和 敬 西 洋

So, Kaleidoscope seemed to go well today. Only stayed for part of it - heat and large numbers of people do not a happy kitty make, so I called it a day when I ran empty on smile-and-make-nice juice. I need to spend more time with the Noe College group. Fun folks. (Also, the potential newbie is the CUTEST young lady with curly pigtails... I seriously want to keep her as a pet or little sister or something.)

I'm planning on being at Collegium tomorrow, though I didn't pre-reg at all. Hope there's space in a class that looks interesting. [Note to self, it's Lyondemere Aylee that knows all sorts of fiber arts, as it seems that there are multiple Aylees. Bug her about said fiber arts if possible. I have the kumihimo kits and spindle and roving, but NO idea how to use 'em.]

Was going to do sewing tonight (I have lightweight white material perfect for a warm-weather veil and coif of some variety or other) but the headache I've had since noon just won't quit (again, heat and people...), so I'm instead trying to find a way to get steam in my sinuses without raising my core temperature any further. It's an uphill battle.

Have a list for what to bring tomorrow, including my spindle and roving, computer parts, and a few other odds and ends. At least the site's not too far away - about a 30 minute drive up a major street. So.

One small tidbit is off my panic list, at least: the donation company contact from prior years just emailed me and asked how many bottles I needed, and when, and would I mind picking them up from the factory? (This means less work sanitizing at the beginning of the war, at least, and definitely means that I don't have to worry about bottles giving out on me. Less huffing and puffing to inflate them.) I still need to figure out what I'm doing for the second station, because what's in storage will not work (nor am I entirely convinced it's complete with all its parts anyway). Come GWW Monday-pack-up-day, I'm going to be sorting a LOT of what's in our inventory and pitching more than a few damaged or incomplete goods.

* Updated blurb for site and publicity re: donations (2L bottles, cleaned thoroughly, lids not required) by Monday mid-day. They will be the same, more or less - donate your time, your citrus, your pickles, and your empty soda bottles, or this war will have a lot of dehydrated folks in armor. I don't want to have to buy out Costco's supply of small paper cups and create lines at the coolers like some Vegas buffet. Bring plastic, dammit. You can fill the space in your car with stuff from Merchant's Row. Everybody wins. [Clearly, this will be edited for language and diplomacy, but you get the point.] Also, mention need for shoulder-strap bags to carry bottles. Anyone with scrap fabric that needs a new home is welcome to donate.

* Budget: Make list of needs, prices. Ask exchequer steward what the budget cap is for WBing, because those shade pavillions are going to cost a LOT (the shitty ones we have aren't going to cut it - we're upping the ante on quality this time). So is the truckload of sharpies to label it all. So is the truckload of two-liter bottles and subsequent storage, if things continue at the rate they are now. Due by end of April.

* Argue: If you folks want me to be the WB steward, stop turning down or ignoring my requests, goddamnit, or you won't HAVE a steward. I don't have time for politics. Yes, I'm new at this, but I also did this last war, and the setup we had worked passably. It will work BETTER if you let me make the rather small fixes I'm asking for. Fuuuuuck. Also, look into what it will take to shake a certain someone like a British au pair the next time I see him.

* Paperwork. Lots of it. Budget stuff, info for the deputy I may have, and for fuck's sake, my device and name, which I've been sitting on for two years now, at least. I need to dig up the email I sent to Su, pick a name on the list, draw my device, and submit it. I already missed this month's meeting for submission deadlines. :P

* Email - Calafia may have 2L bottles normally in use for Potrero. It's a drop in the bucket in numbers per fighter given the comparative size of the wars, but it's a start.

* Drink. Lots of this, too, because the tension headaches I have just thinking about all the dead ends I'm hitting right now are so NOT cool. (At least hangovers have an end in sight.) No water means no fighting means no war. If I have to get a price on 25,000 plastic bottles, I will, goddamnit, and I'll submit it as an up-front expense. No one told me this position was an out-of-pocket-and-interest-accrued job, and like fucking hell I'd have agreed to it if a certain someone had said so in the first place.

