueled brainstorming. My favorite technique for getting to the heart of what you're trying to articulate to a potential client is the "so what?" approach. After each sentence/statement, ask yourself "so what?" until you don't have to any more. For instance: "We are the preeminent architecture firm on the East Coast." "So what?" Fun. I think I got a little too into it this morning.... 

Then we had to drive out to the site to see it while we planned. It's in West Chester, which isn't far, but I'm not familiar enough with how to get there without directions. Of course we're in such a hurry that I don't have time to get them, but the Boss reassures me that I can follow him as he has GPS. Great! Until he loses me in traffic and I get onto the wrong road and end up going about 25 minutes in the wrong direction before I find a place to turn off and right the ship.  And then I do it again going the other way. And then my gas light comes on, while the cell phone is ringing with El Jefe wondering what the hell happened to me. Long, long story short I end up on the phone with Leo, in tears, lamenting what an idiot I was and how could I get lost, and on and on and on. An hour and a half later I arrive at the site, slightly worse for wear. Remarkably, other than an arched eyebrow and comment on how it's remarkable that I made it just in time for lunch, I survived without any recriminations from anyone but myself.

The day dragged on until 6:30, and it looks like the next two days will be equally long and stressful. The good news is that the Phillies won, and I got to watch the final out in the conference room of my office.