* Cry. It won't do anything, but it's easier than the headache a stiff upper lip is giving me. And if I remember to wash the runny mascara off, no one will know.

* Remind myself (use Outlook's reminders function as needed) to never, ever do this again. I can now say with certainty that this is NOT my calling. I'm a misanthrope to the core and I don't function without order and closure. [If any of y'all see me the last day of war, bring this printed page with you and wave it under my nose before I cave to pressure like last war and say yes to anything. Ever again.]

* Also, make a point to email Google that their maps suck at times, and I did not appreciate getting lost in the middle of San Dimas because it said go left. This may wait until I've checked off some of the 'drink' portion of this list.

* Sew. I have a light blue linen that needs to become a knee-length tunic before October. I may try my hand at gores, though from the waist up I'll be using Baroness Ceridwen's cutting technique. I don't know how to set sleeves yet, so we'll leave that challenge for a later date. (Also, 1" wide black webbing plus trim will show less dirt than 1" white webbing with trim. I should make myself another belt soon, if I can swing by Tandy for the brass rings.)

* Tokens - did we ever find out how many were left? Or will I need to order a whole lot of wood disks and yarn and custom rubber stamps? (I don't think belt favors are going to happen until the week before war if I haven't gargled a pistol by then.)

I am *thisclose* to quitting my steward position for GWW. I don't have the budget, I don't have the know-how, and I can't seem to find a straight answer from the people I'm supposed to be asking. Since most of this week has had me close to tears, I'm going to give this until next Saturday before I make any more decisions, but... I just don't think I have it in me to try and be a middle manager with no employees and largely unhelpful upper management, y'know? 

Well, I think today's first GWW meeting went well (the driving habits of folks in rainstorms is another rant entirely, that can be summed up with "FOLLOWING DISTANCE, BITCHES!!!").

My anal-retentiveness is showing. I already have a list of facilities stuff I need, minimum volunteers I need, etc. I even put together Excel forms for volunteer sign-in, banner nominations, etc. I have my facilities request about 90% done - I want to wait to send it in case I forgot anything, but it's all prioritized and stuff as-is. I'll probably send it off tomorrow night after class.

If I ever get a deputy, they are going to have it SO EASY. (Well, maybe not, because there is a LOT of work the week of war, but...)

And I fully intend to call dibs on what budget allottment I'm given (like renting tents that won't blow away). None of that 'make do' stuff that drove me nuts last October. Nopenope.

L_S, do we have a GWW community yet? I can set one up if we don't. Call it Estrella envy or whatnot, but THEY have one, and we should too, dangit. Useful for official Pub. releases, yanno? (Besides, it's one more soapbox for my 'I need a deputy!' posts...) [Also, other than the fact that What Happens In Meetings/List, Stays At Meetings, you didn't miss a whole lot. Be advised that if you didn't know before, there will be a Procedure in place for donation stuff. I'll give you the rest later. :) ]

----
I tried taking a nap when I got home, but Willow decided she'd make a better squirmy thing than a pillow. Alas, no sleep for me.
----

So, class tomorrow night. I forgot to go get myself a binder, but I have everything else, so I may as well just leave it all in the plastic bag from the bookstore for now. (Like I need to spend the money, anyway - I have $10 to last me until the 31st. On the bright side, assuming the merit increase and incentive bonuses are substantial, The End Is In Sight. As in, March or April. Pretty fekkin' sweet, given that it's been, oh, three years now.)

That seems to be my new subject line of choice these days.

Back now. Very, very tired.

Did you know that if you go for 5 solid days without stopping, taking breaks, remembering to drink water, or having more than 2 small meals a day, you can drop like a seizure-addled rock for 15 hours? It's all kinds of interesting (in the Firefly definition). I was out of commission from about 8pm Saturday evening to about 3pm Sunday afternoon, give or take. Not pretty.

On the bright side, I was awarded an AoA, which is pretty farkin' sweet. :)

But DAMN am I tired. At least next year, I know what to look forward to, and I've already drafted the beginnings of a post-mortem report for this year's event, with notes for making next year's event a little easier. I need to do a post-mortem for our camp setup, too, so I can write down all the notes I have in my head that will keep our tent organized and functional.